The continued growth of the human-built environment in Pima County, Arizona will result in the “incidental take” of species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act. To avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to both listed and unlisted species and their habitats, Pima County is submitting this Multi-species Conservation Plan for 44 species that may be impacted as a result of the otherwise lawful activities of Pima County and its development community. The Incidental Take Permit, also called a Section 10 permit, will be for 30 years. This MSCP is part of the required documentation needed to receive an Incidental Take Permit under Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA.

The Multiple Species Conservation Plan will complete the land use planning process in a conflict between competing interests on the question of growth. A path of balance was chosen by advancing the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. This second draft will be posted on the website and distributed to interested community and committee members. A public process will be conducted so that during 200t the document can be finalized and submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the application for a federal endangered species permit.

The purpose of this Pima County roadway project is to improve operations on Colossal Cave Road within the project limits while being sensitive to the surrounding environmental features and land uses. Potential impacts of the project are on the historic adobe building; the historic Shrine of the Santa Rita property during construction on biological resources, utilities, access, traffic operations, noise, and air quality.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine what transportation improvements would be needed to accommodate future growth and development of the Raytheon Missile Systems facility located south of Tucson International Airport on Hermans Road. A secondary purpose of this study is to consider longer-term roadway and transit improvements that will improve access to Tucson International Airport and associated airport property planned for future development. Specifically, the study analyzed the effects of closing Hughes Access Road/Alvernon Way to non-Raytheon traffic and recommends alternative roadway improvements that would be needed to accommodate this closure.