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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong>monarchconservation, FW3</strong> <<a href="mailto:fw3_monarchconservation@fws.gov">fw3_monarchconservation@fws.gov</a>><br>Date: Fri, May 24, 2019 at 1:34 PM<br>Subject: Timeline for Monarch ESA Petition Finding Extended<br>To: </p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Dear Interested Party:</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%"><a name="m_-3825044708089890248__gjdgxs"></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces an extension of the timeline to determine whether the monarch butterfly warrants Endangered Species Act protection. With agreement of the plaintiffs, the Service will continue efforts to collect data and analyze the monarch’s status and threats until December 15, 2020. </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%"><a name="m_-3825044708089890248__vl8f22pxwjga"></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In 2014, we were petitioned to protect the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act. Based on information in the petition, we determined that federal protection of the monarch may be warranted; we published a 90-day substantial finding in the Federal Register on December 31, 2014. We also announced that we would conduct a thorough assessment to determine if the monarch butterfly needs Endangered Species Act protection. In 2016, we agreed to make this determination by June 30, 2019.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%"><a name="m_-3825044708089890248__2mmfcdsemcqw"></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">From 2014 through 2018, we devoted extensive staff time and resources to complete the monarch status assessment, which will form the scientific foundation for our policy decision. The SSA provides the best available scientific information to inform ESA decisions. The SSA identifies the monarch’s needs (at an individual, population and species level), compiles information on the current status, threats and conservation efforts, and projects future status of the species based on analysis of this information. </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%"><a name="m_-3825044708089890248__q6iv87xbzgcy"></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The extension until December 15, 2020, provides the Service with additional opportunity to evaluate the monarch’s status to determine whether listing the species is warranted. During this time, we will analyze data from the 2018-2019 overwintering survey, and the next census of overwintering monarchs for 2019-2020 . The extension enhances the Service’s ability to produce a scientifically sound determination on the monarch, a species with a global range and complex life history. </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%"><a name="m_-3825044708089890248__3nwgk4grp1az"></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">More information is available at <a href="http://www.fws.gov/savethemonarch" target="_blank">www.fws.gov/savethemonarch</a> </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><p class="MsoNormal">-- </p><div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#888888">Monarch Conservation Database Team</span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#888888">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#888888"></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#888888"><a href="mailto:FW3_monarchconservation@fws.gov" target="_blank">FW3_monarchconservation@fws.gov</a></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#888888"></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#888888"><a href="https://www.fws.gov/savethemonarch/mcd.html" target="_blank">https://www.fws.gov/savethemonarch/mcd.html</a></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#888888"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#888888"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#888888"> </span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br clear="all"></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><p class="MsoNormal">-- </p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Wendy Caldwell<br>Director<br>Monarch Joint Venture<br><a href="http://www.monarchjointventure.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc">www.monarchjointventure.org</span></a></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Ph: (o) 651-222-7631 Ext. 701 (c) 320-226-6507</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Like us on </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/monarchjointventure" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#1155cc">Facebook</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> or follow us on Twitter @MonarchsJV </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">To support US monarch conservation efforts with a financial contribution, visit: </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="http://monarchjointventure.org/get-involved/donate/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#1155cc">http://monarchjointventure.org/get-involved/donate/</span></a></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Share your work on our <a href="https://monarchjointventure.org/our-work/monarch-conservation-efforts-map/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc">Monarch Conservation Efforts Map</span></a>! </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The Monarch Joint Venture is a national partnership of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses and academic programs working together to conserve the monarch butterfly migration. The content in this email does not necessarily reflect the positions of all Monarch Joint Venture partners.</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>