The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District have finalized their new Florida Bonneted Bat Consultation Guidelines and Florida Bonneted Bat Consultation Key. The Guidelines provide guidance on the types of habitats, size of projects and types of surveys that are analyzed in the consultation. The Key provides a question and answer-type format to reach an effect determination for a specific project. The new Key includes the 2019 Florida bonneted bat consultation area, which includes areas of Polk, Osceola, Okeechobee, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry, Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin Counties. The Key also identifies a South Florida Urban Bat Area that is excluded from the Key. Best Management Practices are identified for development projects and land management projects.
The Service and the Corps will apply the new Guidelines and Key to pending permit applications with proposed actions that are consistent with the Key, but the new Key is not mandatory for permit applicants. The Key’s intent is to provide appropriate and consistent effect determinations for the Florida bonneted bat under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. The Service and Corps anticipate the Key will streamline informal consultation with the Service for the Florida bonneted bat when the proposed action is consistent with the Key. These Guidelines and Key replace the 2013 draft Florida Bonneted Bat Key. If you have any questions on the new Guidelines and Key or would like a copy, please contact Debbie Madden or Luna Philips.
