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Environmental Groups Support Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for Eastern Collier County

www.easterncollierhcpeis.com
Detail of Habitat Conservation Plan Map

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently accepting comments on Habitat Conservation Plan, or HCP, that would allow new development on about 45,000 acres of rural land in Easter Collier County. That comment period runs until December 3rd. Last week we had someone on the show from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, which vigorously opposes this draft plan. But, not all environmental groups agree with that perspective. After that show we got an email saying there area number of environmental groups which support the HCP, including members of the Florida Panther Protection Program, such as Audubon of Florida, Audubon of the Western Everglades, Defenders of Wildlife and the Florida Wildlife Federation. We’re joined by Meredith Budd, Southwest Florida Field Representative for the Florida Wildlife Federation, to get their perspective on this plan.