The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) made Positive 90-Day Findings on 21 additional species that were petitioned.
Most of these species originated from the Center for Biological Diversity’s (CBD) “mega-petiton” of 53 species from July 2012. If the USFWS finalizes its proposed rule of May 21, 2015 to revise listing procedures then multi-species petitions will no longer be allowed.
The USFWS commenced with a full status review of the 21 species with a positive 90-day finding. The USFWS has opened public commentary for each specific species, with the comment period open until August 21, 2015.
The Service made positive 90-day findings for the following 21 species:
-Alligator snapping turtle
-Apalachicola kingsnake
-Arizona toad
-Blanding’s turtle
-Cascade Caverns salamander
-Cascades frog
-Cedar Key mole skink
-Foothill yellow-legged frog
-Gopher frog
-Green salamander
-Illinois chorus frog
-Kern County slender salamander
-Key ringneck snake
-Oregon slender salamander
-Relictual slender salamander
-Rim Rock crowned snake
-Rio Grande cooter
-Silvery phacelia
-Southern hog-nosed snake
-Spotted turtle
-Western spadefoot toad
One of the most notable actions was the USFWS denying the petition to “downlist” the Gray Wolf (Canus Lupis) from its current status as Endangered to Threatened. Twenty-Two petitioners were involved (including the CBD) with the 2015 petition to reclassify the Gray Wolf (excluding the Mexican Gray Wolf (Canus Lupus Baileyi) throughout the U.S.).
Original Federal Register Document here:
http://www.veritasresearchconsulting.com/FR/Fed_Reg-01Jul15-USFWS-TE-90Day_Findings.pdf