Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
Key claim: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is designating approximately 1.53 million acres of critical habitat for the endangered rusty patched bumble bee across 33 counties in 6 states under the Endangered Species Act.
Abstract
(Rule · Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service) We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), a bumble bee historically known to occur broadly across the eastern United States and portions of Canada, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, we are designating approximately 1,534,951 acres (621,172 hectares) of occupied critical habitat in 14 units across 33 counties in 6 States.
Why this matters
Critical habitat designation adds a Section 7 consultation layer for any federally funded, permitted, or authorized activity that may affect the 1.53 million designated acres, potentially affecting permitting timelines and land-use decisions across 33 counties in six states. Because the rusty patched bumble bee is a pollinator sensitive to pesticides and habitat disturbance, the designation also creates practical linkages between wildlife conservation and agriculture, pesticide, and public-lands regulation.