{"abstract":"In response to a court order, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) are removing the northern and the southern distinct population segments (DPSs) of the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. Additionally, we are rescinding the rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act for the northern DPS. As a result of the court's orders, the regulatory protections under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) no longer apply to either DPS.","action":"Final 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/2026/02/26/2026-03883.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"17","title":50}],"citation":"91 FR 9474","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This rule is effective February 26, 2026. However, the court's orders had legal effect upon filing on March 29, 2025, and August 12, 2025.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015","FXES1111090FEDR-267-FF09E21000"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Lesser Prairie-Chicken Species Status Assessment Peer Reviews","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0420"},{"title":"Species Status Assessment Report for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0419"},{"title":"LPC and SSA Lit Cited - See Attachments for Individual Files","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0003"},{"title":"Species Status Assessment Report for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus)","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0002"}],"agency_name":"FWS","documents":[{"comment_count":null,"comment_start_date":null,"updated_at":"2026-02-26T16:58:06.506-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0423","allow_late_comments":false,"id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0423","comment_end_date":null,"regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":4,"id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status with Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken"}],"document_number":"2026-03883","effective_on":"2026-02-26","end_page":9475,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2026/02/26/2026-03883.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/26/2026-03883/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-removal-of-northern-and-southern-distinct-population","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2026-03883?publication_date=2026-02-26","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2026-02-26/2026-03883/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":2,"page_views":{"count":1167,"last_updated":"2026-07-26 22:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-02-26/pdf/2026-03883.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-03883.pdf?1772027120","publication_date":"2026-02-26","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/02/26/2026-03883.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1018-BB27":{"issue":"202204","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BB27/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-lesser-prairie-chicken-threatened-status-and-4-d-rule-","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status and 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment (DPS); Endangered Status for the Southern DPS","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202204&RIN=1018-BB27&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1018-BB27"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Lesser Prairie-Chicken Species Status Assessment Peer Reviews","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0420"},{"title":"Species Status Assessment Report for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0419"},{"title":"LPC and SSA Lit Cited - See Attachments for Individual Files","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0003"},{"title":"Species Status Assessment Report for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus)","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0002"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BB27/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-lesser-prairie-chicken-threatened-status-and-4-d-rule-","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status and 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment (DPS); Endangered Status for the Southern DPS"},"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"FWS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015","supporting_documents_count":4,"docket_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015","document_id":"FWS-R2-ES-2021-0015-0423","regulation_id_number":"1018-BB27","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status with Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2026-02-27T18:55:04Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":false,"signing_date":null,"start_page":9474,"subtype":null,"title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of Northern and Southern Distinct Population Segments of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in Compliance With Court Order","toc_doc":"Removal of Northern and Southern Distinct Population Segments of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in Compliance with Court Order","toc_subject":"Endangered and Threatened Species","topics":["Endangered and threatened species","Exports","Imports","Plants","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Transportation","Wildlife"],"type":"Rule","volume":91}