The documents include:
--A draft Tehachapi Uplands Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan, a plan prepared by Tejon Ranch that describes how it will mitigate and minimize impacts of its activities on native plants and wildlife.
--A draft environmental impact statement by the Fish and Wildlife Service that analyzes the environmental effects of the conservation plan.
The habitat conservation plan covers 142,000 of the ranch's 270,000 acres, mainly in the Tehachapi uplands, including the area where the 3,500-home Tejon Mountain Village will be built.
Except for the California condor, the habitat conservation plan would authorize the incidental take of the specified plants and animals, meaning the ranch will not be liable for the death of the species as a consequence of approved activities such as development in specified areas, livestock grazing, vegetation management and farming.
The service will eventually decide whether to authorize the plan and incidental take of species. If approved, the plan would remain in effect for 50 years.
No lethal take of the condor is allowed in the plan.
The draft environmental report and conservation plan is available on the Fish and Wildlife Service's Web site: www.fws.gov/ventura.
Public comments on the environmental report will be accepted through April 22.
A separate comment period will be announced for comments on the conservation plan.
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