Consent 4.
Regular Board of Supervisors Meeting
Community Development
- Meeting Date:
- 10/09/2012
- Title:
- Response to FWS on 90-day Finding on Petition to List Desert Massasauga as Endangered or Threatened and To Designate Critical Habitat
- Submitted By:
- Mike Turisk, Community Development
- Department:
- Community Development
- Division:
- Planning & Zoning
Presentation:
No A/V Presentation
Recommendation:
Approve
Document Signatures:
BOS Signature Required
# of ORIGINALS
Submitted for Signature:
Submitted for Signature:
1
NAME
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
n/a
TITLE
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
n/a
Docket Number (If applicable):
Mandated Function?:
Not Mandated
Source of Mandate
or Basis for Support?:
or Basis for Support?:
Information
Agenda Item Text:
Authorize sending the attached letter which opposes the Fish and Wildlife Service's finding on a petition to list the desert massasauga rattlesnake as threatened or endandered and to possibly designate critical habitat in Cochise County.
Background:
In November 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) was petitioned to add the desert massasauga, a rattlesnake found in the southwestern United State, including portions of Cochise County, to the list of threatened and endangered species. The desert massasauga is classified as a subspecies of massasauga, and as a widely recognized subspecies, it is listable under the Endangered Species Act. On August 9, 2012 the Service announced the results of a 90-day status review on the petition and concluded that it presents substantial evidence indicating that listing may be warranted. The Service opened a 60 public comment period regarding the findings of the status review.
The desert massasauga occurs in a variety of grassland and shrubland habitats, including shortgrass prairie and Chihuahuan desert. The subspecies inhabits primarily shortgrass prairie habitat below about 5,000 feet in elevation. In Arizona, the subspecies only occurs in the extreme southeastern part of the State. However, across its range, population sizes and trends for the desert massasauga are largely unknown due to the overall lack of data. General assessments have been made that suggests that continued alteration of the massasauga's open habitats for farmland, ranching and development has caused significant declines. In 2001, the Arizona Game and Fish Department reported that, while quantified data are lacking, the desert massasauga has almost certainly experienced long-term population declines and a general range contraction in Arizona.
The petition presented information regarding a host of factors as potential threats to the desert massasauga, with the most significant causes of decline suggested being habitat loss due to conversion of native grasslands to crops, heavy livestock grazing, development and vehicle strikes.
Note that per a separate settlement agreement with the petitioners, the Service has scheduled its Endangered Species Act listing program workload through 2016, so it does not anticipate completing a status assessment and finding whether the desert massasauga warrants listing until after 2016.
The desert massasauga occurs in a variety of grassland and shrubland habitats, including shortgrass prairie and Chihuahuan desert. The subspecies inhabits primarily shortgrass prairie habitat below about 5,000 feet in elevation. In Arizona, the subspecies only occurs in the extreme southeastern part of the State. However, across its range, population sizes and trends for the desert massasauga are largely unknown due to the overall lack of data. General assessments have been made that suggests that continued alteration of the massasauga's open habitats for farmland, ranching and development has caused significant declines. In 2001, the Arizona Game and Fish Department reported that, while quantified data are lacking, the desert massasauga has almost certainly experienced long-term population declines and a general range contraction in Arizona.
The petition presented information regarding a host of factors as potential threats to the desert massasauga, with the most significant causes of decline suggested being habitat loss due to conversion of native grasslands to crops, heavy livestock grazing, development and vehicle strikes.
Note that per a separate settlement agreement with the petitioners, the Service has scheduled its Endangered Species Act listing program workload through 2016, so it does not anticipate completing a status assessment and finding whether the desert massasauga warrants listing until after 2016.
Department's Next Steps (if approved):
Have the Chairman sign and send the letter.
Impact of NOT Approving/Alternatives:
The County would not provide comments.
To BOS Staff: Document Disposition/Follow-Up:
Please send the letter immediately:
(1) Electronically: The Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2012-0057; and
(2) By hard copy to:
Mr. Tom Buckley
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 1306
Albuquerque, NM 87103; and
Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2012-0057
Division of Policy and Directives Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.
Note that emails or faxes will not be accepted.
(1) Electronically: The Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2012-0057; and
(2) By hard copy to:
Mr. Tom Buckley
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 1306
Albuquerque, NM 87103; and
Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2012-0057
Division of Policy and Directives Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.
Note that emails or faxes will not be accepted.
Attachments
- FWS 90-Day Finding on Petition to List Desert Massasauga
- County's Response to Petition to List Desert Massasauga