Regulatory Oversight, Critical Habitat, Climate Change

Rescinding U.S. Roadless Rule Reignites Centuries-old Debate About State Rights And Environmental Protections On Public Lands

Wenning Environmental on 7/15/2025

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins’ announcement at a Western Governors Association meeting in June 2025 to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, commonly known as the Roadless Rule, is...more

Western Pond Turtle Listing Will Impact Land and Water Managers Throughout the Western U.S.

Troutman Pepper Locke on 11/30/2023

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed listing the northwestern pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) and the southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) as threatened species under the federal Endangered Species...more

Service Proposes Listing Two California Salamander Species with Critical Habitat Designations

Nossaman LLP on 10/20/2022

On October 18, 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced 12-month findings on a petition to list three California-based salamander species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): the Kern Plateau salamander...more

Diminutive Desert Owl Makes Big Waves

Nossaman LLP on 12/29/2021

On December 22, 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposed to list the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum) (Owl) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) primarily due...more

FWS Delists Cumberland Sandwort Under the ESA

Nossaman LLP on 8/19/2021

On Monday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a final rule delisting the now-recovered Cumberland sandwort (Arenaria cumberlandensis) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Originally listed as endangered in...more

FWS Decides Not to List Long-Living Tree Impacted by Climate Change

Nossaman LLP on 10/18/2019

On October 7, 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the agency’s 12-month findings that a dozen species are not warranted for listing as endangered or threatened...more