Safe Harbor Agreement for the Bolson Tortoise

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) on the proposed N.M. Ranch Properties, Inc. (Armendaris Ranch) Bolson Tortoise Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) in Socorro and Sierra Counties, New Mexico. New Mexico Ranch Properties, Inc (applicant) submitted the SHA in support of an application for an enhancement of survival permit (permit) under the Endangered Species Act. If approved, the requested permit would authorize incidental take of the Bolson tortoise that would allow a return to the baseline population condition (i.e., zero free ranging tortoises/zero baseline) at the conclusion of the permit or sooner. Conservation and management activities for the Bolson tortoise are integral to meeting the SHA's net conservation benefit standard as well as ongoing and future activities on the enrolled property during the 50-year permit term.