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Public Comment Sought on Draft Economic Analysis for Proposed Critical Habitat for the Coastal-Puget Sound Population Population of Bull Trout
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released an analysis that estimates
costs related to the conservation of the bull trout and its proposed
critical habitat in the Coastal Washington-Puget Sound area.
To view the Federal Register Notice click here.
Annual costs are estimated to be about $33 million over the next 20 years, with about a third of the costs associated with commercial and residential development. The development estimate accounts for costs primarily associated with additional requirements for sedimentation reduction and storm water management. Other leading areas of cost include federal land management (13 percent of the annual costs), in-stream activities (7 percent), administrative consultation costs (22 percent) and non-hydroelectric dams (7 percent).
In releasing the analysis, the Service also reopened the public comment period on its revised critical habitat proposal for the bull trout. The Service will accept public comments on both the critical habitat proposal and the draft economic analysis until June 2nd.
The bull trout was listed as a threatened species in 1999. In June of 2004, the Service released its proposal to designate approximately 2,290 miles of streams, 52,540 acres of lakes, and marine areas paralleling 985 miles of the Washington coast as critical habitat for the bull trout. A final designation is expected in June.
Critical habitat is a term in the ESA. It identifies geographic areas that contain features essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and may require special management considerations or protection. The designation of critical habitat does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve, or other conservation area. It does not allow government or public access to private lands. Federal agencies that undertake, fund or permit activities that may affect critical habitat are required to consult with the Service to ensure such actions do not adversely modify or destroy designated critical habitat.
"I encourage residents to review the Draft Economic Analysis and to submit any comments they have to us," said Ken Berg, supervisor of the Service's Western Washington office in Lacey. "Comments we receive will be used to help us make the final critical habitat determination."
When specifying an area as critical habitat, the ESA requires the Service to consider economic and other relevant impacts of the designation. If the benefits of excluding an area outweigh the benefits of including it, the Secretary may exclude an area from critical habitat, unless this would result in the extinction of a threatened or endangered species.
In 30 years of implementing the ESA, the Service has found that designation of critical habitat provides little additional protection for most listed species, while preventing the agency from using scarce conservation resources for activities with greater conservation benefits.
In almost all cases, recovery of listed species will come through voluntary cooperative partnerships, not regulatory measures such as critical habitat. Habitat is also protected through cooperative measures under the ESA, including Habitat Conservation Plans, Safe Harbor Agreements, Candidate Conservation Agreements and state programs. In addition, voluntary partnership programs such as the Service's Private Stewardship Grants and the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program also restore habitat. Habitat for listed species is provided on many of the Service's National Wildlife Refuges, and state wildlife management areas.
Comments on the proposed critical habitat and/or the draft economic analysis may be submitted by June 2, 2005 to: John Young, Bull Trout Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Branch of Endangered Species, 911 N. E, 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232, or by fax to (503) 231-6243. Copies of the analysis may be obtained by downloading it from http://pacific.fws.gov/bulltrout/jcs/dea/index.html or by calling John Young at (503) 231-6194.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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