A. To the extent practicable, a recovery plan shall be developed pursuant to Subsections B through G of this section for any species listed as threatened or endangered. If indicated, the director shall conduct a social and economic analysis and, if adverse impacts are found, develop a social or economic mitigation plan.

B. To the extent practicable, the director shall develop recovery plans that include several threatened or endangered species that utilize similar habitats or share a common threat or both. A multiple-species recovery plan shall be designed to accomplish recovery of the shared habitat or reduce a common threat or both.

C. As the initial action in the development of a recovery plan, the director shall, within one year of listing, schedule a public information meeting in each of the quadrants of the state determined by the director to be affected by the development of a recovery plan. These meetings shall be held in a manner calculated to provide a reasonable opportunity for individuals and private and public entities to participate and express their views about the development of a recovery plan for one or more species and the attendant adverse social or economic impacts, if any, that may result from implementation of a recovery plan. At these meetings the director shall present background information about the basis of the listing, an explanation of the process to develop a recovery plan and the probable content in general terms, if known, of the recovery plan and if needed, the process to develop a social and economic mitigation plan.

D. Upon completion of the public information meeting or meetings on a recovery plan, the director shall consult and cooperate with other states or countries when appropriate and shall solicit interest from representatives of affected local governments, tribal governments, landowners, state and federal agencies and other interested individuals and organizations to serve on an advisory committee. He shall appoint to the advisory committee all of those who are willing to participate in the development of the recovery plan. When necessary, he may appoint from the membership of the advisory committee a working group reflecting the diversity of the advisory committee.

E. With the assistance of the advisory committee, the director shall develop a draft recovery plan to achieve the following objectives:

(1) restoration and maintenance of a viable population of the threatened or endangered species and its habitat reasonably expected to lead to the delisting of the species;

(2) avoidance or mitigation of adverse social or economic impacts;

(3) identification of social or economic benefits and opportunities; and

(4) use of volunteer resources and existing economic recovery and assistance programs and funding available from public and private sources to implement the plan.

F. The director shall mail the draft recovery plan to federal and state agencies, local and tribal governments that are or may be affected by the recovery plan and individuals and organizations that have requested notification of department actions regarding threatened or endangered species.

G. The final recovery plan shall be presented to the commission for its consideration not later than two years from the date the species was listed. If the commission determines that the proposed plan has achieved the objectives set forth in Subsection E of this section, it shall approve the recovery plan or approve with conditions. After approval of the plan, the director shall seek cooperation with other states and countries, when appropriate, and landowners, state and federal agencies and local and tribal governments for implementation of the recovery plan and when appropriate submit the recovery plan to the secretary of the interior for approval pursuant to the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.

History: 1978 Comp., § 17-2-40.1, enacted by Laws 1995, ch. 145, § 5.

Cross references. — For the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, see 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.