{"abstract":"We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the southern elktoe (Alasmidonta triangulata), a freshwater mussel species endemic to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Basin of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, as an endangered species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the southern elktoe. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the southern elktoe as an endangered species under the Act. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the southern elktoe under the Act. In total, approximately 578 river miles (929 river kilometers) in Russell County, Alabama; Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, and Liberty Counties, Florida; and Baker, Coweta, Crawford, Decatur, Dooly, Dougherty, Fayette, Harris, Macon, Meriwether, Mitchell, Peach, Pike, Spalding, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Upson Counties, Georgia, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for southern elktoe. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the species and its critical habitat.","action":"Proposed rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR","name":"Interior Department","id":253,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/interior-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/253","parent_id":null,"slug":"interior-department"},{"raw_name":"Fish and Wildlife Service","name":"Fish and Wildlife Service","id":197,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/fish-and-wildlife-service","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/197","parent_id":253,"slug":"fish-and-wildlife-service"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2023/06/21/2023-12315.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":17,"title":50}],"citation":"88 FR 40160","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2023-08-21","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before August 21, 2023. Comments submitted electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES, below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on the closing date. We must receive requests for a public hearing, in writing, at the address shown in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by August 7, 2023.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2022-0179","FF09E21000 FXES1111090FEDR 234"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Southern Elktoe Species Status Assessment v1.1","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2022-0179-0006"},{"title":"20210729_SouthernElktoe_IEM_revised","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2022-0179-0005"},{"title":"IEc Southern Elktoe Screening Memo_DRAFT_8.16.21","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2022-0179-0004"},{"title":"Southern Elktoe consolidated Peer Review Matrix","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2022-0179-0003"},{"title":"Southern Elktoe Proposed Rule Literature Cited - See 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