The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intends to designate 1.6 million acres of critical habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee in six states, including Minnesota.
The rusty patched bumble bee received federal endangered species protection in 2017 after a rapid, widespread population decline.
The agency originally determined critical habitat designation was not needed, but conservation groups sued in 2021 to force action on habitat protection. The rusty patched bumble bee was named Minnesota state bee in 2019.
Once common across large portions of eastern states and the upper Midwest, populations declined dramatically due to habitat loss, pesticide use, disease and climate change.
Rusty patched bumble bees are now most commonly found in urban and suburban areas across the Midwest, including the Twin Cities.
Most of the proposed critical habitat is on public and private land within urban areas.
In Minnesota, the critical habitat would be in four units. The largest would cover more than a half million acres of private, state, federal and tribal land in Ramsey, Scott, Dakota, Pierce, Washington, Carver, Hennepin and St. Croix Counties.
Unit two would be around Northfield, covering 12,557 acres in Dakota and Rice Counties.
Unit three covers 43,091 acres in the Rochester metropolitan area, and unit four would be 29,823 acres in the Winona area.
The USFWS said critical habitat designation does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge.
Federal agencies would be required to consult with the USFWS to ensure that any actions they fund, authorize or carry out do not harm critical habitat.
The public can comment on the plan until Jan. 27.
