U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Ecological Services

Southeast Region

Listing and Critical Habitat Program

 

 

Field Offices

Alabama Kentucky
Arkansas Louisiana
Florida Mississippi
        Jacksonville North Carolina
        Panama City Puerto Rico
        Vero Beach South Carolina
Georgia Tennessee

What we do:

Through the listing program, the Service determines whether a species is added to the Federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants and the designation of critical habitat for species that are listed.  After being added to the list, a plant or animal species receives full protection as provided by the Endangered Species Act.

How does a species become listed?

A species is added to the list when it is determined to be endangered or threatened because of one or more of the following 5 factors

  • The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of the species’ habitat or range
  • Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes
  • Disease or predation
  • The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms
    Other natural or manmade factors affecting the species survival

                                                
There are two means by which these factors are analyzed:

Petition Process - public participation process
Candidate Assessment – the Service’s internal process

Listing a Species as Threatened or Endangered, Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act Fact Sheet

How is Critical Habitat Designated?

When a species is proposed for listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, we must consider, if prudent and determinable, whether there are areas that have the physical and biological features that are essential to the conservation of the species or areas of habitat we believe are essential for the species’ conservation. Those areas may be proposed for designation as critical habitat.

Critical Habitat Fact Sheet

How do I comment on a rule?

You may submit comments, during a public comment period, by one of the following methods:

  • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
  • U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: [insert RIN number or document ID number]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. 

We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov.  This generally means that we will post any personal information you provide us.

Peer Review

The Endangered Species Act requires the Service to base its listing decisions and critical habitat designations on the best scientific and commercial data available.  The Service makes formal solicitations of expert opinions and analyses on one or more specific questions or assumptions. Service policy requires at least three peer reviewers be contacted during the open comment period to review the document for scientific accuracy.  Although the peer reviewers may comment on any aspect of the proposed rule, they may be asked to consider specific questions regarding the species’ taxonomy or biology.

For more information and species specific peer review plans visit: Southeast Region’s Peer Review Site

What’s New?