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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will propose to amend the regulations implementing section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. In 2019, the FWS and NMFS finalized revisions to 50 CFR Part 402 (84 FR 44976). Among other things, 2019 final rule amended the 50 CFR Part 402.16 in order to address issues arising under the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Cottonwood Environmental Law Center v. U.S. Forest Service, 789 F.3d 1075 (9th Cir. 2015), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 293 (2016). The final rule clarified that initiation of consultation shall not be required for land management plans prepared pursuant to 43 U.S.C. 1712 or 16 U.S.C. 1604, upon listing of a new species or designation of new critical habitat, in certain specific circumstances, provided that any authorized actions that may affect the newly listed species or designated critical habitat will be addressed through a separate action-specific consultation. Now, the FWS and NMFS will propose to create a similar exception for reinitiation on the basis of new information (see 50 CFR Part 402.16(a)(2)). If finalized, the proposed amendment to 50 CFR Part 402.16 would clarify that reinitiation of consultation is not required for certain land management plans based upon new information (see 402.16(a)(2)). This would decrease the number of reinitiated consultations, including the preparation of biological assessments and biological opinions.