City of Austin Requests Amendment to the Barton Springs Pool Habitat Conservation Plan
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing the availability of the draft Environmental Assessment and the draft amendment to the Barton Springs Pool Habitat Conservation Plan and requesting public review and comment. The City of Austin (Applicant) has applied to amend their existing incidental take permit to include the proposed endangered Austin blind salamander, increase the amount of take for the Barton Springs salamander and extend their current permit for 20 years.
Service Approves Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program Incidental Take Permit
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program’s (EARIP) Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and incidental take permit. The notice of availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (fEIS) and incidental take permit for the EARIP, including the Habitat Conservation Plan will publish in today’s Federal Register.
The EARIP HCP is the result of a successful consensus based collaborative effort by a diverse group of more than forty groups and individuals from south central Texas to address the conservation needs of eight listed species and the needs of the communities’ dependent upon the Edwards Aquifer. Issuance of this incidental take permit will enable the Edwards Aquifer Authority; San Antonio Water Systems; the City of New Braunfels, Texas; the City of San Marcos, Texas; and Texas State University (collectively the Applicants) to continue their projects and operations, while preserving protected species and their habitat.
“Approval of the EARIP’s HCP marks a significant conservation achievement for the Edwards Aquifer Region.” stated Southwest Regional Director Benjamin Tuggle. “The organizations and individuals involved in the development of the HCP clearly demonstrated that it possible to come together and develop a consensus based solution to a very complex water issue in Texas.” “The Service commends the efforts of those involved in this long and challenging process and we look forward to working with them to protect the eight listed species while providing certainty to those dependent upon the Edwards Aquifer.”
The approved incidental take permit covers activities in Bexar, Medina and Uvalde Counties and portions of Atascosa, Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays Counties in Texas. The HCP describes measures the Applicants agree to undertake to minimize and mitigate the effects of incidental take of the following federally listed species dependent on the springs and river systems associated with the Edwards Aquifer: the fountain darter, San Marcos salamander, Texas wild-rice, Texas blind salamander, Peck's cave amphipod, San Marcos gambusia, Comal Springs dryopid beetle and the Comal Springs riffle beetle.
The HCP covers general activities associated with actions including the regulation and production of groundwater for irrigation, industrial, municipal, domestic, and livestock purposes; the use of instream flows in the Comal River and San Marcos River for recreational uses; and other operational and maintenance activities that could affect Comal Springs, San Marcos Springs and the associated river systems.
Adoption of a multispecies habitat conservation approach, rather than a species-by-species/project-by-project approach, reduces the cost of implementing activities to minimize species impacts and implement mitigation measures. In addition, it reduces the costs and time-consuming efforts associated with processing individual incidental take permits.
The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world. It is also the source of the two largest springs in Texas: Comal and San Marcos. The Edwards Aquifer is the primary source of drinking water for more than 2 million people including the seventh largest city in the nation (San Antonio) and serves the domestic, agricultural, industrial and recreational needs of the area.
Lower Colorado River Authority Transmission Services Corporation HCP
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability of the final Lower Colorado River Authority Transmissions Services Corporation (LCRA) Habitat Conservation Plan (LCRA HCP). The Service will issue a 30-year incidental take permit to LCRA authorizing the incidental take of two federally listed species - the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and the black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla) in the following seven Texas counties - - Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Schleicher, Sutton, and Tom Green. The LCRA HCP describes the measures they will undertake to minimize and mitigate the effects of incidental take from activities associated with construction, maintenance, operation, and repair (both routine and emergency) of two Competitive Renewable Energy Zones transmission lines and their associated access roads, which are required to be constructed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced on May 13, 2011, in the Federal Register the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the final Hays County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (RHCP), and the Service’s draft Record of Decision. The Service will issue a 30-year incidental take permit to Hays County authorizing the incidental take of the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla) as a result of the Hays County RHCP. The Hays County RHCP includes conservation measures to minimize and mitigate incidental take of the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo that would occur as a result of activities including, but not limited to, public or private land development, transportation projects, or utility projects. The Hays County RHCP conservation measures include the establishment of a preserve system of 10,000-15,000 acres to mitigate for the incidental take of golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos.
Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit for Maintenance and Construction Activities for Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement, and final Record of Decision analyzing the impacts of the issuance of an Incidental Take Permit for implementation of the final Oncor Electric Delivery LLC’s Habitat Conservation Plan. Our decision is to issue a 30-year incidental take permit to Oncor for implementation of the Preferred Alternative, which authorizes incidental take of animal species and impacts to plant species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, including: the endangered large-fruited sand-verbena, Texas poppy-mallow, Navasota ladies’-tresses, American burying beetle, Houston toad, whooping crane, golden-cheeked warbler, black-capped vireo, and red-cockaded woodpecker; and the threatened Pecos sunflower and Louisiana black bear. Oncor has agreed to implement avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures to offset impacts to these species, as described in their HCP. Links to each of these documents is below:
On May 13, 2011, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced in the Federal Register the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the final Hays County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (RHCP), and the Service’s draft Record of Decision that documents our decision based on information contained in the EIS. The Hays County RHCP includes conservation measures to minimize and mitigate incidental take of the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla) that would occur as a result of activities including, but not limited to, public or private land development, transportation projects, or utility projects. The Hays County RHCP conservation measures include the establishment of a preserve system of 10,000-15,000 acres to mitigate for the incidental take of golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos. As a result, the Service will issue a 30-year incidental take permit to Hays County authorizing the incidental take of the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo. The approval of the Hays County RHCP will enable Hays County to continue to develop and grow while ensuring long-term habitat protection for the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with
others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and
their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
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Last updated:
June 4, 2013
