Who administers the HCP and how is it funded?
Washington County administers the permit and signed an agreement in 1996 to “Comply with and enforce the conditions of the permit.” The county’s permit only authorizes tortoises to be displaced on private properties outside of the reserve. It does not exempt landowners from other applicable federal and state laws. Each participating city collects two kinds of impact fees when development occurs; $250 per acre is collected for subdivided property and 2/10ths of one percent of new construction costs to build a house or commercial building.
