NEWS
RELEASE
-
Public Comment Sought on Draft Economic Analysis for Proposed Critical Habitat
of Jarbidge Population
of
Bull Trout
Contact: Bob Williams: (775) 861-6300
May 3, 2005
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released an analysis today that
estimates costs related to the conservation of the bull trout (Salvelinus
confluentus) and its proposed critical habitat to be $215,000 per year for
the Jarbidge population. Of those costs, 54% are estimated for grazing,
29% for federal and state agency conservation activities, and 17% for
transportation improvements.
The bull trout is protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as a
threatened species. In June of 2004, the Service released its proposal to
designate 131 miles of critical habitat for the species in the Jarbidge
River area. A final designation is expected in June.
In releasing the analysis, the Service also reopened the public comment
period on its revised critical habitat proposal for the bull trout. The
Service will accept public comments on both the critical habitat proposal
and the draft economic analysis until June 2, 2005.
Critical habitat is a term used in the ESA. It identifies geographic areas
that contain features essential for the conservation of a threatened or
endangered species and may require special management considerations or
protection. The designation of critical habitat does not affect land
ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve, or other
conservation area. It does not allow government or public access to
private lands. Federal agencies that undertake, fund or permit activities
that may affect critical habitat are required to consult with the Service
to ensure such actions do not adversely modify or destroy designated
critical habitat.
“I encourage the public to review the Draft Economic Analysis” said Bob
Williams, Nevada Field Supervisor, “and to submit any comments they have to
us. Comments we receive will be used to help us make the final critical
habitat determination.”
Areas designated as critical habitat for the bull trout are in the Jarbidge
River watershed which is located within Owyhee County in Southwestern Idaho
and Elko County in Nevada. Ninety-two percent of the habitat occurs on
lands that are federally managed. The State of Idaho manages 3 % of the
habitat and the remaining 5% is privately owned.
When specifying an area as critical habitat, the ESA requires the Service
to consider economic and other relevant impacts of the designation. If the
benefits of excluding an area outweigh the benefits of including it, the
Secretary may exclude an area from critical habitat, unless this would
result in the extinction of a threatened or endangered species.
The East and West forks of the Jarbidge River originate in the Jarbidge
Mountains of Northeast Nevada, flowing northward to merge four miles north
of the Idaho-Nevada with the main stream of the river. The mainstream of
the Jarbidge River flows northwest to its confluence with the Bruneau
River, which then flows northward to enter C.J. Strike Reservoir on the
Snake River. Bull trout critical habitat is present in the East and
West
forks of the Jarbidge River, the mainstem Jarbidge River, and six headwater
tributaries.
In 30 years of implementing the ESA, the Service has found that designation
of critical habitat provides little to additional protection for most
listed species, while preventing the agency from using scarce conservation
resources for activities with grater conservation benefits.
In most cases, recovery of listed species will come through voluntary
cooperative partnerships, not regulatory measures such as critical habitat.
Habitat is also protected through cooperative measures under the ESA,
including the Habitat Conservation Plans, Safe Harbor Agreements, Candidate
Conservation Agreements and state programs. In addition, voluntary
partnership programs such as the Service’s Private Stewardship Grants and
the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program also restore habitat. Habitat
for listed species is provided on many of the Service’s National Wildlife
Refuges, and state wildlife management areas.
Comments on the proposed critical habitat and/or the draft economic
analysis may be submitted by June 2, 2005 to: John Young, Bull Trout
Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Branch of Endangered Species,
911 N. E, 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232, or by fax to (503) 231-6243.
Copies of the analysis may be obtained at http://pacific.fws.gov/bulltrout/jcs/dea/index.html
or by calling John
Young at (503) 231-6194.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services
field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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