Benefits
The Butte Regional Conservation Plan will provide benefits to a wide range of entities and stakeholders including:
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| Expedited Infrastructure and Public Facility Construction: The BRCP will result in expedited delivery of needed roadway and pedestrian safety improvements, construction of needed public facilities such as parks and schools, and increased funding for open space acquisition. Regional Economics: Streamlined environmental permitting provided through the BRCP will provide added incentives to attract businesses that provide jobs to maintain a strong economy. Community Aesthetics: Large preserves will protect viewsheds and will provide buffers so that communities can maintain their distinctive identities. Present & Future Generations: The BRCP will protect open space, our diverse landscape of working farms and ranches, and our region's rich biological resources for future generations to enjoy. |
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Agricultural Preservation: |
| Large scale conservation: Effective landscape-scale conservation avoids postage stamp preserves that may not retain biological values over the long-term. Multi-species and Habitat Protection: The BRCP will protect a broad diversity of species and habitats and encompass large geographic areas. Effective Conservation: Will provide an effective means to protect and manage species and habitat resources. Adaptive Management: Mitigation measures that do not meet their goals will be modified under the adaptive management program. |
| Streamlined Regulatory Compliance: State and federal Endangered Species Act "incidental take" permits and US Army Corp. of Engineers Section 404 permits will be issued by the city or county jurisdiction under which the project occurs, not USFWS, DFG or USACE. Coordination with USFWS and DFG will generally not be necessary to receive ESA permits under the BRCP; coordination with USACE will be greatly minimized. This will result in substantial and significant streamlining of the environmental permitting process for land developers reducing time and costs. Reduced Costs: Comprehensive regional mitigation plans reduce time spent, analysis carried out and discussions with regulatory agencies by land developers to achieve individual project mitigation, which in turn reduces costs. Certainty: Mitigation requirements and fees are known ahead of time, allowing land developers to incorporate costs into early project planning and financing. Unlisted Species Protection: The BRCP includes mitigation for plant and wildlife species not yet federally listed and may prevent the need for future listing. If any of theses species are listed in the future there will not be additional conservation needs. |