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Federal and Interstate USFWS Initiates Review of Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse: On Mar. 26 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) determined that two petitions to remove the Preble's meadow jumping mouse from Endangered Species Act protection provide enough information to indicate removal may be warranted. On Dec. 23, 2003, the USFWS received two petitions, one from the Office of the Governor of the State of Wyoming and the other from Coloradoans for Water Conservation and Development, to remove the Preble's meadow jumping mouse from the list of threatened and endangered species based on new information. At the time of listing, Preble's was classified as a subspecies of the meadow jumping mouse based on a 1954 study. However, the two petitions discussed new genetic research. This research suggests that the Preble's meadow jumping mouse should not be classified as a separate subspecies. The Preble's meadow jumping mouse is closely associated with relatively narrow ecosystems that are adjacent to rivers and streams. The decline in the extent and quality of this habitat is considered the main factor threatening the Preble's meadow jumping mouse. The range of the mouse corresponds largely to the rapidly developing Front Range Urban Corridor running from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Species List Updated: On May 6 the USFWS published a revised list of species of plants and animals for 2003 that may warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act, including 26 new candidate species added since the Candidate Notice of Review was last published in 2002. In the eight states that make up the Mountain-Prairie Region, including Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming, the status of 17 candidates were reviewed and the priority ratings for three of those were elevated in this review. These three include: . The Gunnison sage grouse. . The Fluvial arctic grayling (upper Missouri River in Montana) . The Graham beardtongue (grows in oil shale barrens of the Green River formation in Utah and Colorado) The Service publishes an updated Candidate Notice of Review primarily to solicit new information on the status of candidate species and threats to their survival. Millions for Recreation: Interior Secretary Gale Norton has announced that $92 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund is being provided for state recreational projects. The National Park Service, which manages the fund, evaluates and approves grants and oversees project compliance and completion. The grants help develop and maintain high quality recreation areas and stimulate nonfederal investments in recreation. More information is available online at WWVv' .nps.Q-ov/lwcf. NRCS Reorganization: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is reorganizing. The goal of the reorganization is to build an organization better prepared to meet future conservation challenges and enhance customer service. Information about the reorganization can be found at httpJ/W\V\Xl.nrcs.usda.Q"Uv/aboutlreorg/. USDA Provides Salinity Control Money: On AprilS Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that Colorado, Utah and Wyoming will receive $19.8 million to control salinity in the Colorado River Basin. Colorado and Utah each will receive nearly $9.6 million and Wyoming will receive $675,000. The states will use this funding from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to provide technical and financial assistance to eligible producers. Interior Department Announces Modernized NEP A Procedures: On Mar. 8 the Interior Department announced publication of revised procedures for implementing NEP A. The Department held four listening sessions across the country in Anchorage, Portland, Denver and Washington, D.C. to elicit "best practices" from interested citizens and partners prior to publishing the new procedures. The Department noted that the procedural changes incorporate "the use of emerging environmental management techniques" such as: 3