Grant to fund habitat plan

Thurston County will use a $450,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a federally approved habitat management plan with the hope of maintaining local control of prairie preservation and development, officials said Monday.

The plan, which would address prairie species, including the Mazama pocket gopher, would create more certainty in permit applications and is intended to make it less likely property owners would need to spend their own money, said Planning Director Scott Clark.

Clark said the plan – which is at least several years from adoption – would amount to one general permit. If a prairie species becomes federally listed without a plan approved by state and federal wildlife agencies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would issue permits, he added.

“We want to stay in the driver’s seat on how fast we review things,” he said.

A new plan would also provide some long-term guidance and more predictability.

“They (U.S. Fish and Wildlife) are pretty meticulous in setting the rules, but once they’re set, they’re set,” he said.

Aside from the pocket gopher, prairie lands in Thurston County are home to several species listed as endangered or threatened by either the state or U.S. Fish and Wildlife including the golden paintbrush, Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly and the streaked horned lark.

Habitat management plans for development in prairies aren’t required very often, according to data provided by the county.

Of the 4,440 project applications received since 2007, 25 required management plans, representing less than 1 percent of total applications. Those plans range from $500 to $1,700, but costs can average $2,000 to $3,000, according to the county.

County Commission Chair Karen Valenzuela said a new management plan would provide an extra layer of scrutiny and show a coordinated approach by county, state and federal agencies.

“What we expected this plan to do is provide us with the additional level of detail that will help us as we review land-use applications,” she said.

But not everyone is excited about the grant funding and its repercussions, including leaders of STOP Thurston County, a group that has taken a strong stance against the county’s update to its critical-areas ordinance.

“Every time they receive these funds, no good has ever come out of it,” said Glen Morgan, STOP project director. He added that he’s skeptical on where the dollars will go.

He said using federal money to create county policy takes away local control and that the new plan would be more restrictive on property owners.

Clark said teaming with state and federal fish and wildlife could produce both stricter and more lenient regulations, but that keeping the county in charge of permitting is the goal.

Nate Hulings: 360-754-5476 nhulings@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/outsideoly

This story was originally published August 30, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Grant to fund habitat plan."