LAND USE NEWS

December 2009

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Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Safe Harbor Law Providing Landowners with Species ‘Incidental Take’ Coverage

Governor Schwarzenegger has approved Senate Bill (SB) 448, the California State Safe Harbor Agreement Program Act (Safe Harbor Law). The Safe Harbor Law authorizes a program to encourage landowners to voluntarily manage their land with conservation efforts for wildlife in a program approved by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG). The benefit is mutual for species and people: The conservation management enhances the recovery and maintenance of protected species and habitat while the landowners can take a species that is incidental to otherwise lawful activity and will not be subject to additional regulatory restrictions. Last September, some environmental groups stated support for this law: Defenders of Wildlife, Audubon California, California Outdoor Heritage Alliance, and Nature Conservancy.