Authors: Shira A. Bergstein, April Mo, Martin A. Wachs, Daniel G. Chatman
Date: February 1, 2012
Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) are federally approved mechanisms for allowing incidental harm of endangered species resulting from otherwise lawful activities, such as highway construction, in exchange for agreed upon conservation or mitigation measures. Large transportation projects may be delayed or terminated if they impinge upon endangered species. HCPs represent one method by which non-federal entities may proceed with infrastructure or development projects even if endangered species are present. This paper explores the historical background of HCPs, and investigates their potential for expediting infrastructure project delivery. Our analysis of literature regarding HCPs, as well as an overview of current HCPs that contain both infrastructure projects and off-site mitigation, provides a framework for further, more detailed, empirical exploration of whether and under what circumstances HCPs reduce time and costs for environmental review of large infrastructure projects.
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