State and federal wildlife agencies are involved in developing and monitoring HCPs but the plans are implemented by local governments. In March 1997, a settlement was reached whereby the administration agreed to put the policy out for notice and public comment for the first time since it was announced. Many of the plans cover thousands of acres of land and are designed to last for as many as 100 years. The number of HCPs grew from about 30 in 1994 to about 300 in 1997. Critique of HCPs HCPs commonly are viewed as a means of habitat protection when in fact their primary purpose is to allow development in areas with endangered species.
Habitat protection is secondary.
Part of the problem is in the ESA itself. The ESA often has been criticized for its emergency room approach because it protects species only after they have been listed as endangered or threatened. There is no systematic approach to ensure that these fragmented efforts are sufficient to prevent the extinction of the endangered or threatened species that they are designed to protect. The criticisms of HCPs fall under several broad categories. It is not at all clear that existing HCPs are protecting listed species.