Project Team
Hays County is working to assemble citizen and biological advisory committees and a team of environmental, economic, and legal consultants to help develop the Hays County Habitat Conservation Plan and obtain an Endangered Species Act incidental take permit.
Citizens Advisory Committee:
The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) was appointed by the Hays County Commissioners' Court on June 12, 2007. The CAC includes representative interests from the community, including landowners, business interests, local governments and utilties, conservation organizations, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and other stakeholders. Committee meetings are subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act, and are open to the public. Click here for a list of CAC members and meeting information.
Biological Advisory Team:
The Biological Advisory Team was appointed by the Hays County Commissioners' Court, landowner members of the Citizens Advisory Committee, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The BAT includes experts on sensitive species and conservation biology. Committee meetings are subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act, and are open to the public. Click here for a list of BAT members and meeting information.
Environmental Consultant:
The environmental team includes Loomis Austin, Inc. (LAI) as the prime contractor, with the Lopez Garcia Group (LGG) and Zara Environmental, L.L.C. providing additional resources. The LAI Team has the strength to work on multiple tasks simultaneously, while maintaining productivity and high quality. The LAI Team is committed to offering cost-effective solutions while providing excellent service and final products that are thorough, accurate, and punctual. Our team's proud experience and proficient capabilities with all phases of project implementation are key to client satisfaction.
Economic Consultant:
The economic team includes Mr. Joe Lessard, at the project's lead economic consultant, and economists at Texas Perspectives, LLC and market specialists at Capitol Market Research. Mr. Joseph L. Lessard is an independent consultant offering services in real estate and endangered species mitigation, governmental and community relations and, organizational change. His clients include governmental entities and land developers/investors. Public policy accomplishments include conceptual development of the Travis County Conservation Development Ordinance adopted in legal form in December 2006 and facilitation of the Southwest Travis County Growth Dialog concluded in May 2005. The economic team will assist Hays County with the economic and financial aspects of the Hays County HCP, including estimating plan costs, identifying funding sources, developing a funding plan, and evaluating the economic impacts of the plan.
Legal Consultant:
Smith|Robertson's environmental practice covers a wide array of federal and state regulatory systems, and the firm is particularly recognized as having expertise with the federal ESA (incidental take permits and agency consultations), the National Environmental Policy Act (environmental impact statements), and historic and cultural resource regulations. Firm attorneys have worked on dozens of successful habitat conservation plans and ESA consultations, and regularly represent both local governmental and private sector entities. Smith|Robertson attorneys are assisting other Central Texas counties in the development of regional habitat conservation plans, and recently assisted with the successful development of a regional habitat conservation plan for four utilities in Bastrop and Lee Counties.
Agency Liason:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Austin Ecological Services Office (Ms. Allison Arnold)