Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Contiguous U.S. Distinct Population Segment of the Canada Lynx
Key claim: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revised critical habitat for the contiguous U.S. DPS of Canada lynx to approximately 14,030 square miles in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
Abstract
(Rule · Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service) We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), revise the critical habitat designation for the contiguous U.S. distinct population segment (DPS) of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 14,030 square miles (36,340 square kilometers) in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Washington, fall within the boundaries of the revised critical habitat designation. This revision fulfills our obligations under a settlement agreement to address issues raised by the District Court of Montana regarding our 2014 final critical habitat designation.
Why this matters
Critical habitat designations under the ESA carry practical consequences for federal land management, permitting, and consultation obligations across four western states with active timber, mining, ski, and recreation economies. The revised 14,030-sq-mi footprint — driven by litigation settlement rather than new science — illustrates how court-ordered redesignations reshape land-use constraints even when the underlying species status is unchanged.