Feds Rush to Save Nevada Butterfly With Unfortunate Name
Published Date: 1/8/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to officially protect the bleached sandhill skipper, a rare butterfly found in Humboldt County, Nevada, by listing it as endangered. This means the butterfly will get special protections to help it survive. People can share their thoughts on this plan until March 10, 2025, and a public hearing can be requested by February 24, 2025.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Listing Cites Climate and Groundwater Pumping Threats
The proposed rule identifies the primary threats to the subspecies as increased warming and drying from climate change and groundwater pumping. The rule states that Gridley Lake Valley groundwater basin is currently appropriated and pumped above perennial yield, and Continental Lake Valley is close to fully appropriated and pumped around 25 percent of perennial yield, with most pumping used for irrigation of agricultural crops.
Bleached Sandhill Skipper Proposed as Endangered
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to list the bleached sandhill skipper (a butterfly in Humboldt County, Nevada) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. If finalized, the subspecies would be added to the federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and the Act's protections would apply to the subspecies.
Critical Habitat Not Determinable Now
The Service states that designation of critical habitat for the bleached sandhill skipper is "not determinable" at this time while it obtains necessary economic information. Under the Act, the Service may take up to one additional year to publish a proposed critical habitat designation.
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