Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Habitat Conservation Plan for the Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly and Four Subspecies of the Mazama Pocket Gopher, Thurston and Pierce Counties, Washington; Categorical Exclusion
Published Date: 2/2/2026
Notice
Summary
Puget Sound Energy wants to update its permit to work near the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly and four Mazama pocket gopher subspecies in Thurston and Pierce Counties, Washington. They’ve created a plan to protect these animals while fixing energy systems that keep us safe and powered up. The public can share their thoughts by March 4, 2026, before the Fish and Wildlife Service makes a final call.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
30-Year Permit for Utility Work
Puget Sound Energy has applied for a 30-year incidental take permit to allow maintenance, replacement, and upgrades of electric and natural gas systems in Thurston County and the southwest portion of Pierce County, Washington. Covered activities listed include pole replacement, cable or pipe repairs, tree pruning, converting overhead lines to underground in existing rights-of-way, and new gas service to existing homes; the application would add coverage for the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly and the Roy prairie pocket gopher.
Permanent Mitigation Sites About 81 Acres
The applicant's habitat conservation plan would permanently maintain suitable breeding, feeding, and sheltering habitat across roughly 81 acres, made up of 14 parcels at 7 locations, to fully offset impacts to the covered species. The Service proposes to base issuance of the requested 30-year permit on the applicant’s commitment to implement this mitigation if the permit issuance criteria are met.
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