The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' (WAFWA) has released the 4th Version of its Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LPC) Range-wide Conservation Plan (RWP). The RWP represents a broad stakeholder influenced effort by the state fish and wildlife agencies of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico Oklahoma and Texas to conserve the LPC with the intent to preclude the need to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In the event the LPC is listed as "threatened" or "endangered," the WAFWA plan provides a timely pathway to delisting. The plan is intended to ensure the viability of the LPC across much of its historic range, while also providing regulatory certainty for private landowners and industry.

Version 4 of the RWP reflects input gathered through more than 70 meetings with industry and agricultural stakeholders across the 5-state range of the LPC, as well as more than 300 comments received in response to earlier drafts. Changes to the RWP include:

• A minor revision to the habitat metrics system that separated the generation of impact and offset units from the monetary valuation of those units. This change was incorporated to ensure that any private or public technical service provider can deliver the conservation outlined within the RWP, while allowing them flexibility to establish their own cost structure.
• The habitat metrics guide was modified to clearly define the monetary valuation and impact and offset cost structure that WAFWA intends to deliver under the RWP.
• Refined and expanded the adaptive management section to ensure that the habitat metrics and conservation practices will remain consistent with developing science, changes in technology, fluctuation in the economy and variation in climatic variables like drought.
• Added an impact analysis section that utilized the habitat metrics defined in the RWP to assess potential future impacts related to industry development and agricultural practices.
• Added information on governance structure that will annually review the adaptive management process. These committees guarantee stakeholder involvement in that process and the dispute resolution process.
• Added information on the WAFWA staffing and organizational structure and financial information to define the non-wasting endowment that will receive mitigation funds and deliver those funds for conservation of the species.
• Replaced Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAA) for each different industry with a single WAFWA enrollment document for impact unit generation and a separate WAFWA enrollment document for landowners and agricultural operators to generate offset units.


 

The revised plan addresses all threats to the species identified in the proposed listing rule issued by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) earlier this year. WAFWA believes the plan is adequate to preclude the need to list the LPC and maintain state authority for the management of the species. Following final review by the individual states, WAFWA plans to submit the RWP to the Service in mid- to late September. If the Service agrees the plan is adequate, WAFWA expects the Service to re-open the public comment period on the proposed rule listing the LPC to gather additional input on the plan.

View additional information on the plan and the timeline and process leading to a final decision by the Service on listing the LPC. (cs)