Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Habitat Conservation Plan for Thurston County, Washington

Issuing agencies

Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a habitat conservation plan developed by Thurston County, Washington (applicant), in support of an application for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant is seeking authorization for the incidental take of six species, expected to result from various County-permitted development activities, as well as construction and maintenance of County-owned or County-managed infrastructure, over the next 30 years. The incidental take and other impacts would occur in Thurston County. This notice also announces the availability of the Service's draft environmental impact statement and the opening of the public comment period, which is intended to satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act requirement to evaluate the impacts of the proposed action on the human environment. We are seeking public comments on the habitat conservation plan and draft environmental impact statement.