Search Results for keywords:"habitat restoration"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced its decision to issue a 30-year incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act for the Deschutes Basin Habitat Conservation Plan. This ITP allows activities that might inadvertently harm two threatened species, the Oregon spotted frog and bull trout, covered in the plan. The decision supports a conservation strategy designed to mitigate the negative impacts on these species by adjusting water flow patterns and setting up conservation funds over the permit term. The Service evaluated various alternatives before selecting this plan as the best course of action.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the reclassification of the June sucker from "endangered" to "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, reflecting significant improvements in its population through conservation efforts. The agency has implemented a set of rules under section 4(d) to continue the protection and recovery of the species, allowing certain activities like research, habitat restoration, and the management of recreational fisheries to occur without violating the Act, provided they aid in the conservation of the June sucker. These activities include removing nonnative fish, conducting habitat restoration projects, and monitoring populations, all aimed at securing the June sucker's recovery while maintaining public engagement and education efforts.

The Department of Justice has lodged a proposed Consent Decree in a lawsuit concerning natural resource damages caused by Vigor Industrial, LLC and Exxon Mobil Corp. The lawsuit involves claims under environmental laws for damages in Seattle's Lower Duwamish River. The proposed settlement requires the defendants to carry out and maintain habitat restoration projects and pay $815,816.59 for assessment costs. Public comments on the proposed Consent Decree and the Draft Restoration Plan will be accepted for 30 days following the notice's publication.