Alabama Builders Ask Feds to Spare the Beach Mouse
Published Date: 6/8/2026
Notice
Summary
Nine builders in Baldwin County, Alabama, want permission to work near the endangered Alabama beach mouse without harming it. The Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing their plans and asking the public to share thoughts by July 8, 2026. This helps protect the mouse while allowing construction to move forward responsibly.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
50‑Year Permits Let Builders Proceed
If you are a builder or property owner in Baldwin County, Alabama, you can apply for a 50-year incidental take permit (ITP) under the approved Alabama beach mouse General Conservation Plan to convert small amounts of occupied habitat for construction. The nine applications request conversions ranging from 0.006 acre to 0.204 acre for projects like single-family homes, driveways, pools, and associated infrastructure, and the Service has preliminarily determined the effects would be minor and may qualify under the GCP.
Mitigation Fees Required Per Permit
Each applicant proposes to mitigate the permitted take by paying an in-lieu fee to the Alabama Coastal Heritage Trust's Alabama beach mouse conservation fund. The proposed single-payment fees in these nine applications range from $616.40 up to $20,488.40 per permit.
Public Comment Window for Applications
The Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to submit written comments on these nine ITP applications, including the habitat conservation plans, by July 8, 2026 via Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2026-1851 at regulations.gov or by mail as described in the notice.
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