Alabama Ecological Services Field Station
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Alabama Beach Mouse
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Incidental Take Permits for Beach Club West/Gulf Highlands Condominium Projects

Alabama Beach mouse and sea oats Alabama Gulf Coast. Credit: USFWS

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued modified Incidental Take Permits (ITPs) for the proposed Beach Club West and Gulf Highlands condominium projects on the Fort Morgan Peninsula of Baldwin County, Alabama. The permits were issued following publication of a Record of Decision (ROD) by the Service. The ROD, which documents the Service's ultimate choice of an alternative and the decision rationale, finalized the EIS process with Alternative 5 as the preferred alternative.

The Service published a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the two condominium projects , on December 1, 2006. The final EIS was prepared following a 90-day public comment period. The Service also conducted a public hearing to receive comments from the public. We received 98 written comments and 12 individuals commented at the public hearing. Each of these comments was considered, and addressed, during preparation of the final document.

Alternative 5 as described in the EIS is a high-density dvelopment that includes two multi-story condominium complexes with associated parking, recreational amenities, single-family residences, and a commercial development on the northeast boundary of the project site. These development features would permanently impact about 40.8 acres of coastal dune habitat, temporarily impact 21.9 acres, and eliminate about 1,825 linear feet of escarpment dunes. To compensate for these impacts, a 96.8 acre conservation area on the project site would be set aside and preserved in perpetuity.

The EIS was prepared to fully evaluate the potential impacts to the human environment on a range of alternatives as the Service reevaluated ITPs issued to the developers of the two condominium projects in April 2002. The EIS assures that National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements to assess the significance of the proposed project on environmental factors have been fully met.

At the time the ITPs were originally issued, the Service prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the ITPs for the two projects. Following issuance of the ITPs, a lawsuit was filed challenging the decision and, with guidance from the court, the Service decided that preparation of an EIS was appropriate.

Under the Endangered Species Act, an Incidental Take Permit may be issued if, after an opportunity for public comment, it is determined that: any taking of a threatened or endangered species will be incidental; the applicant will, to the maximum extent practicable, minimize and mitigate the impacts of such taking; the applicant will ensure that adequate funding for the habitat conservation plan will be provided; and the taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of the species in the wild. These are the issuance criteria used by the Service.

Copies of the FEIS or the ROD can be obtained by contacting:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Southeast Regional Office
(Attn: Endangered Species Permits)
1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 200
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
(404) 679-4144

Or...

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Daphne Field Office
(Attn: Darren LeBlanc)
1208-B Main Street
Daphne, Alabama 36526
(251) 441-5859

 

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Last updated: October 6, 2008