Deadline to comment on the proposed listing of the Monarch Butterfly under the ESA
March 12, 2025 @ 10:30 pm - 10:59 pm
Deadline to comment on the proposed listing of the Monarch Butterfly under the ESA
On December 10, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) proposed that the monarch butterfly be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A 90-day public comment period on the proposal is open until March 12. The final decision on the proposal is scheduled to come in 2026.
Today, the eastern migratory population is estimated to have declined by approximately 80%. The western migratory population has declined by more than 95% since the 1980s, putting the western populations at greater than 99% chance of extinction by 2080. During this same period, the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56 to 74%, according to the Service’s most recent species status assessment.
Threats to monarchs include loss and degradation of breeding, migratory and overwintering habitat; exposure to insecticides; and the effects of climate change . Although many people have already helped conserve the butterfly, additional habitat and protections are needed to ensure the species is conserved for future generations.
To assist with monarch conservation efforts, the Service is also proposing critical habitat for the species at a portion of its overwintering sites in coastal California. Overwintering habitat provides an essential resting place for monarchs during the cold winter months and helps them prepare for breeding in the early spring. In total, the Service is proposing 4,395 acres of critical habitat for the western migratory monarch population across Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura counties in California. A critical habitat designation imposes no requirements on state or private land unless the action involves federal funding, permits or approvals.
Public informational meetings and public hearings: The USFWS will hold two public informational meetings followed by public hearings. The first meeting and hearing will be from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., eastern time, on January 14, 2025. To accommodate those in western time zones, the second meeting and hearing will be from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., eastern time, on January 15, 2025.
We are not sure of the TIME-OF-DAY of the comment deadline, but have assumed it is just before Midnight EST (Washington DC time) on March 12th, 2025.
For information:
For proposed rule and how to comment
https://www.regulations.gov/document/FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137-0001