In response to an order by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has suspended the issuance of new incidental take permits under the Endangered Species Act that contain "No Surprises" assurances based on habitat conservation plans with landowners.
Under a Habitat Conservation Plan, landowners agree to take actions to ensure the long-term conservation of listed species. The Service in turn issues a permit, allowing the landowner to incidentally take individuals of the species in the course of otherwise legal activities.
The Service adopted the "No Surprises" regulation in 1998 to give certainty to landowners that the Service would not ask for any further mitigation once the permit for the HCP was approved.
or more information on HCPs and No Surprises, go to the Services endangered species Web page at endangered.fws.gov">.
ssistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Craig Manson issued the following statement on the courts ruling:
