Possible five new additions to U.S. Fish & Wildlife's endangered species list

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering the addition of eight new species to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) list, five of which concern California and Nevada.

They have found that there is substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that ESA protections may be warranted for the Mojave shoulderband snail, Clear Lake hitch, Relict dace, San Joaquin flower-loving fly, and Western pond turtle.

The public now has 60 days to read the findings and make comments if necessary.

Currently, there are 315 entries on the California ESA list, 128 of which are animals. Nevada has 41 listings.

The findings do not mean that the Service has decided to grant federal protections to these species. Rather, the findings will trigger a more thorough review of all the biological information available for the species. To ensure the status reviews are comprehensive, the Service is looking for information from the public.

Comments on the 90-day findings and information about the species may be submitted:

Online at the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov or U.S. mail or Hand-delivery to:

Public Comments Processing,
Attn: [Insert appropriate docket number];
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike;
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.