Jeremiah, I'm familiar with the Maine lynx history, what a mess and something to be avoided at all costs. As I understand it, most of the legal wrangling there was around the ITP which falls under Section 10 of the ESA and subject to different processes.

Read the "Background under Sec II. Interim Rule Issued Under Section 4(d) of the Act". Explains the Secretary's discretion and legal precedents. Key is "provides the secretary with wide latitude of discretion...". The current comment period will be used to daylight any perceived inadequacies in the Service's logic under the 4(d) exceptions. In short, the enviros can't come back and sue on issues not raised during the comment period. All the trapping records have already been been released in the updated SSA and their science described in the FR notice. Only argument I can see at this point is on the APA - conclusion doesn't match the facts.

I'm just happy I get to keep going for now!!!

Thanks for the clarification, you definitely have a better understanding of the process than I do. I hope you are right and that the listing is on solid footing in regards to trapping. Guess I've seen the ESA used as a weapon for so long that I don't trust it.

Photographic and hair sample evidence more specifically.