Comment Letter: Input for RFI on ESA Section 10 Conservation Benefit Agreements, Habitat Conservation Plans
public comments, restoration Environmental Policy Innovation Center public comments, restoration Environmental Policy Innovation Center

Comment Letter: Input for RFI on ESA Section 10 Conservation Benefit Agreements, Habitat Conservation Plans

Comments on “Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10(a) Program Implementation; Development of Conservation Benefit Agreements and Habitat Conservation Plans, and Issuance of Associated Enhancement of Survival and Incidental Take Permits” (FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0049-0001)

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Four Ways to Help Ensure Your Restoration Project is Investment-Ready: Insights from Maycomb Capital
restoration, agriculture Grace Edinger restoration, agriculture Grace Edinger

Four Ways to Help Ensure Your Restoration Project is Investment-Ready: Insights from Maycomb Capital

Discover how small environmental restoration firms can scale their impact and earn revenue through outcomes-based funding like Pay for Success (PFS) contracts. In our latest feature, we talk with Maycomb Capital—a women-owned impact investing firm—about how they use flexible, mission-aligned financing to support projects that deliver measurable results for underserved communities. Learn what funders look for and how to secure the capital you need to launch your next high-impact initiative.

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The ESA Edit That Could Affect an $800 Million Species Offset Market and Undermine Decades of Tribal Salmon Recovery
blogs, restoration Nicole Stiffarm blogs, restoration Nicole Stiffarm

The ESA Edit That Could Affect an $800 Million Species Offset Market and Undermine Decades of Tribal Salmon Recovery

Last month, EPIC submitted detailed public comments opposing a proposed federal rule that would weaken the Endangered Species Act by removing habitat destruction from the definition of "harm." If the Rule goes through, it has profound implications for the restoration economy and Tribal communities.

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First Look at CEQ’s Permitting Technology Action Plan
blogs, restoration, technology Boon Sheridan blogs, restoration, technology Boon Sheridan

First Look at CEQ’s Permitting Technology Action Plan

This blog is a first look at the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) Permitting Technology Action Plan, which aims to modernize federal permitting processes. The plan includes data standards for interoperability between agencies, service delivery standards for workflow automation and digital documents, and a maturity model for agencies to gauge their progress. Key highlights include implementing data standards, improving document management, and using GitHub for open collaboration. We note the potential for multi-agency procurement and prize competitions and outline potential impacts for agencies, applicants, and vendors. We express cautious optimism due to the plan's technical depth, interoperability focus, and use of existing work but also note concerns about talent gaps and the aggressive initial 90-day implementation timeline.

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