Common use of Expected Benefits Clause in Contracts

Expected Benefits. As identified in the FWS’s Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances Final Policy (64 FR 32726), and regulations at 50 CFR 17.22, to enter into a CCAA and issue a permit and assurances, the Service must determine that the conservation measures and expected benefits, when combined with those benefits that would be achieved if it is assumed that similar conservation measures were also implemented on other necessary properties, would preclude or remove the need to list Gunnison Sage-grouse. Consistent with the CCAA policy, meeting the CCAA standard does not depend on the number of acres enrolled, and adoption of the CCAA and enrollment of landowners does not guarantee that listing will be unnecessary. Through a separate finding, the Service has determined that this CCAA meets the standard specified in the CCAA policy and regulations. Conservation benefits for Gunnison Sage-grouse from implementation of the CCAA will accrue in a step-wise manner. First and foremost, habitats for the grouse will be protected on non- Federal lands enrolled through CIs. Secondly, habitat enrolled through CIs will contribute to keeping landscapes intact by protecting currently occupied, vacant/unknown, and potential habitats, and by precluding future habitat fragmentation for the duration of the CCAA Thirdly, enrolled lands may, if restoration/enhancements are determined to be needed and detailed in the CI, be enhanced by the application of recommended treatments (▇▇▇▇▇▇ 2005). These efforts are intended to contribute to the habitats necessary to achieve the optimum population goals cited in the RCP. The scope and scale of the benefits will depend on the amount and distribution of lands enrolled. Further, Gunnison Sage-grouse conservation will be enhanced by providing ESA regulatory assurances for participating landowners. There will be a significant measure of security for participating landowners in the knowledge that they will not incur additional land use restrictions if the species is listed under the ESA in the future. The CCAA will provide substantial benefits to conservation of the species by offering landowners incentives, and potential state and federal funding in exchange for utilizing best management practices to protect and enhance grouse habitat and to sustain and increase grouse populations.