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	About the HCP Program
	Examples
	No Surprises
	The HCP Handbook
	Species Statistics

Private landowners, corporations, state or local governments, or other non-Federal landowners who wish to conduct activities on their land that might incidentally harm (or "take") wildlife that is listed as endangered or threatened must first obtain an incidental take permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To obtain a permit, the applicant must develop a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), designed to offset any harmful effects the proposed activity might have on the species. The HCP process allows development to proceed while promoting listed species conservation. The “No Surprises” regulation provides assurances to landowners participating in HCP efforts.

What Next?

Landowners can contact their local Fish and Wildlife Service office to determine whether a contemplated activity is likely to require an incidental take permit and to begin the application process. The Frequently Asked Questions and HCP handbook contain more details.

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• HCP Overview — an article published in the November- December 1999 Endangered Species Bulletin. [PDF]
• The Changing Face of HCPs — published in the July-August 2000 Endangered Species Bulletin [PDF]
• Habitat Conservation Plans and the Incidental Take Permitting Process [PDF]
• Response to the AIBS/NCEAS report,“Using Science in Habitat Conservation Plans”
• General and HCP Related Endangered Species Policies and Regulations
• Application of Section 7(d) to the Habitat Conservation Planning Process

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• The July-August 2000 issue of the Endangered Species Bulletin features several short articles detailing HCPs throughout the United States.
• The Quiet Revolution — a full-color publication featuring several examples of HCPs. From November, 1997. [PDF]
• The Nation's First Multi-Species HCP for a Forested Landscape — An HCP in Washington state is allowing forest-dependent species and timber harvests to coexist. Reprinted from the November/December 1995 Endangered Species Bulletin.

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• Our "No Surprises" Rule— as it appeared in the Federal Register
• “No Surprises” Questions and Answers
• Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit Revocation Regulations describe circumstances in which we may revoke incidental take permits issued under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act.
  • June 28, 2004 guidance memo
  • June 10, 2004 memo
  • January 28, 2004 memo
  • November 04, 2003 memo following the Memorandum Opinion and Order in the No Surprises litigation

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• Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook
• Addendum to the HCP Handbook (5 Point Policy Initiative). View the Federal Register Notice [PDF]. (The Federal Register is available online at the Government Printing Office website).
• Addendum to the HCP Handbook, Executive Summary [PDF]
• Addendum Questions and Answers [PDF]

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• HCPs by the Numbers (How many? How big? How many species protected?) — part of the Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS).
• Species Listed as Endangered or Threatened
• Proposed Species
• Candidate Species

See our Species Information page for details on numbers of endangered, threatened, candidate, and proposed species, or for lists of these species by state or taxonomic group.

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