Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan, Environmental Impact Statement, and Implementing Agreement; California

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (Plan), along with the Implementing Agreement (IA), for review. The EIS was updated to address the comments received on the 2010 Draft EIS. We are considering issuing an incidental take permit for 18 species in response to applications from the County of Santa Clara; Cities of San Jose, Gilroy, and Morgan Hill; Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, and Santa Clara Valley Water District (applicants). The applicants are currently in the process of creating a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to implement the Plan. Following its formation, the Service anticipates that the applicants will submit an application to the Service to amend the section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit to add the JPA.