HB 1979 Summary

• Requires any person to enter into a planning process with the Department of Land and Natural Resources before engaging in activities with a high likelihood of causing incidental take of threatened or endangered species, including seabirds, forest birds, nene, and bats.

• Directs the department to identify by administrative rules the types of activities that have a high likelihood of resulting in incidental take of threatened or endangered species, with penalties for violations to be determined by departmental rules.

• Adds new requirements to habitat conservation plans, including measures to retrieve injured threatened or endangered species in a timely manner and provision of reasonable medical services for injured species.

• Requires habitat conservation plans to identify steps to minimize and mitigate negative impacts, considering the full range of species on the island to adequately assess cumulative impacts from authorized incidental take.

• Takes effect on July 1, 2050.