Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reclassification of Palo de Rosa From Endangered to Threatened With a Section 4(d) Rule

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reclassifying the palo de rosa (Ottoschulzia rhodoxylon) from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action is based on our evaluation of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the species' status has improved such that it is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, but it is still likely to become so in the foreseeable future. We are also finalizing a rule under section 4(d) of the Act that provides for the conservation of the palo de rosa.