Download Natural Community Conservation Plan

Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
Natural Community Conservation Plan
The Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP) program, administered by the California Department of
Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) uses a broad-based ecosystem approach to plan for the conservation of declining
species, natural communities, and supporting ecological processes while allowing compatible and appropriate
economic activity. In the Desert Renewable Conservation Plan (DRECP) area, this includes renewable energy
and transmission development. The NCCP is intended to:
•Provide for the long-term conservation and management of 37 covered species within the plan area, and
preserve and enhance natural communities and ecosystems in which those species are found, by creating a
reserve system that ensures conservation of the target species and communities.
•In coordination with the overall DRECP conservation strategy, provide for landscape-level connectivity
and retention of ecological processes that are fundamental to a healthy desert ecosystem.
•Create a framework and approach for permitting renewable energy projects under the California
Endangered Species Act in an efficient and predictable manner.
The NCCP will encompass the entire DRECP plan area, and includes:
• Development Focus Areas – The NCCP will allow CDFW to issue take authorizations for solar, wind
and geothermal development projects and transmission projects sited within development focus areas.
Such projects will benefit from a more efficient and predictable permitting process with clear avoidance
and minimization requirements and simplified mitigation measures.
• NCCP Conceptual Plan-wide Reserve Design – Identifies priority areas from which the DRECP
NCCP reserve design will be created in the form of long-term management of habitat reserves for the
conservation of the 37 proposed covered species.
• DRECP NCCP Reserve Design – Identifies specific areas as reflected by the biological goals and
objectives for the conservation and management of the proposed covered species. The reserve design will
be created to provide both compensation for impacts from renewable energy and transmission projects
within the DRECP plan area and to support the overall Conservation Strategy.
For more information about the DRECP, visit www.drecp.org
Natural Community Conservation Plan
0
DRECP Plan-wide Reserve Design Envelope
NCCP Categories
DRECP NCCP Reserve Design
DRECP NCCP Reserve Design
6
NCCP Conceptual Plan-wide Reserve Design
266
Utah
Legislatively and Legally Protected Areas
Military Expansion Mitigation Lands
BLM LUPA Conservation Designations Inside the NCCP Conceptual Plan-wide Reserve Design
Biological Conservation Priority Areas on Non-BLM Lands
BLM Conservation Designations Outside the NCCP Conceptual Plan-wide Reserve Design
BLM LUPA Conservation Designations
Biological Conservation Planning Areas
Biological Conservation Planning Areas on Non-BLM Lands
Nevada
Independence
Renewable Energy Development
Development Focus Areas
Ow
Study Area Lands
ens
Special Analysis Areas
136
Future Assessment Areas
Val
190
ley
DRECP Variance Lands
Other Lands
Impervious and Urban Built-up Land
Military
Open OHV Areas - Imperial Sand Dunes
Open OHV Areas
Johnson Valley OHV Shared Use Area
Tribal Lands
Solar Energy Zones
127
Proposed Feinstein Bill
DRECP Plan Area Boundary
178
202
Tehachapi
Te
ha
c
p
ha
M
i
ou
nt
ai
ns
Ce ntra l Mojav e
California
City
395
Arizona
58
Barstow
Needles
West M ojave
40
Lancaster
Adelanto
14
Victorville
Luc
138
2
405
605
57
110
710
91
213
90
22
Big Bear
Lake
173
39
134
27
142
66
330
210
Va l l
ey
247
95
Twentynine
Palms
38
60
71
Palm
Springs
243
215
55
erne
18
241
73
177
Palm
Desert
Indio
15
Coachella
10
74
371
Ch
e
86
Mo
Va
ll
98
25
Miles
ey
Imperial
94
ta
in
s
Brawley
al
67
El Centro
75
un
Calipatria
ri
56
5
12.5
at
pe
78
O c e a n
0
ol
Im
P a c i f i c
Blythe
oc
111
79
76
Ea st Riverside
115
Holtville
8
Calexico
ME X IC O
Copyright:' 2014 Esri, Sources: Esri, USGS, NOAA
Sources: ESRI (2014); CEC (2013); BLM (2013); CDFW (2013); USFWS (2013)
FIGURE II.3-7
II.3-1
Preferred Alternative - Natural Community Conservation Plan
August 2014
Draft DRECP and EIR/EIS
For more information about the DRECP, visit www.drecp.org