Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status With Section 4(d) Rule for the Kern Canyon Slender Salamander and Endangered Species Status for the Relictual Slender Salamander; Designation of Critical Habitat

Document 2026-13719 is a Proposed Rule published by the Department of Interior in the Federal Register on July 7, 2026. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reopening the comment period on our October 18, 2022, proposed rule (2022 proposed rule), and November 21, 2023, revised proposed rule (2023 revised proposed rule) to list the Kern Canyon slender salamander (Batrachoseps simatus) and the relictual slender salamander (Batrachoseps relictus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), to designate critical habitat for both species, and to issue a rule under section 4(d) of the Act for the Kern Canyon slender salamander. This action will allow all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed rule, as well as the opportunity to comment on a new provision for the 4(d) rule in response to previously submitted public comments and our necessary and advisable determination (including consideration of conservation and economic impacts) of the proposed 4(d) rule. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they are already incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in the final rule. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/07/2026-13719/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-threatened-species-status-with-section-4d-rule-for-the.

No. Document 2026-13719 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.