Project Overview

The Service is proposing to develop and implement a GCP for the federally threatened desert tortoise in California. The GCP would provide a streamlined mechanism for local agencies and project applicants to meet the statutory and regulatory requirements of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended—if their proposed action is reasonably certain to result in the take of desert tortoises—while promoting conservation of the desert tortoise. “Take” is defined in the Endangered Species Act as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect any individual of listed fish or wildlife, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. The Service is proposing to standardize the issuance of incidental take permits for covered activities that lack a federal nexus. Covered activities could include commercial, agricultural, residential, industrial, and infrastructure development activities and associated operations and maintenance.  

The GCP would provide specific direction to applicants to incorporate the most current measures to minimize the take of desert tortoises into their applications, and better incorporate mitigation from incidental take permits into a comprehensive strategy that contributes to recovery of the desert tortoise. Implementation of the GCP would substantially reduce the time and effort expended by Service staff in processing individual incidental take permits while improving the appropriate standards for protection of desert tortoises in development areas and furthering the species’ recovery in conservation areas. As such, it would provide for conservation of the desert tortoise in a more comprehensive and consistent manner.

The EIS will evaluate the impacts of and alternatives to the proposed approval and implementation of the GCP. The Service will develop the EIS to meet the requirements of NEPA, Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA, and section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act.

Project Overview Map

The planning area includes a large portion of the range of the desert tortoise in California. More information on potential permit areas and mitigation areas can be found in the preliminary draft GCP.