Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat

Document 2026-14629 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Interior in the Federal Register on July 21, 2026, with an effective date of August 20, 2026. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or the Service), amend portions of our regulations for section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act or ESA). Specifically, we revise regulations related to section 4(b)(2) of the Act. Section 4(b)(2) requires consideration of the economic impact, the impact on national security, and any other relevant impact of designating any particular area as critical habitat and authorizes the exclusion of areas from critical habitat if the benefits of excluding the area outweigh the benefits of designating it as critical habitat. These revisions articulate when and how we determine whether the benefits of excluding an area outweigh the benefits of designating the area as critical habitat (exclusion analysis). This rule reflects the Service's experience and existing case law. The intended effect of this rule is to provide greater transparency and certainty for the public and stakeholders regarding the 4(b)(2) exclusion process. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/21/2026-14629/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-regulations-for-designating-critical-habitat.

No. Document 2026-14629 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.