What are No Surprise assurances?
Under the No Surprises rule, the Service provides assurances to permittees that they will not be required to commit additional lands, waters, funds, or restrictions on lands beyond those contemplated at the time the permit was issued to mitigate the effects of unforeseen circumstances on threatened or endangered species. These assurances will be applicable to those species (listed and non-listed) found to be “adequately covered” under the HCP. “Adequately covered” refers to any species addressed in an HCP, provided that the HCP satisfied the permit issuance criteria under section 10(a)(2)(B) of the ESA as to that species.
