Fish and Wildlife Service May 13, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), make available the final environmental impact statement (EIS), the final Hays County regional habitat conservation plan (RHCP) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and our draft record of decision (ROD). Our intended action is the issuance of a 30-year incidental take permit (ITP) for the Preferred Alternative (described below) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), to Hays County, Texas (the County), to incidentally take golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla). Under the RHCP, the County will mitigate for take by establishing a preserve system of 10,000-15,000 acres to mitigate for incidental take of covered species. Each preserve acquisition will be subject to Service approval and will generate mitigation credits based on the number of acres and quality of potential occupied habitat for the covered species.