U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Slide 1 Our Mission: “Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 1

Our Mission:

“Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for

the continuing benefit of the American people.”

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 2

Goals for today: Proposals to protect Sierra amphibians

1. Describe what’s proposed

2. Discuss the timeline and opportunities for public involvement

3. Identify the types of information we need and how you can participate

4. Answer your questions

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 3

Listing/Critical Habitat Process Petition or proposal to list

FWS solicits information -- best available scientific and commercial information

12-month finding; if warranted:

Proposal to List Proposal to designate Critical Habitat Solicit public comment Revise proposals

Publish final Listing and Critical Habitat Rules

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 4

History2000: Petitioned by the Center for Biological Diversity and Pacific Rivers Council to list the Sierra Nevada population of the mountain yellow-legged frog and Yosemite toad as endangered and designate critical habitat.

2002: Found listing warranted but precluded. Species placed on the candidate list.

2008: Mountain yellow-legged frogs in the northern Sierra were established as a separate species from the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog.

2011: FWS enters into global settlement to address listing backlog for over 200 species, including Sierra amphibians.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 5

April 24, 2013 – Two Proposed Rules:

To add three amphibians to the Endangered Species List

• Yosemite toad

• Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog

• Northern population of mountain yellow-legged frog

To designate Critical Habitat to promote their recovery

• 1,831,820 acres across 17 counties

• Mostly on federal land

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 6

• Historically abundant across much of the higher elevations within the Sierra Nevada.

• Currently restricted to publicly managed lands at high elevations.

• Threats: - Habitat degradation and

fragmentation- predation and disease- changes in temperature and

precipitation- inadequate regulatory protections

• Recreation is not considered a threat.

Sierra yellow-legged frog and northern population of mountain yellow-legged frog

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 7

• Found at high elevations (5-12,000 ft) from Alpine County to Fresno County.

• Mainly on Federal land.

• Population declines throughout its range.

• Threats: habitat degradation and loss due to conifer encroachment and grazing.

• Recreation is not considered a threat.

Yosemite toad

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 8

Endangered Any species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Definitions

Yosemite Toad

Mountain yellow-legged frog

Critical habitat

Threatened Any species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.

Critical Habitat Specific geographic areas with physical and biological features essential to the conservation of a listed species.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 9

Species Proposed Listing

Proposed Critical Habitat

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog

Endangered 1,105,400 acres

Northern DPS of the mountain yellow-legged frog

Endangered 221,498 acres

Yosemite toad Threatened 750,926 acres

  Total with overlapping acres: 1,831,820 – mostly on federal lands.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 10

Species Proposed Critical Habitat byCounty

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa, Mono, Madera, Tuolumne, Fresno, Inyo

Northern DPS of the mountain yellow-legged frog

Tulare, Fresno

Yosemite toad Alpine, Mariposa, Mono, Tuolumne, Fresno, Inyo, Madera

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 11

The actions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate critical habitat do not close or restrict access to public lands.

The designation of critical habitat alerts the public and federal agencies to areas and features that are important for the recovery of the species.

Proposed Critical Habitat for 3 Sierra Amphibians

If critical habitat remains functional, and threats to the species are relieved, the species has a chance to recover.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 12

Economic Analysis• The Endangered Species Act requires that critical habitat is designated

based upon the best scientific and commercial data available, after taking into consideration the economic impact, impact on national security, or any other relevant impact of specifying any particular area as critical habitat.

• The intent of the draft economic analysis is to identify and analyze the potential economic impacts associated with the proposed critical habitat designation for the species.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 13

Apr 24, 2013: Two proposed rules to list and designate critical habitat

Apr 24 – Jun 24, 2013: First public comment period: 60 days

Jul 18 – Nov 18, 2013: Second public comment period: 120 days

Late Fall 2013: USFWS will make available to the public a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical habitat rule.

Third public comment period (60 days)

Two public meetings

Public hearing

Timeline

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 14

Timeline

Winter/Spring 2014

Review all public comments received during the public comment periods

Review and address the expert opinions of independent scientific experts

Apr 24, 2014: Publication of final rules

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 15

Requested Information1. Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning any threats (or lack thereof)

to these species, and regulations that may be addressing those threats.

2. Additional information concerning the historical and current status, range, distribution, and population size of these species.

3. Any information on the biological or ecological requirements of these species, and ongoing conservation measures for these species and their habitats.

4. The factors that are the basis for making a listing determination for a species under section 4(a) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which are:

• The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range;

• Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes;

• Disease or predation;

• The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or

• Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.

5. The reasons why we should or should not designate habitat as critical habitat for these species.

For a more complete list of requested information, please visit www.fws.gov/sacramento

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 16

How to Submit Comments:Comments can be submitted online at the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.

The Docket Number for the proposed listing rule is FWS–R8–ES–2012–0100 and for the proposed critical habitat rule is FWS–R8–ES–2012–0074.

Comments can also be sent by U.S. mail to:

Public Comments Processing

FWS–R8–ES–2012–0100 or FWS–R8–ES–2012–0074

Division of Policy and Directives Management

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM

Arlington, VA 22203

Verbal comments will be recorded during a public hearing, scheduled for the fall. Written comments can be accepted during any of the public comment periods.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Slide 17

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation.

• For more information on these proposals, please visit www.fws.gov/sacramento/newsroom.htm

• For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov/cno

• Connect with our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/usfwspacificsouthwest

• Follow our tweets at http://twitter.com/USFWSPacSWest

• Watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws; and

• Download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfws_pacificsw/.