SALT LAKE CITY A proposed 4.5-mile, four-lane highway on Washington County s wish list for more than two decades received the green light Thursday from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
The decision granting the right of way application came after the federal agencies worked with the applicant and Washington County to consider ways to offset the Mojave desert tortoise habitat losses from any approved development in southern Utah. The service is proud to continue long-term partnerships with Washington County, the state of Utah, the local community and the BLM to conserve the threatened desert tortoise while also balancing the long-term needs of growing communities, said the service s director Aurelia Skipwith. This (plan) advances conservation through these crucial partnerships, and we thank all those involved for their collaboration and input.
Trains take a toll on wildlife, especially when they pass through the more remote areas of northwestern Montana that still harbors a wide range of species.
Highlights
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has signed an agreement to delegate to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) the authority to issue wetland permits in the state under Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), effective on Dec. 22, 2020.
Florida joins only two other states, New Jersey and Michigan, that have assumed such authority.
The new FDEP regulations include enforceable deadlines, shorter review periods and shorter comment periods, the combination of which is expected to eventually reduce time and cost for the processing of permits. However, it is important to note that all Clean Water Act requirements (avoidance, minimization, mitigation, etc.) will remain and projects will still have to be approved by other federal agencies.
Florida Dept of Environmental Protection Takes Over Federal Wetlands Permit Process in State lexology.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lexology.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tejon Ranch Sees Legal Victory In Habitat Conservation Challenge
A federal court has sided with Tejon Ranch over a habitat conservation challenge regarding the California Condor, allowing the company to move forward with developments.
The United States District Court, Central District of California, granted summary judgment on Dec. 4 in favor of the US. Fish & Wildlife Service and Tejon Ranch Co. in a lawsuit that challenged the 2013 approval of a Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan covering the upland regions of Tejon Ranch.
The Habitat Conservation Plan, a permit issued in compliance with the Federal Endangered Species Act, will protect the California condor and other species found on the property, according to the company.