Why was there a delay in the issuance of a 90-day finding for the coaster brook trout?
A. Once a positive 90-day finding is made, the Service conducts a status review of the species. Within 12 months of receipt of the petition, the Service decides whether the petitioned action is warranted, not warranted or warranted but precluded by proposals for other, higher-priority listing actions. This is called a 12-month finding. If a warranted finding is made, the Service must promptly publish a proposed rule to pursue the petitioned action. If a warranted but precluded 12-month finding is made for a petition to list, the Service classifies the petitioned species as a candidate for listing. The Service must document that it is making progress in listing, reclassifying or delisting species, and that the Service’s decisions follow its listing priority system. The Service annually reviews warranted but precluded species for possible listing action. If a not-warranted 12-month finding is made for a petition to list, the species is not assigned to candidate status.
