Submitted Electronically via eRulemaking Portal

Dear Sir: At the request of one of your staff in the Jacksonville Field Office, I have reviewed the USFWS petition (hereafter Petition) to reclassify the wood stork. The attached PDF file of this Petition is attached below with my comments. While I have made numerous comments using the sticky note feature, these comments/recommendations are minor issues on an otherwise biologically sound and excellent document. In short, based on the data I am familiar with and the Petition, I agree with the conclusion of the USFWS that the wood stork should be reclassified from endangered to threatened. Having been involved with the original review and commenting on the original petition to designate the wood stork as an endangered species as an employee of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC) in the 1980s, and conducting research on the species from 1981 to 2005 with both the GFC and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, I share the conclusion of the USFWS that we now better understand the species and have witnessed a steady increase in both the range and population during the last 3 decades. Representing the GFC/FWC as an original member of the Wood Stork Recovery Team and participating in the development of the first Wood Stork Recovery Plan, I have seen may excellent scientists and staff involved with conservation actions directed toward the wood stork. In my opinion, the resiliency of the wood stork along with information gained from these conservation actions and their application to management activities have resulted in the recovery of the species. If you require further information, please contact me. Jim James A. Rodgers Jr., Ph.D. Avian Research Section Leader Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 1105 S.W. Williston Road Gainesville, FL 32601-9044 352-334-4218 fax 352-955-2183 james.rodgers@MyFWC.com Visit us at http://myfwc.com/