Critical Issue Analyses

Issue Analysis: Term of Incidental Take Permit (35 KB)

The USFWS issues ITPs for periods ranging from 1 to 100 years, based on the applicant's request and an evaluation by the USFWS as to whether the requested term is appropriate. The Steering Committee should evaluate factors affected by the term of the ITP and recommend a term that will meet FDEP objectives. The term of the ITP must be determined in the early stages of the project in order for research and planning for the HCP to move forward.

Issue Analysis: Inclusion of Beaches Regulated Under Chapter 161.052, Florida Statutes (35 KB)

The HCP's Plan Area will include beaches within jurisdiction of the CCCL program. However, not all counties have CCCLs. Some counties without CCCLs contain beaches that still fall under FDEP regulatory jurisdiction, pursuant to s.161.052. Activities on .052 Beaches, which are similar to CCCL-authorized activities, may affect species proposed to be covered under the HCP and therefore may be appropriate to include within the HCP Plan Area.

Issue Analysis: Inclusion of Non-federally Listed, At-risk Species in the Florida Beaches HCP (54 KB)

There are two primary issues that should be considered by the Steering Committee in determining whether or not non-federally listed, at-risk species should be included in the FBHCP. The first relates to the likelihood of an at-risk species becoming federally listed over the term of the ITP, as this could require subsequent amendments to the HCP. The second deals with adoption of conservation measures that will likely preclude at-risk species from becoming federally listed over the term of the ITP.

At-risk Shorebird Supporting Information (23 KB)

Supporting Information for Non-federally Listed, At-risk Shorebirds

Conceptual MBTA Minimization Measures (16 KB)

Describes conceptual MBTA compliance measures.

Briefing Documents

Summary Document: The CCCL Program for the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (261 KB)

The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) Program and describe how it relates to the proposed Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan.

Summary Document: Chapter 161 Florida Statutes for the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (112 KB)

The objective of this document is to provide an overview of Parts I, II, III and IV of Chapter 161 of the Florida Statutes (F.S.) These four parts of Chapter 161, F.S. are collectively referred to as "Beach and Shore Preservation Act."

Summary Document: Overview of Habitat Conservation Plans for the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (226 KB)

In preparation of an application for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) based on a Statewide Habitat Conservation Plan covering all of the beach areas regulated by the Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) Program, six existing Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) have been reviewed and summarized. The plans included in this review are relevant to the development of the statewide Florida Beaches HCP because they cover large land areas, protect multiple species, or both.

Summary Document: Implementation of the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (FBHCP), Version 1, Revision 1 (303 KB)

The objectives of this briefing document are to; review the general process of county government involvement in FDEP's CCCL program, review the general process for protected species management at the county level, discuss administration of existing coastal HCPs in Florida and to identify general options for administration of the FBHCP.

Summary Document: The Endangered Species Act for the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), Version 1, Revision 1 (130 KB)

The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the various sections of the ESA, with a particular emphasis on the sections relevant to the development of a Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan for Florida, which will be referred to as the Florida Beaches HCP.

Part IV of Chapter 161 of the Florida Statutes (F.S.) - The Oceans and Coastal Resources Act, Version 1, Revision 0 (102 KB)

Part IV of Chapter 161 of the Florida Statutes (F.S.) is referred to as the Oceans and Coastal Resources Act. Its purpose is to establish the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council (FOCC) to assist the state in the identification of new management strategies with the goal of maximizing the protection and conservation of Florida's ocean and coastal resources. The objectives of this document are to provide an overview of Part IV, Chapter 161, F.S. -- Oceans and Coastal Resources Act, and discuss how it relates to the proposed FBHCP.

Summary Document: Year 2 -- Implementation of the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan Version 1, Revision 0 (2,474 KB)

The intent of this briefing document is to provide a complete design concept for the development of the FBHCP by describing the requisite components of an HCP, proposing a conceptual implementation strategy, and identifying those elements which, at present, seem most problematic to plan implementation.

Summary Document: Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan Area Version 1, Revision 0 (3,983 KB)

For the purposes of the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (FBHCP), delineating where take may occur is based on two criteria: (1) areas between the CCCL and Mean High Water Line (MHWL) where activities are regulated by the CCCL Program and (2) areas adjoining those regulated by the CCCL Program that contain habitat for FBHCP-covered species and where direct or indirect impacts or affects to the listed species may occur. The FBHCP Plan Area is expected to cover areas along the Florida coastline that meet these two criteria. This briefing document explains the two criteria in further detail, and demonstrates how they may be used to delineate the FBHCP Plan Area.

Summary Document: Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAA), Benefits and Drawbacks Version 1, Revision 1 (244 KB)

This briefing document offers a general overview of the customary CCAA provisions, and considers the relative advantages and disadvantages of adding a CCAA component to the statewide FBHCP. These considerations include how to decide which species could be included, the practicalities of the corresponding conservation measures, and the regulatory consequences of adopting this component.

Resource Documents

Preliminary List of Data Sources for Best Management Plans for the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (102 KB)

The purpose of this document is to provide a preliminary listing of Best Management Practices (BMP) as well as information that will be valuable for the creation of BMPs for the federally listed threatened and endangered species that will be covered under the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan.

Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan Framework Document (125 KB)

The purpose of this document is to provide an initial design for a Table of Contents for the proposed Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan. It will serve as an outline and will help us determine the content and structure of the HCP. The Table of Contents presents an outline of the mandatory sections of an HCP as defined by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, with additional segments added based on their relevance to the Florida Beaches HCP.

Preliminary List of Data Sources for the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (108 KB)

The purpose of this document is to provide a preliminary list of data sources available for the development of the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The list of identified data sources includes electronic and tabular data from a variety of state, federal and local government websites and is not all-inclusive.

Presentations

Coastal Wildlife Initiative Overview (1,026 KB)

This PowerPoint presentation introduces the Coastal Wildlife Conservation Initiative (CWCI), the parent project of the Florida Beaches HCP. The CWCI is an FWC-led initiative to address many issues that confront Florida's coastal resources.

Florida's Coastal Construction Control Line Program (13,757 KB)

This PowerPoint presentation describes the Coastal Construction Control Line Permitting Program at FDEP. This is the program that permits activities that will be addressed in the Florida Beaches HCP.

How the CCCL Program Relates to the Florida Beaches HCP (1,299 KB)

This PowerPoint presentation was presented at the exploratory meeting.

The Endangered Species Act and the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan (5,379 KB)

This PowerPoint presentation was presented at the exploratory meeting.

Funding Provided by USFWS Section 6 Grant