DEC Releases Proposed Changes to Threatened and Endangered Species Designations for Public Comment

Comments Accepted through Oct. 18; Public Hearings on Oct. 10

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced the release of a draft regulation to protect certain endangered and threatened species. The rulemaking begins a multi-phase process of updating New York State's list of animal species classified as endangered, threatened, or of special concern. The draft regulation addresses species of fish, a recently designated species of frog (Atlantic coast leopard frog), and species recently classified under the federal Endangered Species Act and will be available for public comment through Oct. 18, 2024.

"DEC's ongoing efforts to protect and restore threatened and endangered species are improving conservation status for several fish species, while others are recovering thanks to improved water quality across the state," DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar said. "At the same time, DEC is noting declines in the conservation status of some vulnerable species due to climate change or loss of habitat. I encourage New Yorkers to comment on this draft regulation and help ensure the State's full regulatory protection is applied appropriately statewide."

New York's list of endangered and threatened species was last updated in 1999, and does not currently reflect best available information on the distribution of species or their conservation status. The proposal released today is the first in a series of rulemakings to update the overall threatened and endangered species list and DEC anticipates addressing groups of related species in separate rulemakings over the next two years.

The current proposed rulemaking will update the status of freshwater fishes based on research by DEC and partners over the last 25 years. Status assessment information for species addressed in this rulemaking is available on DEC's website.

DEC is holding two virtual public hearing sessions on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The draft regulations and details for the hearing and comment period are available on DEC's website.

Comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Oct. 18, 2024, and must be submitted in writing to [email protected](subject: "Endangered Species") or to: NYSDEC, Attn: Lisa Holst, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.

Additional background information on New York's endangered species regulations is also available on DEC's website.