View Rule

FWS proposes to revise the current regulations at 50 CFR part 17, subpart H, to establish a new tool to implement conservation for species prior to a listing under the Endangered Species Act. The ability to establish experimental populations in advance of a potential listing would provide greater regulatory predictability and reduce regulatory burden should listing of the species be necessary. Establishing experimental populations prior to a listing would also create incentives for early conservation and could result in precluding the need to list. If the species is subsequently listed, it could allow for greater flexibility for recovery actions and potentially speed recovery and delisting.