SACRAMENTO, CA (10/31/05) -- The Fish and Wildlife Service has released an analysis that estimates costs related to the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Sonoma population of the California tiger salamander at $336 million over the next 20 years.  In releasing the analysis, the Service also opened an additional 21-day public comment period on the proposed critical habitat for the species. The Service will accept public comments until November 14, 2005. 

The Sonoma population of the California tiger salamander is protected as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.  On August 2, 2005, the Service released its proposal to designate 74,223 acres of critical habitat for the species on the Santa Rosa Plain. A 60-day comment period closed on October 3, but during the new comment period the Service will accept comments on all aspects of the proposed critical habitat.  Under a court order, the Service must complete the final critical habitat rule by December 1, 2005. 

The draft economic analysis projects an expected loss of $336 million in lost development opportunities over the next 20 years, according to the analysis prepared by CRA International, an Oakland-based consulting firm.  The study also identified $7.97 million additional costs to transportation projects on Highways 101 and 116, but it also concluded that critical habitat would have little effect on the regional economy, causing only a reduction of 0.01 per cent of the region's $28-billion output. 

Of the costs, the study concluded that $12 million would be impacts on producers and consumers, $210 million would be mitigation costs, $114 million would be delays in processing development proposals individually -- which the study estimates will take two years each.

The Sonoma County population of the California tiger salamander was listed as an endangered species under an emergency rule in 2002. The rule was made permanent in March 2003. In July 2004, when California tiger salamanders throughout Central California were listed as threatened, the status of the Sonoma County population -- along with a separate population in Santa Barbara County -- was changed from endangered to threatened. On August 19, 2005, the U.S. District Court vacated the Service's downlisting of the Sonoma and Santa Barbara populations from endangered to threatened. Both populations once again are listed as endangered.

Comments on the proposed critical habitat and/or the draft economic analysis may be submitted until November 14, 2005 to fw1sonoma_tiger_salamander@fws.gov or by fax to 916/414-6710, or by mail to Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825. 

Copies of the analysis and the Federal Register notice are available online.