Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee

Please see the attached comments, submitted on behalf of 18 organizations

Please see the attached comment, submitted on behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Friends of Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas (FMSNA)

Dear Fish & Wildlife Service, Please accept these 10,743 public comments from members and activists of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in reference to Docket # FWS-R3-ES-2024-0132. Thank you for doing your part to help save pollinators with your proposal to designate critical habitat for one of our nation's most endangered pollinators, the rusty patched bumblebee. Now I urge you to finalize that proposal and grant this embattled pollinator the strong habitat protections that it needs to survive. The rusty patched bumblebee has vanished from nearly 90% of its historical range, threatened by habitat loss, pesticides like neonics, and other dangers. Awarding habitat protections will provide urgently needed help to the bee and others that undergird our food system. Bees are vital to the future of our food supply – one out of every three bites of food we eat depends on bees and other pollinators. I urge you to protect habitat for rusty patched bumblebees before it's too late. Thank you. Sincerely, Margaret Tran Ramadhar Digital Campaign Manager, Digital Advocacy & Fundraising, NRDC