What: On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and setting aside critical habitat in California.
Why: Approximately 4,395 acres in Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura Counties, California, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation.
FWS has certified that the proposed rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities and released an economic analysis of the critical habitat designation.
FWS will hold two virtual public informational meetings followed by public hearings:
- January 14, 2025, from 6 PM to 8:30 PM ET
- January 15, 2025, from 8 PM to 10:30 PM ET
Visit fws.gov for additional information on the meetings and public hearings, including how to register and present oral statements.
Action: Comments on the proposed rule are due March 12, 2025. Read the proposed rule and submit comments.
Advocacy contact: Send an email to Nick Goldstein at nick.goldstein@sba.gov.