Endangered Species Law & Policy

According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal this week, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan will be subject to further delays that will preclude the planned released of a draft in November 2010.  The Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is intended to service as a Habitat Conservation Plan under the federal Endangered Species Act and Natural Communities Conservation Plan under the California Fish and Game Code.  If approved, it would provide authorizations for operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project, which provide water to approximately 25 million Californians.

The delay reported will likely affect the timing of any review of the draft BDCP by the National Research Council (NRC).  As we previously reported here, the NRC agreed to appoint a panel to complete an independent review of the draft BDCP by April 2011, provided it receives the draft by November 24, 2010.