Public invited to comment on Conservation Sonoma proposed planning agreement

A proposed planning agreement between the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the County of Sonoma and the cities of Santa Rosa, Cotati, Petaluma and the Town of Windsor to streamline federal and state endangered species permitting is now available for public comment.

The collaboration involving the County and local jurisdictions, called Conservation Sonoma, will produce a countywide Habitat Conservation Plan under the federal Endangered Species Act and a state Natural Community Conservation Plan. The joint document will streamline regulatory permitting under state and federal endangered species laws while implementing a conservation strategy for some of the county’s most sensitive and unique plant and animal species and habitats.

An important early step in the process of developing a Natural Community Conservation Plan with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is the signing of a planning agreement. The primary purpose of the planning agreement is to define the process and goals for the Sonoma County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan. Among other things, it provides a preliminary list of the natural communities, and the endangered, threatened, candidate or other species that are found, or may be found there. The agreement allows the parties to work together to develop the plan and provides an outline for the planning process, including a framework for public and independent scientific participation.

The proposed planning agreement is available for public review and comment for a 21-day period from June 5 to June 25. The document can be viewed on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Planning/NCCP/Plans/Sonoma-County. All comments on the proposed planning agreement should be submitted to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife following the directions outlined in the Notice of Public Availability.

To find out more about Conservation Sonoma and ways that you can participate in the Sonoma County HCP/NCCP, please visit the project website: https://permitsonoma.org/conservationsonoma and sign up for email updates.

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Media Contact:
Genevieve Bertone
Permit Sonoma Department Program Manager, Outreach
Genevieve.Bertone@sonoma-county.org 
(707) 565- 1231