RGBRT Minutes of 2-13-07 ex Rio 030907

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HCP propo ses to cover certain routine ag ricultural activitie s — when they impact this habitat, those impacts have potential to be regulated under Section 7 and 9 of E ndangered S pecies A ct . Under this law — landowners could be subject to civil and criminal penalties — creating a cloud over landowners, whether they know it or no t ! Region 2 were working through Critical Habitat process — This is a top down reg ulatory approach and federal “ nexus ” . HCP is a process that ultimately permits the “incidental take” (harm or killi ng) of species and its habitat — document s and mitigate s for impacts and provide s assurances to the USFWS and the community. HCP is a bottom up community based approach — can do what you want , within bounds — provides regulatory assu r ances and r educes cost Cov ered activities include agriculture, counties maintaining roads and bridges, etc. Also covered are r ipari a n conservation and restoration — could be activities that are short term impacts Not covered: - development and construct ion - new large scale water pr ojects - new large scale highway projects Boundary of HCP – up to 8500’ elevation — some exceptions to include bald eagle habitat See attached Power Point Presentation for details re the HCP Next steps : Hesitant to offer time table — hoping for plan by the e nd of 2007 and then get to implementation — always welcome feedback or more info Q - W here are the birds? A - in the habitat! Dense, multi storied riparian community - willows usually 10 ft — eagles in cottonwood Developers will have to go through their own p rocess of planning and mitigation - not covered by HCP Doug S — counties need to have this in their books! County reps — don’t want developers to ruin the HCP because then the counties and all other landowners will be liable — has to be done thro ugh Master Plan s and in the re g ulations — will benefit the rest of the county and not the developers . Page 4 of 8 RGBRT Minutes February 13, 2007