On August 20, 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”) published notice of its determination of endangered species status for the Austin blind salamander (Eurycea waterlooensis) and threatened species status for the Jollyville Plateau salamander (Eurycea tonkawae) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (78 Fed. Reg. 51278), and its designation of critical habitat for these species in Travis and Williamson Counties, Texas (78 Fed. Reg. 51328).
These rules will be effective on September 19, 2013. Also on August 20 the USFWS announced a six-month extension of the final determination regarding whether to list the Georgetown salamander (Eurycea naufragia) and Salado salamander (Eurycea chisholmensis) as endangered or threatened species, and reopened the comment period on its previously-proposed rule to list these species, extending the comment period to September 19, 2013 (78 Fed. Reg. 51129).