Endangered Species Law & Policy

On April 17, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published a proposed rule that would revise the critical habitat for two endangered plant species located in Riverside County, California: the Munz's onion (Allium munzii) and the San Jacinto Valley crownscale (Atriplex coronata var. natatior).  Under the proposed rule, the Service would designate an additional 8,909 acres of critical habitat for the two species.  Approximately 889 additional acres would be designated for the Munz's onion, and 8,020 acres would be designated for the San Jacinto Valley crownscale.  

While the Service issued a final rule designating approximately 176 acres of critical habitat for the Munz's onion in 2005, it has never formally designated any critical habitat for the San Jacinto Valley crownscale.  As for the impetus for the proposed rule, the Service explained in its press release that it was because of "a complaint filed in court challenging the final critical habitat designations, [that] we agreed to reconsider the designations in a settlement agreement and are submitting the proposed rule for both plants."  

The current deadline for submitting comments on the proposed rule is June 18, 2012.  If you would like to submit comments, the submittal information is identified at the bottom of the Service's press release.