NOAA Fisheries and the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) signed NOAA’s first-ever “Safe Harbor Agreement” at a ceremony in northern California on March 3rd, offering private landowners in the Russian River watershed incentives to enhance their property for the sake of federally protected salmon and steelhead.
Under the Safe Harbor Agreement, NOAA Fisheries is able to provide incentives encouraging property owners to restore, enhance, or maintain habitat for species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). A safe harbor agreement assures landowners that additional land, water, and/or natural resource use restrictions will not be imposed as a result of their voluntary conservation actions to benefit covered species.
“This is the first time the Safe Harbor Agreement will be employed for ESA-listed salmon and steelhead anywhere in the United States,” said Sam Rauch, NOAA Fisheries Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs. “We appreciate that Sonoma County Water Agency entered into this agreement and hope it will serve as an example for others to follow across the nation.”
NOAA Fisheries and the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) signed NOAA’s first-ever “Safe Harbor Agreement” at a ceremony in northern California on March 3rd, offering private landowners in the Russian River watershed incentives to enhance their property for the sake of federally protected salmon and steelhead.
Under the Safe Harbor Agreement, NOAA Fisheries is able to provide incentives encouraging property owners to restore, enhance, or maintain habitat for species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). A safe harbor agreement assures landowners that additional land, water, and/or natural resource use restrictions will not be imposed as a result of their voluntary conservation actions to benefit covered species.
“This is the first time the Safe Harbor Agreement will be employed for ESA-listed salmon and steelhead anywhere in the United States,” said Sam Rauch, NOAA Fisheries Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs. “We appreciate that Sonoma County Water Agency entered into this agreement and hope it will serve as an example for others to follow across the nation.”