The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold three public information webcasts in August to provide information and answer questions about our proposal to list the northern long-eared bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Webcasts will be Tuesday, Aug. 19, at 1 p.m. Eastern; Wednesday, August 20, at 4 p.m. Eastern; and Thursday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m. Eastern.
People can join the one-hour information sessions by calling a toll-free number and joining a web conference to view a presentation and participate in a facilitated question-and-answer session.
To participate:
The Service is holding these sessions to provide information about the northern long-eared bat, its biology, status and our proposal to list the species. We would also like for interested participants to be able to engage directly with Service experts, so the majority of the hour will be devoted to the facilitated question-and-answer session. While official comments cannot be submitted through the sessions, people can submit comments online or by mail through August 29, 2014. Learn more at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/news/734.html.
In October 2013, the Service proposed to list the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species, citing sharp declines in the species’ population due to white-nose syndrome. White-nose syndrome has killed millions of cave-dwelling bats in the Northeast and is spreading west and south. The disease is confirmed or suspected in 25 states and several Canadian provinces.
For more information on the northern long-eared bat and the Service’s proposal, visit http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/mammals/nlba/index.html
Inquiries about local or regional issues may be directed to:
Midwest (IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, MO, OH, WI): Georgia Parham 812-334-4261 x 1203
Georgia_Parham@fws.gov
Northeast (CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, Meagan Racey 413-253-8558
NY, PA, RI, VT, VA, WV, and District of
Columbia): Meagan_Racey@fws.gov
Southeast (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, Jennifer Strickland 404-679-7299
NC, SC, TN) Jennifer_Strickland@fws.gov
Southwest (AZ, NM, OK, TX): Lesli Gray 972-569-8588
Lesli_Gray@fws.gov
Mountain-Prairie (CO, KS, MT, NE, Leith Edgar 303-236-4588
ND, SD, UT, WY): Leith_Edgar@fws.gov
White-nose Syndrome Catherine Hibbard 413-253-8569
Catherine_Hibbard@fws.gov