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and all commensal species residing in the burrow through bulldozing or clearing activities. All <br />ITPs that were issued from 1991-2007 are perpetual and transferable, meaning that all tortoises <br />within those permitted areas can legally be entombed rather than relocated. Since 2007, the FWC <br />and local organizations have worked with developers who have ITPs that have not yet conducted <br />clearing activities to ensure that tortoises are safely retrieved and relocated to preserved areas. <br />Statewide there are only two other ITP Recipient Sites, both of which are in northern Florida. <br />To become an ITP Recipient Site no permit is necessary, only a letter of agreement between the <br />owner of the property and FWC. This letter of agreement does not obligate the owner to any other <br />requirements or commitments for future funding. Any funds received from the HMAF will <br />improve the quality of the habitat for future relocation opportunities and the County will still retain <br />the ability to become a recipient site in the future which may be needed for future County projects. <br />The funding provided under the HMFA expedites and funds habitat management that would <br />otherwise be paid for by the County through the Conservation budget approved each year. <br />Currently, the Conservation budget provides for $8,000 in other contractual services which is <br />utilized to fund habitat management activities throughout the County's conservation areas (over <br />2,500 acres). <br />Funding: <br />The HMFA provided by FWC does not require any monetary match. A budget amendment would <br />be necessary for $14,000, which would be reimbursed by the FWC purchase order which is issued <br />to the County. <br />Recomendation <br />Staff respectfully recommends the Board to authorize staff to provide FWC a letter of agreement <br />for receiving gopher tortoises from Incidental Take Permitted sites and father authorize the <br />necessary budget ammendment for reimbursable expenses as provided in the FWC purchase order. <br />ATTACHMENT <br />Purchase Order from FWC dated 10/10/16 <br />Example Letter of Authorization <br />Approved Agen Item <br />BY: <br />n 1�. Brown " <br />.�, Administrator <br />FOR: November 22, 2016 <br />Indian River County App ro ed Date <br />Administration f <br />County Attorney (L o <br />Budget -- <br />Department <br />Risk Management <br />FAAssistant County Administrator\AGENDA ITEMS\2016\BCC 11 NOVEMBER 2016\BCCMemo - FWC Gopher Tortoise Funding.doc <br />94 <br />