Fw: USFWS Proposes National Agreement to Conserve Bumble Bees Through Energy and Transportation Partnerships

[Saucier, Laura]

FYI, likely of interest to those in the regulatory community.

-Laura

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Subject: USFWS Proposes National Agreement to Conserve Bumble Bees Through Energy and Transportation Partnerships

 

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Dear State Leaders, 

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing an enhancement of survival permit under the Nationwide Conservation Benefit Agreement for Bumble Bees on Energy and Transportation Lands. This agreement includes 11 bumble bee species across the lower 48 states. The public is invited to comment on the proposal during a 30-day comment period.

 

This proposal would streamline consultation and permitting for energy and transportation projects, while also providing assurances to enrolled private and non-federal partners if any covered bumble bee species are listed under the Endangered Species Act in the future. This action furthers the Trump administration’s efforts to improve regulatory predictability.

 

The University of Illinois Chicago, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and other partners, proposed the agreement to conserve millions of acres of pollinator habitat across the country. The agreement covers 11 bumble bee species found across the lower 48 states, including the endangered rusty patched and Franklin’s bumble bees, along with nine at-risk species such as the American, western and yellow-banded bumble bees.

 

For additional information about this proposal, review the Federal Register document or search our Questions and Answers: Proposed Nationwide Conservation Benefit Agreement for Bumble Bees on Energy and Transportation Lands webpage.

 

The agreement also aligns with Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy,” which directs federal agencies to remove regulatory barriers and improve permitting efficiency for domestic energy development. It supports the goals of Secretary’s Order 3418, which directs the Department of the Interior to remove impediments to responsible energy production and infrastructure. The agreement provides regulatory assurances to enrolled private and non-federal partners if any covered bumble bee species are listed under the Endangered Species Act in the future.

 

The proposed agreement will be published in the Federal Register on January 23, 2026. A 30-day public comment period will remain open through February 23, 2026. Comments may be submitted at www.regulations.gov by searching docket number FWS–R3–ES–2025–0245.

 

Thank you, 

 

Amanda

 

Amanda S. Cross, Ph.D.

Temporary Detail:

Acting Assistant Regional Director – Ecological Services

Northeast Region 5

 

Permanent Assignment:

Field Supervisor/Project Leader

Maine Ecological Services Complex: Maine Field Office, Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

306 Hatchery Road

East Orland, ME 04431

(207) 385-5679

amanda...@fws.gov

https://www.fws.gov/office/maine-ecological-services

 

[John Mola]

Thank you, Laura, for sharing! 

Anyone have an ability to translate these types of things into language us run of the mill bee nerds can understand? Am I happy or sad about this? (keep it real simple for us, we are not a smart nation, clearly)

I read the full FAQ and mostly I am just confused. :(

See ya!

John

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John M. Mola

molalab.org

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[Douglas Yanega]

If nothing else, there should be pushback on the listing of Crotch's
bumble bee as the "Crotch bumble bee" - this almost seems like it could
be a deliberate attempt to create public disapproval through ridicule.
Note that they are happy to list Bombus ashtoni as "Ashton's cuckoo
bumble bee" with the proper possessive form, but they don't do the same
for the other species named after people.

Peace,

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Doug Yanega Dept. of Entomology Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314 phone: 951-827-4315
FaceBook: Doug Yanega (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
https://faculty.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html
"There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82

[Jack Neff]

Doug: While I agree that a common name for  Bombus ashtoni (if needed) should be Ashton's  bumble bee, the Entomological Society of America has a weird rule where possessives aren't allowed in common names  since Mr. Ashton doesn't own Bombus ashtoni. On their "official" list of common names Bombus ashtoni is Ashton cuckoo bumble bee.  Same. for other common names derived from patronyms.   Bombus crotchi is not on the ESA list but perhaps the usage in the listing follows the same "logic".  

I also would like to see the legal notice decoded.

Jack

John L. Neff Central Texas Melittological Institute 7307 Running Rope Austin,TX 78731 USA 512-345-7219

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[Clay Bolt]

Hi everyone, 

I've shared this with our policy folks here at WWF to see if I can get some clarity on what this actually means. Stay tuned. 

Clay

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/beemonitoring/1409791799.944767.1769107038374%40mail.yahoo.com.

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Clay Bolt | Natural History & Conservation Photographer
Manager, Pollinator Conservation, World Wildlife Fund-US
Portfolio: www.claybolt.com
128 South 8th Street, Livingston, Montana 59047
P: 1.864.385.4616 | SKYPE: claybolt

On the unceded lands of the Apsáalooke (Crow), the Tsistsisistas and Suhtaio (Cheyenne),
Niitsítpiis-stahkoii (Blackfeet), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux), and Salish Nations

Fellow, Linnean Society of London | www.linnean.org
Senior Fellow, International League of Conservation Photographers | www.ilcp.com