Noisy
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The world is being quietly rearranged by people who write very long documents.

Federal Register · December 19, 2024
The title they went with Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Puerto Rican Skink, Lesser Virgin Islands Skink, and Virgin Islands Bronze Skink and Designation of Critical Habitat; Threatened Species Status With Section 4(d) Rule for Culebra Skink and Designation of Critical Habitat; Not Warranted Species Status for Mona Skink, Greater Virgin Islands Skink, Greater Saint Croix Skink, and Lesser Saint Croix Skink Noisy translates that to

Three skink species in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands get endangered status and habitat protection

What happened
The US Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to list three skink species as endangered and one as threatened. This means new legal protections for these lizards and their habitats in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Why it matters
The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to harm listed species or their critical habitats. This proposed rule would force developers, landowners, and government agencies to consider these skinks in their plans. It could affect construction, land use, and infrastructure projects in the designated areas.
The signal
Watch for the final rule and any subsequent legal challenges or changes to development projects in the affected islands.
If you insist
Read the original →