Western Governors urge closer collaboration between states and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on development of the proposed rule, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat, which would create a process for excluding areas of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. "Establishing a process for excluding areas of critical habitat could have implications for state management of fish and wildlife," asserts the outreach of Oct. 8 signed by WGA Chair Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Vice Chair Idaho Gov. Brad Little. "It is important for federal agencies and state wildlife managers to maintain a close working relationship to ensure that any new standards ... (do) not result in unintended consequences for state management of species." Read, download letter.