Why does the Service believe the midvalley fairy shrimp does not currently warrant listing?
A. Although vernal pool habitat continues to be lost in parts of the midvalley fairy shrimp’s range, from what we know of the current range and distribution of the species, it is well represented by occurrences on protected lands and in areas with little or no current threat. Additionally, although several development projects and land use changes are affecting known occurrences, their effects are being mitigated, and the Service is not aware of any that is likely to disappear in the near future due to habitat loss. Existing regulatory mechanisms under the California Environmental Quality Act, the Clean Water Act, and the ESA while not directly applied to the midvalley fairy shrimp are likely to moderate the rate and extent of habitat loss for this species, both directly and as an indirect benefit of conservation efforts undertaken for the other listed vernal pool crustaceans. As a result of these factors, the Service finds that the species is not in danger of extinction in the foresee
