Service Announces Draft Economic Analysis, Draft Environmental Assessment and Draft Conservation Agreement for Graham’s Beardtongue and White River Beardtongue
For Immediate Release
May 5, 2014
Public comment period reopened until July 7, 2014
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today the availability of a draft economic analysis and draft environmental assessment on a proposal to designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for Graham’s beardtongue and White River beardtongue, two endemic plants found on oil shale soils in Uintah and Duchesne Counties, Utah, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The Service also announced the availability of a draft conservation agreement for the two species.
The Service will reopen the public comment period until July 7, 2014, on the August 6, 2013, proposed listing rule and proposed designation of critical habitat for both species; a draft environmental assessment; and additional data on species occurrences obtained since the proposed rule.
The Service will host a public hearing on May 28 on the proposals at the following location:
Uintah County Public Library
204 East 100 North,
Vernal, UT 84078
An information session is scheduled from 4:30 to 6 pm, followed by the public hearing from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
“In order to better inform our decision-making on Graham’s and White River beardtongue, we want to hear from people who may have valuable information about the two species and threats to their habitat,” said Noreen Walsh, Mountain-Prairie Regional Director.
The draft economic analysis estimates the economic impacts, including costs and benefits, of the proposed rule to designate 67,959 acres of critical habitat for Graham’s beardtongue in Duchesne and Uintah Counties, Utah and Rio Blanco County, Colorado; and 14,940 acres for White River beardtongue in Uintah County, Utah and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The analysis concluded that critical habitat designations for Graham’s and White River beardtongues are unlikely to generate costs exceeding $100 million per year. This estimate was based on the anticipated costs of consultations under section 7 of the ESA and associated conservation measures. The Service will use the draft environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act to analyze the effects of the proposed critical habitat on the physical and human environment.