The St. Johns River Water Management District (District) proposes to amend the definition of listed species in its rules governing the issuance of environmental resource permits (ERP) to update the rule and statutory references concerning listed wildlife and plant species, and to specifically reference the bald eagle, which is protected under a federal statute known as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Under the District’s existing rules, the bald eagle is included in the definition of listed species by reference to a previous Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision (FWC) rule identifying threatened species; however, the FWC has recently amended its rules such that the bald eagle is no longer classified as a threatened species by the FWC. Specifically, the District proposes to amend the definition of listed species in subsection 40C-4.021(20), F.A.C., and in Section 2.0 Applicant’s Handbook: Management and Storage of Surface Waters. Table 12.2.7-1 in the Applicant’s Handbook would also be amended to include the bald eagle under a new category (other) and remove it from the category of threatened species. If these amendments are adopted, the protections afforded by the District’s rules to wildlife species that are now classified as endangered, threatened or species of special concern would continue to be afforded the bald eagle which is no longer classified by FWC as a threatened species, effective May 15, 2008.