Texas Conservation Plan for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus Arenicolus)
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Texas Conservation Plan for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) Developed in consultation with: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Southwest Region U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Texas A&M University Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Texas Interagency Task Force on Economic Growth and Endangered Species Texas Department of Agriculture Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Railroad Commission of Texas University of Texas System, University Lands Texas Farm Bureau Texas Oil & Gas Association Texas Royalty Council Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Texas Wildlife Association Texas Association of Business February 13, 2012 February 13, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 2.0 AUTHORITIES, PURPOSE, AND NEED ..................................................................... 3 2.1 Legal and Regulatory Framework .......................................................................... 3 2.1.1 Overview of the ESA .............................................................................. 3 2.1.2 Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances and Enhancement of Survival Permits .................................................... 4 2.1.3 Habitat Conservation Plans and Incidental Take Permits ....................... 6 2.1.4 National Environmental Policy Act ........................................................ 7 2.1.5 State Law ................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Purpose and Need for Action ................................................................................ 10 2.3 Benefits of the Plan ............................................................................................... 11 3.0 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................. 12 3.1 Description of the DSL and DSL Habitat ............................................................. 12 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA TO BE ANALYZED .............................................. 15 4.1 Plan Area ............................................................................................................... 15 4.2 Permit Area ........................................................................................................... 16 5.0 DURATION ..................................................................................................................... 16 6.0 PROPOSED ACTION .................................................................................................... 16 6.1 Covered Activities ................................................................................................ 16 6.1.1 Oil and Gas Activities ........................................................................... 17 6.1.2 Agricultural Activities ........................................................................... 18 6.1.3 General Activities .................................................................................. 18 7.0 ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACTS ................................................................................... 18 7.1 Species Effects and Impacts Analysis ................................................................... 18 7.1.1 Loss, Destruction, Modification, or Fragmentation of Habitat ................................................................................................... 19 7.1.1.1 Impacts from Oil and Gas Extraction .................................... 19 TEXAS CONSERVATION PLAN i FOR THE DUNES SAGEBRUSH LIZARD February 13, 2012 7.1.1.2 Impacts from Agricultural Practices ...................................... 21 7.1.1.3 Impacts from Tebuthiuron ..................................................... 21 7.1.1.4 Impacts from OHV ................................................................ 22 7.1.1.5 Impacts from Alternative Energy Development .................... 23 7.1.2 Predation ................................................................................................ 23 7.1.3 Other Natural or Manmade Factors ....................................................... 24 7.1.3.1 Extreme Natural Conditions .................................................. 24 7.1.3.2 Impacts from Exposure to Toxic Chemicals and Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Emissions ....................................... 24 7.2 Additional Species ................................................................................................ 24 8.0 CONSERVATION PROGRAM .................................................................................... 25 8.1 Biological Goals and Objectives ........................................................................... 27 8.2 Compliance and Effectiveness Monitoring and Reporting ................................... 29 8.2.1 Compliance Monitoring ........................................................................ 29 8.2.2 Effectiveness Monitoring ...................................................................... 30 8.2.3 Reporting ............................................................................................... 31 8.2.4 Confidentiality ....................................................................................... 32 8.3 Adaptive Management .......................................................................................... 33 8.3.1 Rationale for Adaptive Management .................................................... 33 8.3.2 Adaptive Management Process ............................................................. 34 8.4 Research Activities ............................................................................................... 36 8.5 Unique Components of the CCAA ....................................................................... 38 8.5.1 Assurances Provided ............................................................................. 38 8.5.2 Availability of Funds ............................................................................. 38 8.6 Conservation Measures Under the CCAA ............................................................ 39 8.6.1 Agricultural Conservation Measures ..................................................... 39 8.6.2 Oil and Gas Conservation Measures ..................................................... 40 8.6.3 Other Measures ..................................................................................... 42 8.6.4 Obligations of the Parties under the CCAA .......................................... 43 8.6.4.1 Permit Holder ......................................................................... 44 8.6.4.2 Participants ............................................................................ 44 TEXAS CONSERVATION PLAN ii FOR THE DUNES SAGEBRUSH LIZARD February 13, 2012 8.6.4.3 The FWS ................................................................................ 45 8.7 Unique Components of the HCP ........................................................................... 46 8.7.1 Minimization Strategy ........................................................................... 46 8.7.2 Mitigation Strategy ................................................................................ 46 8.7.3 Obligations of the Parties under the HCP ............................................. 47 8.7.3.1 Permit Holder ......................................................................... 47 8.7.3.2 Participants ............................................................................ 48 8.7.3.3 The FWS ................................................................................ 49 8.8 Recovery Strategy ................................................................................................. 49 8.9 Violations and Remedies ...................................................................................... 53 8.10 Notification of Habitat Loss .................................................................................. 54 8.11 Succession and Transfer ....................................................................................... 55 8.12 Modification/Amendment of the Permit ............................................................... 55 8.13 Termination of Participant CI or CP ..................................................................... 56 8.14 Permit Suspension or Revocation ......................................................................... 56 8.15 Dispute Resolution ................................................................................................ 56 8.16 No Third-Party Beneficiaries ................................................................................ 57 8.17 Applicable Law ..................................................................................................... 57 8.18 Cooperating Agencies and Parties ........................................................................ 57 8.19 Reservation of Rights ............................................................................................ 57 9.0 LEVEL OF EFFECT ANTICIPATED ......................................................................... 58 9.1 Level of Incidental Take ....................................................................................... 58 10.0 CHANGED/UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES ..................................................... 62 10.1 Changed Circumstances .......................................................................................