{"abstract":"We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), a small, fossorial snake species from the coastal plains and sandhills across the southeastern United States, as a threatened species 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 hognose snake. After a review of the best scientific and commercial data available, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the southern hognose snake as a threatened species with protective regulations under section 4(d) of the Act (\"4(d) rule\"). 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. We find that designating critical habitat for this species is prudent but not determinable at this time.","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/2025/08/29/2025-16688.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":17,"title":50}],"citation":"90 FR 42151","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2025-10-28","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Comments must be received by October 28, 2025. 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 October 14, 2025.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210","FXES1111090FEDR-256-FF09E21000"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Southern Hognose Snake SSA v2.1 FR","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0008"},{"title":"Petition to List 53 Amphibians and Reptiles in the US as Threatened or Endangered Species under the ESA_CBD","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0007"},{"title":"SHS_Memo-Consideration of 4d economics","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0006"},{"title":"SHS_pL4d_LitCited","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0005"},{"title":"100-word summarySouthernHognoseSnake","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0004"},{"title":"Peer Review-COI-Plan - See Attachments","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0003"},{"title":"Gray Literature - See Attachments","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0002"}],"agency_name":"FWS","documents":[{"comment_count":216,"comment_start_date":"2025-08-29","updated_at":"2025-12-06T00:56:31.278-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0001","allow_late_comments":false,"id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0001","comment_end_date":"2025-10-29","regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":7,"id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status with Section 4(d) Rule for Southern Hognose Snake"}],"document_number":"2025-16688","effective_on":null,"end_page":42178,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2025/08/29/2025-16688.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16688/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-threatened-species-status-with-section-4d-rule-for","images":{"EP29AU25.011":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.011/EP29AU25.011_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.011/EP29AU25.011_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.011/EP29AU25.011_original_size.png"},"EP29AU25.010":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.010/EP29AU25.010_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.010/EP29AU25.010_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.010/EP29AU25.010_original_size.png"},"EP29AU25.009":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.009/EP29AU25.009_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.009/EP29AU25.009_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.009/EP29AU25.009_original_size.png"},"EP29AU25.008":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.008/EP29AU25.008_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.008/EP29AU25.008_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.008/EP29AU25.008_original_size.png"},"EP29AU25.007":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.007/EP29AU25.007_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.007/EP29AU25.007_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.007/EP29AU25.007_original_size.png"},"EP29AU25.006":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.006/EP29AU25.006_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.006/EP29AU25.006_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.006/EP29AU25.006_original_size.png"}},"images_metadata":{"EP29AU25.011":{"large":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.011","content_type":"image/png","size":114615,"width":823,"sha":"91e8cdff3b578ef97898169934656a03","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.011/EP29AU25.011_large.png","height":1303},"medium":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.011","content_type":"image/png","size":45536,"width":446,"sha":"7fdcdf5ab02a9dde3ce09895fab366e0","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.011/EP29AU25.011_medium.png","height":706},"original_size":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.011","content_type":"image/png","size":49369,"width":1685,"sha":"ecb61c77e1cc31a78b2e000f2b3b973b","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.011/EP29AU25.011_original_size.png","height":2667}},"EP29AU25.010":{"large":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.010","content_type":"image/png","size":49989,"width":822,"sha":"6e8a8c11907840b41ee4b4aa85ba7171","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.010/EP29AU25.010_large.png","height":756},"medium":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.010","content_type":"image/png","size":25933,"width":477,"sha":"a8dfcacddcddeac7cd4580869a407259","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.010/EP29AU25.010_medium.png","height":439},"original_size":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.010","content_type":"image/png","size":26412,"width":1803,"sha":"be0843b7fcd74e1a3d08a612a9458b7a","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.010/EP29AU25.010_original_size.png","height":1659}},"EP29AU25.009":{"large":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.009","content_type":"image/png","size":66067,"width":823,"sha":"c02a70669b66c910164460dd72283993","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.009/EP29AU25.009_large.png","height":895},"medium":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.009","content_type":"image/png","size":26929,"width":468,"sha":"2c082f8ebb7bf53bbfe882d33f3031f5","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.009/EP29AU25.009_medium.png","height":509},"original_size":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.009","content_type":"image/png","size":34047,"width":1765,"sha":"ea004af6eb3de90fc468d44712419fe9","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.009/EP29AU25.009_original_size.png","height":1920}},"EP29AU25.008":{"large":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.008","content_type":"image/png","size":22813,"width":822,"sha":"360edf4c07194c6e6a45c69461f1b4ac","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.008/EP29AU25.008_large.png","height":337},"medium":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.008","content_type":"image/png","size":10319,"width":471,"sha":"0c5b4966decd7a2e6c226cc1899a6349","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.008/EP29AU25.008_medium.png","height":193},"original_size":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.008","content_type":"image/png","size":12226,"width":1779,"sha":"5a540946a066135743c3185a4d436396","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.008/EP29AU25.008_original_size.png","height":729}},"EP29AU25.007":{"large":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.007","content_type":"image/png","size":38518,"width":822,"sha":"822c17fe722258344711a74e3b0ec589","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.007/EP29AU25.007_large.png","height":415},"medium":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.007","content_type":"image/png","size":18286,"width":491,"sha":"78a4839e197a0b44ae05d1a866eb3d4c","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.007/EP29AU25.007_medium.png","height":248},"original_size":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.007","content_type":"image/png","size":19487,"width":1858,"sha":"7c7cbb3bad588fd7be1d8ba82f180c39","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.007/EP29AU25.007_original_size.png","height":938}},"EP29AU25.006":{"large":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.006","content_type":"image/png","size":42770,"width":822,"sha":"848ff12db8579e6be895f4184d7f94e4","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.006/EP29AU25.006_large.png","height":466},"medium":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.006","content_type":"image/png","size":20485,"width":475,"sha":"80797837b60c66d598c336a527180e77","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.006/EP29AU25.006_medium.png","height":269},"original_size":{"identifier":"EP29AU25.006","content_type":"image/png","size":28103,"width":1794,"sha":"27904d7b134aafc3cefcd58ce7d03421","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/EP29AU25.006/EP29AU25.006_original_size.png","height":1017}}},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2025-16688?publication_date=2025-08-29","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2025-08-29/2025-16688/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":28,"page_views":{"count":1386,"last_updated":"2026-04-23 08:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-08-29/pdf/2025-16688.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-16688.pdf?1756385137","publication_date":"2025-08-29","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2025/08/29/2025-16688.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1018-BI23":{"issue":"202504","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BI23/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-listing-determination-and-critical-habitat-designation","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing Determination and Critical Habitat Designation for Southern Hognose Snake","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202504&RIN=1018-BI23&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1018-BI23"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Southern Hognose Snake SSA v2.1 FR","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0008"},{"title":"Petition to List 53 Amphibians and Reptiles in the US as Threatened or Endangered Species under the ESA_CBD","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0007"},{"title":"SHS_Memo-Consideration of 4d economics","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0006"},{"title":"SHS_pL4d_LitCited","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0005"},{"title":"100-word summarySouthernHognoseSnake","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0004"},{"title":"Peer Review-COI-Plan - See Attachments","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0003"},{"title":"Gray Literature - See Attachments","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0002"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BI23/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-listing-determination-and-critical-habitat-designation","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing Determination and Critical Habitat Designation for Southern Hognose Snake"},"comments_count":216,"agency_id":"FWS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210","supporting_documents_count":7,"docket_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210","document_id":"FWS-R4-ES-2025-0210-0001","regulation_id_number":"1018-BI23","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status with Section 4(d) Rule for Southern Hognose Snake","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2025-12-07T09:55:03Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":false,"signing_date":null,"start_page":42151,"subtype":null,"title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status With Section 4(d) Rule for Southern Hognose Snake","toc_doc":"Status with Section 4(d) Rule for Southern Hognose Snake","toc_subject":"Endangered and Threatened Species","topics":["Endangered and threatened species","Exports","Imports","Plants","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Transportation","Wildlife"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":90}