Comment from Stanfield, Periel

I fully support this excellent proposal to protect the flora and fauna that are vital to this ecosystem. Among those who stand to benefit are four endangered tree snails — the fragile, Guam, humped, and Langford's tree snails — as well as the Mariana eight-spot butterfly, Mariana wandering butterfly, and Rota blue damselfly. Insects and other small animals are often overlooked, yet they play irreplaceable roles in pollination, nutrient cycling, and maintaining healthy ecosystems. Protecting them means protecting the foundation of life on these islands. Slevin's skink, a rare forest-dwelling lizard, and the Pacific sheath-tailed bat, a small bat with a distinctive tail extending from their wing membrane, also depend on these habitats for survival. These species face mounting threats from habitat loss and degradation, driven by development, drought, wildfires, and natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes, all of which are being intensified by the current climate crisis. Without strong habitat protections, these animals and plants face an even greater risk of extinction. The complete list of animal and plant species whose members are endangered is here: Animals Pacific sheath-tailed bat — Emballonura semicaudata rotensis Slevin's skink — Emoia slevini Fragile tree snail — Samoana fragilis Guam tree snail — Partula radiolata Humped tree snail — Partula gibba Langford's tree snail — Partula langfordi Mariana eight-spot butterfly — Hypolimnas octocula marianensis Mariana wandering butterfly — Vagrans egistina Rota blue damselfly — Ischnura luta Plants Wild onion / siboyas halomtano / siboyas halumtanu / siboyan halomtano — Bulbophyllum guamense No common name — Dendrobium guamense No common name — Eugenia bryanii Pao dedo / paodedu / pao doodu — Hedyotis megalantha Ufa halomtano / ufa halumtanu — Heritiera longipetiolata No common name — Maesa walkeri No common name — Nervilia jacksoniae Maigo lalo — Phyllanthus saffordii Aplohkateng palaoan / applok hatting palaoan / aplokkating palaoan — Psychotria malaspinae No common name — Tabernaemontana rotensis No common name — Tinospora homosepala No common name — Tuberolabium guamense Fadang / faadang — Cycas micronesica Designating critical habitat is one of the most effective tools we have to protect endangered species and preserve biodiversity. It also supports ecosystem resilience, which is vital for local communities and economies that rely on healthy environments. It is critical that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prioritizes the long-term survival of these species and ensures that habitat protections are as strong and comprehensive as possible.