Conservation News
Commissioners approve habitat conservation plan
By Shawna Sundin, ssundinjacksonville.com
ST. AUGUSTINE -- St. Johns County commissioners yesterday refused to limit beach driving despite the possibility of getting sued for harming endangered animals.
The commissioners voted 4-1 to submit a habitat conservation plan to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that does not limit the hours or areas where beach driving is allowed after county staff told them it's unlikely the agency will approve a plan that doesn't have those restrictions.
The county needs the agency to approve its plan to get an "incidental take permit." The permit would protect the county from being sued for violating the federal Endangered Species Act if endangered animals such as sea turtles and Anastasia Island beach mice were accidentally harmed because of beach driving.
If the county doesn't have an incidental take permit, the federal government could file an injunction to stop beach driving throughout the county and also fine the county each time an endangered species is harmed because of beach motorists.
"The county can defend itself with the restrictions already in place if it's litigated against," Commissioner Marc Jacalone said. "I am not intimidated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Enough has already been taken from the people we represent. It's happened bit by bit and it's got to stop."
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