Expediting Development, Including Infrastructure

HCPs promote economic development in a number of ways. The ability to obtain ESA permits quickly benefits a wide range of activities, from housing and commercial development to public works and renewable energy projects. Many HCP provide streamlined permitting for infrastructure projects that are covered by the plan. These include highway expansions and maintenance, expansion of mass transit routes, flood control, transmission lines and gas pipelines. In California, where there are many county-scale HCPs being implemented or under development, a state-wide coalition estimates that the HCPs will benefit over $1.6 trillion dollars of economic development over their permit lifetimes. (This figure assumes that each developed acre provides for $1 million in new economic benefits, such as the market value of new homes and commercial buildings, This is a very conservative figure given the very high value of real estate, high new home prices etc.) An HCP can provide ESA permitting of an infrastructure or other project in a few weeks.  Without an HCP in place, permitting can take months or years to secure. See success story: Transportation Permit Streamlining.