Draft HCP Submitted to US Fish and Wildlife Service

In early October, the GA-FIT team and project partners submitted the final review draft of the Lower Flint Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – all 498 pages of it! The HCP provides enhanced conservation of freshwater mussels while providing regulatory assurances to the State of Georgia and its agricultural water withdrawal permitting program as well as water security for farmers. It represents years of hard work and dedication to research, field work, partnership, stakeholder engagement, and creating a management approach that balances nature and economy.  Next steps include review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and formal review by other parties.