BEFORE THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR PETITION TO LIST THE THICK-LEAF BLADDERPOD (PHYSARIA PACHYPHYLLA) AS A THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AND TO CONCURRENTLY DESIGNATE CRITICAL HABITAT CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY MARCH 11, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION Office of the Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240
[email protected] Martha Williams, Principal Deputy Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240
[email protected] Gary Frazer, Assistant Director for Endangered Species U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240
[email protected] Noreen Walsh, Director Region 6 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 134 Union Blvd Lakewood, CO 80228
[email protected] Pursuant to Section 4(b) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b); section 553(e) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. § 553€; and 50 C.F.R. § 424.14(a), the Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Native Plant Society, and the Pryors Coalition hereby petitions the Secretary of the Interior, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), to protect the thick-leaf bladder pod (Physaria pachyphylla) as a threatened or endangered species under the ESA. This petition requests listing of the thick-leaf bladder pod based on the immediate threat of gypsum mine exploration and likely development in its limited range. Petitioner also requests that critical habitat be designated concurrently with the listing, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1533(a)(3)(A) and 50 C.F.R.