How long does the HCP permit last and what happens when it ends?
The permit that allows development to displace tortoises in participating cities expires in 2016, unless it is renegotiated and extended. At that point it is uncertain who will administer the reserve– the county or a federal agency like the BLM. Regardless of who administers it, the 62,000 acres of reserve land will remain protected for wildlife, people and open space.
