What is involved in creating a Habitat Conservation Plan?
The application for an incidental take permit and the development of a “Habitat Conservation Plan” are voluntary actions leading to authorization to kill or harm listed species. In scope, HCPs can cover an area as small as a few acres or as large as a multicounty region. Steering committees are often established to facilitate regional HCP planning efforts. Typically, steering committees are made up of representatives from federal, state, and local government agencies, affected private interests, and environmental groups; their function is to define the issues, negotiate the content of the plan, and generally oversee the process. Small-scale HCPs are usually funded by the applicant alone. For regional planning efforts, funding may be provided by variety of mechanisms, such as fees assessed against development activities occurring in the HCP area. The US FWS encourages permit applicants to address all species in HCPs. The advantage of this policy is two-fold: first, as the HCP results in
Related Questions
- If the City may need to reduce surface water withdrawals due to the upcoming HCP (Habitat Conservation Plan), how can there be enough water to provide UCSCs expansion?
- What is the distinction between the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)?
- Who determines the species to include in the Habitat Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement?
