AB 550: The California Endangered Species Act: take of species proposed for listing: renewable electrical generation facilities.

The California Endangered Species Act prohibits the taking of an endangered, threatened, or candidate species, except as specified. Under the act, the Department of Fish and Wildlife may authorize the take of listed species by certain entities through permits or memorandums of understanding for specified purposes. The act allows take of an endangered, threatened, or candidate species by permit if, among other things, the impact of the authorized take is fully minimized and mitigated.

This bill would also allow the department to authorize by permit the take of a species proposed for listing, as defined, if specified conditions are met. The bill would provide that if an at-risk species, as defined, a species proposed for listing becomes listed as an endangered, threatened, or candidate species, further authorization or approval shall not be required for a take of that species, if specified conditions are met, including that the potential listing of the at-risk species was anticipated in a permit previously issued by the department for the species proposed for listing was included as a covered species in a permit previously issued by the department for incidental take and that the incidental take is caused by a renewable electrical generation facility. The bill would authorize the department, in partnership with a permit applicant for an incidental take caused by a renewable electrical generation facility, to develop a research project that evaluates specified factors. The bill would authorize a research project reviewed and approved by the department to contribute to a renewable electrical generation projects mitigation, as provided. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature specified information, including among other things, a report on each at-risk species authorized for take, as provided. The bill would require the department to, on or before January 31, 2033, compile and post a summary table on its internet website with specified information for calendar years 2027 to 2032, inclusive.