The Fish and Wildlife Service is airing a new proposal to help endangered bats in three Eastern states coexist with potentially dangerous humans.
If it flies, the proposed “general conservation plan” is meant to protect bats and streamline the Endangered Species Act permit process for tree removal or habitat modification associated with routine development projects such residential developments, transportation, and utility projects such as sewer lines and solar farms. Because it’s the first of its kind for bats, it could also become a model for similar plans elsewhere.
The proposed general conservation plan covers the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat, which are both listed as endangered under the ESA. It also covers the tricolored bat, which has been proposed for listing.
“The [proposed] plan establishes associated conservation measures an applicant would agree to undertake first to avoid and then to minimize and mitigate for the impacts of the incidental take of the listed and proposed bat species to the maximum extent practicable,” FWS stated.
