Staff Report
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks public comment on a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) and environmental assessment for operation and maintenance of existing Southern California Gas Company pipelines in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
The draft HCP is a planning document that promotes the conservation of 41 federally endangered, threatened or rare plant and animal species, while providing for continued operation and maintenance of existing pipelines across 10,603 square miles in southern and central California.
“Through this collaborative approach, SoCalGas will commit to carrying out conservation measures that minimize and offset potential impacts of operation and maintenance activities on rare animal and plant species, including the California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, Least Bell’s vireo, San Bernardino kangaroo rat, San Joaquin kit fox, and Braunton’s milk-vetch,” said Rachel Henry, habitat conservation plan coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ventura.
A notice of availability was published in the Federal Register on June 19, opening a 45-day public comment period. Information on how to submit comments are available at https://www.federalregister.gov/ by searching under docket number FWS–R8–ES–2019–N150.
The Fish and Wildlife Service regularly engages conservation partners, the public, landowners, government agencies, and other stakeholders in our ongoing effort to identify innovative strategies for conserving and recovering protected wildlife, plants, and their habitats.
