Wildlife Service OKs Hurting Rare Animals to Save Them
Published Date: 12/4/2025
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is sharing a list of permits issued in 2024 that allow certain activities affecting endangered and threatened species. These permits help people and groups safely work on conservation projects, recovery efforts, and habitat plans without breaking the law. This update keeps everyone informed about who’s involved, what’s allowed, and when these permits apply throughout the year.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Incidental-take permits for development projects
The Service notes that incidental take permits under ESA section 10(a)(1)(B) are issued when an applicant submits a habitat conservation plan (HCP) that meets issuance criteria; applicants commonly seek these permits for residential or commercial development, infrastructure work, and energy projects. Permits of this type issued between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 are included in the published list.
Public list of 2024 ESA permits
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a public list of permits issued under the Endangered Species Act for January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. The list covers permits issued under sections 10(a)(1)(A) and 10(a)(1)(B) and provides regional contacts and instructions for requesting related documents.
CCAAs and SHAs combined into CBAs
On April 12, 2024, the Service revised implementing regulations to combine candidate conservation agreements with assurances (CCAAs) and safe harbor agreements (SHAs) into a single agreement type called a conservation benefit agreement (CBA). Permits listed in this notice include CCAAs and SHAs issued before April 12, 2024 and CBAs issued after that date.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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