Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals granted federal defendants’ motion for voluntary dismissal of their appeal of an August 2023 district court decision vacating the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) decision not to designate critical habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee. The district court found that FWS “did not set forth a reasoned basis for its decision not to designate critical habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee under the not-prudent standard set forth in the Endangered Species Act.” The federal government’s motion did not discuss reasons for the voluntary dismissal. The plaintiffs in the suit alleged that the endangered bee faced extinction due to threats that included habitat loss and destruction, pesticide use, and climate change.