Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of White Sedge (Carex albida) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Plants

Zusammenfassung

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove the white sedge (Carex albida) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants (i.e., "delist" the species). Our review of the best available scientific and commercial data indicate that the white sedge is not a discrete taxonomic entity and does not meet the definition of a species as defined by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). White sedge has been synonymized with Lemmon's sedge (Carex lemmonii). This taxonomic revision means that the white sedge is no longer a scientifically accepted species. If we finalize this rule as proposed, the prohibitions and conservation measures provided by the Act, particularly through sections 7 and 9, would no longer apply to the white sedge.