In partnership with the washington department of fish and wildlife (wdfw), the city of tumwater (city) and portof olympia (port) request $465,000 (75% of the cost) from the U.S. Fish and wildlife…

This federal Project Grant award for $620,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CFDA 15.615) will support Phase 4 of the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) in partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, City of Tumwater, and Port of Olympia. The grant funding, along with $155,000 in matching funds, will allow for the complete development of the Bush Prairie HCP and application for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Incidental Take Permit. The key objectives under this 3-year award include public and stakeholder outreach, completion of the public draft HCP, and completion of the environmental review process. As a sub-awardee, the City of Tumwater will contribute to these conservation planning efforts. This grant continues the collaborative work initiated under prior Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund awards for Phases 1-3 of the Bush Prairie HCP.

In partnership with the washington department of fish and wildlife (wdfw), the city of tumwater (city) and portof olympia (port) request $465,000 (75% of the cost) from the U.S. Fish and wildlife services cooperative endangered species conservation fund (cescf) for phase 4 of the bush prairie habitat conservation plan (HCP). The requested funds, along with $155,000 (25% of the cost) in city, port, and wdfw matching funds will allow for the complete development of the bush prairie HCP and application for a USFWS incidental take permit (ITP). An HCP is a federal planning tool that ensures the minimization or mitigation of incidental take of a federallylisted species by conserving the species habitat.under this award, the city and port will focus on three objectives to implement the grant within three years, which includes:1) public, stakeholder, and partner outreach and ENGAGEMENT2) completion of the public draft of the bush prairie HCP3) completion of the nepa and sepa environmental review processphase 4 grant funding provides financial support to continue conservation efforts initiated under prior cescffunding for phases 1 to 3. Through a collaboratively driven process, the bush prairie HCP will outline a planfor how the city and port will permanently protect federally listed and at-risk prairie species, habitats, andwetland ecosystems while accommodating growth and development within the city and its urban growth boundary.