Safe Harbor Agreements
Photo by Rick Kuyper, USFWS
The Safe Harbor Policy provides incentives for property owners to restore, enhance and maintain habitats for listed species.
Because many endangered and threatened species occur exclusively, or to a large extent, on non-Federally owned property, the involvement of non-Federal property owners in the conservation and recovery of listed species is critical to the eventual success of these efforts.
Under the policy, the Services will provide participating property
owners with technical assistance to develop Safe Harbor Agreements that manage habitat
for listed species, and provide assurances that additional land, water, and/or natural
resource use restrictions will not be imposed as a result of their voluntary conservation
actions to benefit covered species.
When the property owner meets all the terms of the Agreement, the Services will authorize incidental taking of the covered species at a level that enables the property owner ultimately to return the enrolled property back to agreed upon baseline conditions.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company Tulare Hill Safe Harbor Agreement
Photo by Rick Kuyper, USFWS
In 2008, PG&E and the Service completed a safe harbor agreement for serpentine endemic species on Tulare Hill in Santa Clara County.
PG&E has been restoring and maintaining habitat for the Bay checkerspot butterfly, Metcalf Canyon jewelflower and Santa Clara Valley dudleya.Restoration will mainly involve controlling invasive non-native grasses with managed grazing.
Photo by John Cleckler, USFWS
In addition, the agreement assures PG&E that the Service will not impose additional restrictions because of their voluntary conservation actions.
See agreement (PDF 1078KB) for more information.
