Clark CountyClark Countydesert conservation programdesert conservation program

andand Multiple Species Habitat Multiple Species Habitat ConservationConservation Plan Plan

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Clark County Desert Clark County Desert Conservation ProgramConservation Program

Clark County, as Plan Administrator and on Clark County, as Plan Administrator and on behalf of the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, behalf of the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, Mesquite and North Las Vegas, Boulder City, Mesquite and the Nevada Department of Transportation, is the Nevada Department of Transportation, is responsible for:responsible for:

Compliance with the federal Endangered Species ActCompliance with the federal Endangered Species Act Compliance with a Section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permitCompliance with a Section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit Implementation of the Clark County Multiple Species Habitat Implementation of the Clark County Multiple Species Habitat

Conservation PlanConservation Plan

Take & Incidental Take Take & Incidental Take PermitPermit

Take: means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, Take: means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect or shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect or attempt to engage in such conduct. Includes attempt to engage in such conduct. Includes significant habitat modification.significant habitat modification.

Incidental Take Permit (ITP): A permit that Incidental Take Permit (ITP): A permit that exempts a permittee from the prohibited take exempts a permittee from the prohibited take of a protected species.of a protected species.

Provides for continued development of private Provides for continued development of private lands in Clark County without individual lands in Clark County without individual project consultations with USFWS for project consultations with USFWS for incidental take of species covered by the incidental take of species covered by the permit.permit.

Habitat Conservation Habitat Conservation PlanPlan

A planning document that is a A planning document that is a mandatory component of an mandatory component of an incidental take permit application.incidental take permit application.

Ensures that the effects of the Ensures that the effects of the authorized take are adequately authorized take are adequately minimized and mitigated.minimized and mitigated.

HistoryHistory‘05‘04 ‘06 ‘07‘03‘02‘01‘00‘99‘98‘97‘96‘95‘94‘93‘92‘91‘90‘89

Short Term Permit planning

Desert Tortoise is listed

Long Term Permit planning

Short Term Permit is issued

Long Term Permit is issued

Multiple Species Permit planningMultiple Species Permit is issued

Multiple Species Permit implementation

Multiple Species Habitat Multiple Species Habitat Conservation PlanConservation Plan

The associated Habitat The associated Habitat Conservation Plan for the Conservation Plan for the current incidental take permit. current incidental take permit.

Contains:Contains:• AnalysisAnalysis• 604 possible conservation actions604 possible conservation actions• Funding mechanismsFunding mechanisms• Implementation guidelinesImplementation guidelines

Scope of the Permit & Scope of the Permit & MSHCPMSHCP

Covers all non-Federal (private, Covers all non-Federal (private, municipal, state) lands within Clark municipal, state) lands within Clark County and NDOT activities in areas County and NDOT activities in areas within Clark, Nye, Lincoln and within Clark, Nye, Lincoln and Esmeralda Counties south of the 38Esmeralda Counties south of the 38thth parallel and below 5,000 feet in parallel and below 5,000 feet in elevation.elevation.

How Long & How Much How Long & How Much Take?Take?

30 year permit starting February 30 year permit starting February 20012001

MSHCP – “In no event, however, MSHCP – “In no event, however, shall the total amount of “take” shall the total amount of “take” exceed 145,000 acresexceed 145,000 acres

Conservation StrategyConservation Strategy The MSHCP is unique in that it relies The MSHCP is unique in that it relies

on a reserve system consisting of on a reserve system consisting of primarily federal lands that are primarily federal lands that are categorized by management levels to categorized by management levels to achieve its minimization, mitigation, achieve its minimization, mitigation, and conservation actions. and conservation actions.

Makes federal agencies important Makes federal agencies important partners in the implementation of partners in the implementation of the MSHCP.the MSHCP.

Conservation StrategyConservation Strategy MSHCP classifies MSHCP classifies

lands county-wide lands county-wide into categories of into categories of conservation status:conservation status:• Intensively Managed Intensively Managed

Areas (Areas (IMAIMA))• Less Intensively Less Intensively

Managed Areas (Managed Areas (LIMALIMA))• Multiple Use Multiple Use

Management Areas Management Areas ((MUMAMUMA))

• Unmanaged Areas Unmanaged Areas (Non-federal) ((Non-federal) (UMAUMA))

Covered SpeciesCovered Species Covered species = Covered species =

78 species78 species• 2 listed: Desert 2 listed: Desert

tortoise and tortoise and Southwestern Southwestern Willow FlycatherWillow Flycather

Evaluation speciesEvaluation species

Watch list speciesWatch list species

What will the plan do for What will the plan do for covered species?covered species?

Analyzes threats to Analyzes threats to species and species and habitats.habitats.

Identifies 604 Identifies 604 conservation conservation actions that actions that minimize & minimize & mitigate and mitigate and monitor the monitor the impacts of take.impacts of take.

Possible Conservation Possible Conservation ActionsActions

Public Information Public Information and Educationand Education

ResearchResearch InventoryInventory Monitoring Monitoring Protective MeasuresProtective Measures Restoration and Restoration and

EnhancementEnhancement Land Use Policies Land Use Policies

and Actionsand Actions

FundingFunding Required expenditures Required expenditures

for conservation actions for conservation actions = approximately $4 = approximately $4 million per bienniummillion per biennium

3 funding sources:3 funding sources:• Section 10 mitigation Section 10 mitigation

feesfees• Section 7 mitigation feesSection 7 mitigation fees• Southern Nevada Public Southern Nevada Public

Lands Management Act - Lands Management Act - MSHCP Development MSHCP Development FundsFunds

Implementation Plan & Implementation Plan & Budget ProcessBudget Process

Every even numbered yearEvery even numbered year

Determines the conservation actions to be Determines the conservation actions to be implemented each bienniumimplemented each biennium

Implementation Plan & Budget reviewed and Implementation Plan & Budget reviewed and recommended by:recommended by:• Plan Administrator on behalf of permitteesPlan Administrator on behalf of permittees• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service• Adaptive Management Science TeamAdaptive Management Science Team• Advisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee

Approved by Clark County Board of County Approved by Clark County Board of County Commissioners and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Commissioners and U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceService

How will you know if the How will you know if the Plan is being implemented?Plan is being implemented?

Through regular reports:Through regular reports:• Administrator updates (monthly)Administrator updates (monthly)• Quarterly financial, mitigation fee and Quarterly financial, mitigation fee and

land disturbance reportsland disturbance reports• Biennial Progress Report (October 15 Biennial Progress Report (October 15

each odd year)each odd year)• Biennial Adaptive Management Report Biennial Adaptive Management Report

(March 15 each even year)(March 15 each even year)

How will USFWS know if How will USFWS know if the MSHCP is works?the MSHCP is works?

The MSHCP’s Adaptive The MSHCP’s Adaptive Management Program evaluates the Management Program evaluates the effectiveness of the conservation effectiveness of the conservation actions and makes actions and makes recommendations for any changes recommendations for any changes in implementation in each adaptive in implementation in each adaptive management report.management report.

Adaptive Management Adaptive Management ProgramProgram

Described in MSHCP Described in MSHCP as the primary as the primary method for:method for:

• gauging effectiveness gauging effectiveness of conservation actionsof conservation actions

• proposing additional proposing additional or alternative or alternative conservation actionsconservation actions

• dealing with changed dealing with changed circumstancescircumstances

Adaptive Management Adaptive Management ProgramProgram

Refer to the Adaptive Refer to the Adaptive Management Report dated May Management Report dated May 1, 2006 for more information1, 2006 for more information

Advisory Committee will receive Advisory Committee will receive a briefing on the AMP and a briefing on the AMP and Adaptive Management Report at Adaptive Management Report at the June meeting.the June meeting.

MSHCP Implementation MSHCP Implementation StatusStatus

‘05‘04 ‘06 ‘07‘03‘02‘01‘00‘99‘98‘97‘96‘95‘94‘93‘92‘91‘90‘89

Short Term Permit planning

Desert Tortoise is listed

Long Term Permit planning

Short Term Permit is issued

Long Term Permit is issued

Multiple Species Permit planningMultiple Species Permit is issued

Multiple Species Permit implementation

’99-’01 ’01-’03 ’03-’05 ’05-’07

$0 SNPLMA Funds $4,648,334 SNPLMA Funds

$12,808,463 SNPLMA Funds

$27,915,287 SNPLMA Funds

SNPLMA passed, Multiple Species development funds available

Program Mgmt. Analysis

MSHCP Implementation MSHCP Implementation StatusStatus Refer to the Adaptive Management Report, Refer to the Adaptive Management Report,

May 1, 2006 for more on status of May 1, 2006 for more on status of implementationimplementation

66thth year of implementation year of implementation

Since 1999, 124 projects have been Since 1999, 124 projects have been completed totaling over $42 millioncompleted totaling over $42 million

459 of the 604 conservation actions in the 459 of the 604 conservation actions in the MSHCP have been implementedMSHCP have been implemented

Actions have been taken to implement 18 of Actions have been taken to implement 18 of the 22 permit conditions and the remaining the 22 permit conditions and the remaining 4 are ongoing policies.4 are ongoing policies.

MSHCP Implementation MSHCP Implementation StatusStatus

Budget for the 2005-2007 Budget for the 2005-2007 biennium exceeds $38 millionbiennium exceeds $38 million

41 current projects41 current projects

58 additional projects being 58 additional projects being implemented from Round 6 implemented from Round 6 SNPLMASNPLMA

MSHCP Implementation MSHCP Implementation StatusStatus

Merged with the Department of Merged with the Department of Air Quality & Environmental Air Quality & Environmental Management in 2004Management in 2004

Program Management Analysis Program Management Analysis December 2005December 2005

Several major initiatives underwaySeveral major initiatives underway

MSHCP Implementation MSHCP Implementation StatusStatus

Major initiatives include:Major initiatives include:• Restructuring of the advisory committee to Restructuring of the advisory committee to

address conflict of interest, membership & address conflict of interest, membership & operationsoperations

• Plan administration and business process re-Plan administration and business process re-engineeringengineering

• Adaptive management plan implementationAdaptive management plan implementation• Staffing analysis and management plan Staffing analysis and management plan

implementationimplementation• Long-term advisory committee structureLong-term advisory committee structure• Permit discussionsPermit discussions• 2007-2009 Implementation Plan & Budget Process2007-2009 Implementation Plan & Budget Process

MSHCP Implementation MSHCP Implementation StatusStatus

Advisory Committee’s work plan Advisory Committee’s work plan & focus over the next year is & focus over the next year is coming up on the agenda.coming up on the agenda.

Questions?Questions? Marci Henson, Desert Marci Henson, Desert

Conservation Program Conservation Program AdministratorAdministrator• 455-3118455-3118• mhenson@co.clark.nv.usmhenson@co.clark.nv.us