An HCP is an agreement between a landowner and the Service that allows a landowner to incidentally take a threatened or endangered species in the course of otherwise lawful activities when the landowner agrees to conservation measures that will mitigate and minimize the impact of the taking.
The approval of the assessment and the accompanying Habitat Conservation Plan will allow the Service to issue an Incidental Take Permit to Magic Carpet Association. Such permits allow permit holders to continue activities within the range of endangered species without fear of violation of Endangered Species Act provisions which prohibit "take" -- killing, harming, harassing -- of listed species. In return, permit holders must follow habitat conservation plans that ensure the welfare of the species through minimizing impacts and implementing mitigation measures to help affected species. The Service anticipates issuing the permit on approximately March 13, 2001, after a 10-day waiting period.
The area covered by the HCP does not currently support nesting piping plovers, but it contains potential nesting habitat and is adjacent to state land where plover nests have been recorded. Measures outlined in the HCP to conserve plover habitat include use of exclosures around potential plover nesting areas to protect them from predators and disturbance; monitoring the area for the presence of plovers; and allowing access to state and federal biologists to check for plover nesting activity and other monitoring.
"It is our goal to find ways to work with landowners who can help us contribute to the piping plovers recovery," said Craig Czarnecki, Field Supervisor of the Services East Lansing Field Office. "Habitat conservation plans allow flexibility for both the Service and the landowner while providing for the needs of imperiled species like the plover."
Piping plover populations have declined significantly in the past decades, especially breeding plovers in the Great Lakes region. Breeding habitat has been replaced by shoreline development and recreational uses, causing numbers to decline.
The piping plover is named for its melodious call. It is a pale-colored shorebird, whose light, sand-colored plumage blends in with sandy beaches and shorelines. There are three populations of piping plovers in the United States; the most endangered is the Great Lakes breeding population, encompassing only 30 breeding pairs. The Northern Great Plains and Atlantic Coast populations are classified as threatened and include 1,398 and 1,372 pairs respectively. All piping plovers winter along the southeast and Gulf coasts and are classified as threatened in their wintering habitat.
The Environmental Assessment, Habitat Conservation Plan, Finding of No Significant Impact, and associated documents are available on the Services Region 3 website at: http://midwest.fws.gov
