Austin Texas

Ecological Services Field Office

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the Concho water snake should be removed from the Federal list of threatened and endangered species. The proposed rule, published in today’s Federal Register, has a comment due date of September 8. The snake inhabits portions of the Colorado and Concho rivers in central Texas (see map).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability of the draft Bexar County Karst Invertebrates Recovery Plan (draft Plan) for public comment. Nine Bexar County karst invertebrates were listed as endangered species on December 26, 2000 (65 FR 81419). These species inhabit caves and mesocaverns (humanly impassable voids in karst limestone) in Bexar County, Texas. Once finalized, the draft Plan is intended to identify objectives and tasks needed to remove these species from the endangered species list.

The closing date for receiving comments is July 15, 2008. Comments can be mailed to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10711 Burnet Rd. Suite #200, Austin, TX 78758 or emailed to BexarKIrecplan@fws.gov.

To open the draft plan (Adobe .pdf format) Click here, or to simply save the document, right-mouse click on the link and select "Save Target as".

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the draft economic analysis for the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the threatened Devils River minnow is available for public review. The Service proposed critical habitat for the fish, which occurs in Val Verde and Kinney counties, Texas, on July 31, 2007. The economic analysis evaluates the costs associated with the proposed critical habitat. The service is also reopening the comment period for the proposed rule and announcing an upcoming public hearing on the proposal.

The Service announces the opening of the public comment period for the draft Environmental Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan (EA/HCP) for GDF Realty Investments, Ltd., and Purcell Investments, L.P., for an incidental take permit (TE–171255) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) for the golden-cheeked warbler(Dendroica chrysoparia) and five karst invertebrates: Tooth Cave spider (Neoleptoneta myopica), Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi), Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion (Tartarocreagris texana), Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle (Texamaurops reddelli), and Tooth Cave ground beetle (Rhadine persephone). The proposed take would occur as the result of construction and operation of a residential, commercial, and/or retail development with associated streets and utilities on portions of the approximately 70-acre GDF property in Austin, Travis County, Texas.

The Service seeks comments from the public or any other interested party on the draft EA/HCP. All comments must be received by February 29, 2008. Written comments may be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin, Ecological Services Office, 10711 Burnet Rd. Suite #200, Austin, TX, 78758 or faxed to 512-490-0974, attention: Adam Zerrenner.

Click here to download Draft Plan.

On December 13, 2007, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Jollyville Plateau salamander (Eurycea tonkawae) as an endangered species. Following a status review of the best available scientific and commercial data, we found that the threats to the continued existence of this species supported a positive finding that listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, is warranted. However, given the large number of pending listing actions, we found that listing the Jollyville Plateau salamander is warranted, but precluded by other listing actions of higher priority. The Service now considers this species as a candidate for listing.

Click here to download the document.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to reintroduce the Rio Grande silvery minnow into its historic habitat in the Big Bend reach of the Rio Grande in Texas.

We welcome public comment and input on the proposal and associated Draft Environmental Assessment. Details on how to submit comments can be found in the proposed rule. In addition, a hearing on the proposal will be held October 10, at Sul Ross State University, Gallego Center, Room 129 in Alpine, Texas. The hearing begins at 7 p.m. and lasts until 8:45 p.m., with an informal question and answer session beginning at 6 p.m. Residents, state, county and local officials, landowners, farmers, recreationists and others are encouraged to attend and comment.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized its critical habitat designation for two beetles and an amphipod, a shrimp-like crustacean. The three endangered species are the Comal Springs riffle beetle, Comal Springs dryopid beetle, and Peck's cave amphipod.

The three freshwater species share something in common with the more than 180,000 human residents of the two counties – they prefer their water unpolluted. Water quality and quantity are important concerns for the species, as well as the ecological health of the spring systems.

The Service seeks comments from the public and any other interested parties on any part of the EA. Comments must be received by the Service by October 19, 2006. Written comments may be submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Federal Assistance, 500 Gold St. SW, Suite 9019, Albuquerque, NM 87102, faxed to 505/248-7471, or e-mailed to HCSSC@fws.gov

The objective of this document is to identify survey methods that will produce sound scientific information upon which to base decisions and actions for the conservation of these endangered species. Using consistent survey methodology will also allow for greater comparison and analysis of results, and thereby increase our understanding of these species and their habitat requirements. Information that relates to the effectiveness of these survey guidelines in conserving endangered karst species is welcome. The Procedures are available on the Southwest Region website. (http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Library/)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased to announce the availability of the approved Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea sosorum)Recovery Plan. The Barton Springs salamander is a small amphibian known only from Barton Springs located in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas.

The final Recovery Plan for the threatened Pecos Sunflower (Helianthus paradoxus) has been approved by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. A Fact Sheet is also available.

The Pecos sunflower occurs in seven populations; two occur in west Texas and five are located in New Mexico. Two Texas populations occur on desert springs within the same general Pecos Plain region in west Texas. Two populations occur along the Rio San Jose and one on the Rio Grande in west-central New Mexico, comprising a second distinct region. Finally, there are two distinct populations on the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico, each constituting its own region. Thus, a total of four highly disjunct regional areas contain the entire genomic and ecotypical characteristics of Pecos sunflower.

The final Recovery Plan for the threatened Devils River minnow (Dionda diaboli) has been approved by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife. The Recovery Plan identifies specific, voluntary actions that will help recover the fish so it may eventually be removed from the list of threatened and endangered species. Objectives and criteria for delisting the species are spelled out. In addition, the fish’s status and current management practices are described.