Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Rule to remove the Lake Erie Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) from the Federal list of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

Résumé

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove the Lake Erie Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) from the List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife due to recovery. This action is based on a review of the best available scientific and commercial data, which indicate that the subspecies is no longer endangered or threatened with extinction, or likely to become so within the foreseeable future. Based on our determination that the Lake Erie Watersnake is no longer endangered or threatened with extinction, we have also determined that designation of critical habitat for the Lake Erie Watersnake is not prudent. We seek information, data, and comments from the public regarding the Lake Erie Watersnake, this proposal to delist, and the draft post-delisting monitoring plan. This proposal implements the recommendations from the 5-year status review initiated on April 22, 2008 (73 FR 21643).