Our Mission: “Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Our Mission:

“Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.” Slide2

Goals for today: Proposals to protect Sierra amphibians

Describe what’s proposedDiscuss the timeline and opportunities for public involvementIdentify the types of information we need and how you can participateAnswer your questionsSlide3

Listing/Critical Habitat ProcessPetition or proposal to list

FWS solicits information -- best available scientific and commercial information12-month finding; if warranted:Proposal to ListProposal to designate Critical HabitatSolicit public commentRevise proposals

Publish final Listing and Critical Habitat RulesSlide4

History

2000: 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 and 2003: Found listing toad and frog warranted but precluded. Species placed

on the candidate list.

2008

: Mountain yellow-legged frogs in the northern Sierra

were

established as a separate

species (the

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog) from the mountain yellow-legged frogs of the southern Sierras.

2011: FWS enters into global settlement to address listing backlog for over 200 species, including Sierra amphibians.Slide5

April 24, 2013 – Two

Proposed

Rules:

To add

3 amphibians

to the Endangered Species List

Yosemite toad

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog

Northern Distinct Population Segment of mountain yellow-legged frog

To designate Critical Habitat to promote their recovery

1,831,820 acres across 17 counties

Mostly on federal landSlide6

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 significant threat.

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and Northern Distinct Population Segment of the mountain yellow-legged frogSlide7

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 historical grazing.

Recreation is not considered a significant threat.

Yosemite toadSlide8

Endangered

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

range.

D

efinitions

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.Slide9

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.Slide10

Species

Proposed Critical

Habitat by

County

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, MaderaSlide11

The actions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate

critical

h

abitat

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. Slide12

Fresno County Proposed Critical Habitat-Total Acres: 574,882-Total Federal Acres: 574,105

-Non Federal Acres: 777-Total Acres in Wilderness: 479,737Slide13

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.Slide14

3 Sierra

AmphibiansDraft Economic Analysis Overview

Identifies and analyzes the potential economic impacts associated with designating critical habitat over the next 17 years.

Concludes impacts consist primarily of costs associated with federal agency consultation.Slide15

3 Sierra

AmphibiansDraft Economic Analysis Overview

Quantifies economic impacts of conservation efforts associated with:

Fish stocking

Dams and water diversions

Grazing

Fuels management

Timber harvests

Recreation

Habitat and species managementSlide16

3 Sierra

AmphibiansDraft Economic Analysis Overview

Low end scenario:

Dams and water diversions - 75%

Grazing - 8%

T

imber harvest activities - 5%

High end scenario:

Timber harvest activities - 49%

Dams and water diversions - 32%

Grazing activities – 15%Slide17

3 Sierra

AmphibiansDraft Economic Analysis Overview

Small business impacts:

4 small businesses in dams and water diversions

358 small entities in timber harvests

=~4 small businesses impacted per year (small impact of costs of consultation)Slide18

3 Sierra

Amphibians Overviewproposed

listing, critical habitat, and DEASlide19

Apr

25, 2013: Two proposed rules to list and designate critical habitat

Apr 25 – Jun 24, 2013: First public comment period: 60 days

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

Jan 10,

2014:

USFWS

made available

to the public a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical habitat rule.

Third public comment period (60 days – closes March 11, 2014) Public hearing in Sacramento January 30,

2014:

The Sacramento Horsemen’s Association

;

3200

Longview Drive; Sacramento, CA 95821.

The

first hearing session will start at 1:00 p.m. with doors opening at 12:30.

A second hearing session will start at 6:00 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30.

TimelineSlide20

Timeline

Winter/Spring 2014 Review all public comments received during the public comment

periods

R

eview

and address the expert opinions of independent scientific

experts

Apr, 2014: Anticipated publication

of final

rulesSlide21

Requested Information

Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning any threats (or lack thereof) to these species, and regulations that may be addressing those threats.

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

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

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.

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

Slide22

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

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 the public hearing. Written comments can be accepted during any of the public comment periods. Slide23

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

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ollow our tweets at

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atch our YouTube Channel at

http://www.youtube.com/usfws

; and

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ownload photos from our Flickr page at

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