Submitted Electronically via eRulemaking Portal

Comments by Tom Aley on proposal to list the Grotto Sculpin as Federally Endangered and to designate Critical Habitat for the species. Comment 1. While various scientific references are cited in the information published in the Federal Register I can find no bibliography at the end of the document. A bibliography is needed. Comment 2. An important and highly relevant reference appears to have not been cited in the proposed rules in the Federal Register. It is: Aley, Thomas; Philip Moss; and Catherine Aley. 2010. A karst groundwater tracing and recharge area delineation study of biologically significant springs and caves, Perry County, Missouri. Ozark Underground Laboratory contract report to Perry County Soil and Water Conservation District with funding from USEPA under a Section 319 grant and with the cooperation of the Missouri Department of Conservation. 211p. + appendixes. An electronic copy is being provided to the Columbia, Missouri Field Office of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This report documents detailed data on 46 groundwater traces conducted during the study and on previous traces in and immediately adjacent to the area that provides habitat for the Grotto Sculpin. Comment 3. A public meeting on the listing of the Grotto Sculpin and designation of Critical Habitat was held in Perrville, Missouri on October 30, 2012. During that meeting various members of the public questioned the need to list this fish as endangered based upon their opinions that a number of fish of this species currently exist in the known habitat area and that data showing population trends through time are limited. A very recent journal article is highly relevant to these issues. That reference is: Harnik, Paul G.; Carl Simpson; and Jonathan L. Payne. 2012. Long-term differences in extinction risk among the seven forms of rarity. Proc. of the Royal Society B. Available on-line from rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org. Harnik et al. (2012) stated in t