Endangered Species Habitats (FEMA List)
Endangered Species Addresses-1In 1990, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Defenders of Wildlife (DOW) filed suit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) claiming that FEMA, while administering the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in the Keys, was not consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS) as required by the Endangered Species Act. In 2005, the court entered an injunction that prohibited FEMA from issuing flood insurance on over 50,000 parcels of land in Monroe County (for information on the FEMA injunction, please visit: http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/index.aspx?nid=329).
On April 30, 2010 the FWS issued a Biological Opinion (BO), amended on December 3, 2010, that settled the lawsuit between NWF/DOW and FEMA. This BO and settlement between the parties, requires Monroe County to adopt an ordinance that implements a “Permit Referral Process” for review of
all development that occurs within areas designated as “Species Focus Areas (SFAs)” or “Species Buffer Areas (SBAs)”
The Permit Referral Process is a new layer of review for properties located within the SFAs or SBAs, which are being proposed for development, to ensure compliance with the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). Property owners are already required to comply with the ESA. The Permit Referral Process is a streamlined method to ensure compliance with the federal law.
Please visit http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/index.aspx?NID=555 to review a copy of the ORDINANCE.
What are the Species Focus Areas (SFAs)” or “Species Buffer Areas (SBAs)”?
Key Colony Beach Parcel in the Species Focus Area or Species Buffer Areas:
Endangered Species Address List
The “Species Focus Areas (SFAs)” or “Species Buffer Areas (SBAs)” are areas of potentially suitable habitat for nine federally protected species including:
Silver Rice Rat Critical Habitat
Key Largo Woodrat and Cotton Mouse
View the June 2012 BOCC Species Focus Area - Map Vol 1 (includes Key Colony Beach)