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May, 2006
A win for the good guys!
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not conduct in-depth review of dune beetle for listing consideration
The Off-Road Business Association, along with five other OHV organizations, submitted not one, but two, comment letters urging FWS to deny the petition of the Center for Biological Diversity on grounds that it provided insufficient technical data to support a listing.
Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office
6010 Hidden Valley Road
Carlsbad, California 92011
Phone: 760/431-9440
Fax: 760/431-9624
http://carlsbad.fws.gov (SC)
Contact: Jane Hendron, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office - 760/431-9440 ext. 205
For Release: May 5, 2006
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WILL NOT CONDUCT IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF DUNE BEETLE FOR LISTING CONSIDERATION
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that a petition to list the Andrews' dune scarab beetle under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) does not contain substantial information to warrant an in-depth review of the species' status. The negative finding was published in the Federal Register on May 4, 2006.
The petition to list the scarab beetle was submitted to the Service by the Center for Biological Diversity in December 2002. Under the ESA, the Service is required to review the petition and determine whether it contains substantial information to warrant listing in a process known as a 90-day finding.
Andrews' dune scarab beetle is known to occur in portions of the Algodones Dunes in Imperial County, California, and northern Mexico. Within the Algodones Dunes, the species occurs in areas with creosote bush scrub and uses troughs of loose, drifting sand between dunes. When inactive, Andrews' dune scarab beetles remain buried in the sand at depths ranging from 2 to 11 inches.
The petitioners claimed that Andrews' dune scarab beetle is restricted to the Algodones Dunes and is threatened by off-highway vehicle use. The petitioners did not provide substantial scientific information on the effects of OHVs, pesticides or predation on the species. The petition also contained incomplete information regarding the status of the Andrews' dune scarab beetle, including its potential distribution in Mexico.
This finding was prepared pursuant to a court order resulting from a lawsuit filed against the Service by the Center for Biological Diversity. A copy of the petition finding is available on the Internet at http://carlsbad.fws.gov or by contacting the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office at 760/431-9440.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
- FWS -
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit our home page at www.fws.gov
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