Fish and Wildlife Service September 27, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) have jointly developed a final environmental impact statement (FEIS), which analyzes the WDNR's proposal to amend the 1997 State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to include a long-term conservation strategy (LTCS) for the federally listed marbled murrelet. This FEIS is intended to satisfy both the National Environmental Policy Act and the State Environmental Policy Act. The WDNR has requested an amendment to its existing incidental take permit (ITP) under section 10 of the Endangered Species Act. The proposed ITP amendment would allow the WDNR to implement a LTCS, and would replace the interim conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet, which is currently being implemented under the HCP. If approved, the LTCS is expected to be in place for the remainder of the ITP term, which is approximately 50 years.