Robison Wildlife Consulting
Service. Science. Sustainablity.
Nevada Sage-grouse Conservation Credit System
Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Program
Robison Wildlife Consulting provides Certified Verifier services for the NV CCS program. "The Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Program is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary program made up of the governor-appointed Sagebrush Council and the Sagebrush Ecosystem Technical Team, established to protect and enhance the sagebrush landscape. The sagebrush ecosystem, in addition to being home for much of the state's plants and wildlife, is an integral part of Nevada's culture and economy. The ecosystem program is focused on providing solutions and actions to the myriad of threats challenging the condition of the ecosystem and the plants, animals, and people dependent upon the health and resiliency of this landscape."
Our Experience
Robison Wildlife Consulting has conducted the largest CCS Project in the Programs history. The NV Energy project was conducted in coordination with AECOM and UEA. Robison Wildlife Consulting was the lead CCS Verifier in both Field and Desktop GIS. This debit project provided an enormous amount of experience for a team of eight field verifiers and technicians. It also provided a huge amount of insight to the SETT to help in the continued development and improvement of the program.
We can conduct both credit and debit projects for clients interested in or required to be part of this program.
Regulatory Requirements
The Nevada Conservation Credit System was implemented by the State of Nevada as a way to avoid listing the Greater sage--grouse as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. It is the required form of mitigation for all projects that will disturb sage-grouse habitat conducted in sage-grouse habitat within the State of Nevada.
"The SEP was legislatively established in 2013.
Work to develop a system for mitigating authorized adverse impacts (disturbances) to sagebrush ecosystems in the State promptly began, and the Conservation Credit System was adopted in December 2014.
A primary goal expressed by all stakeholders was to ensure, based on best available science, that the system could be applied consistently to quantify authorized adverse impacts to Greater Sage-grouse habitat (debits), and preservation and restoration projects (credits).
The transfer of credits began in 2017. However, transfers stalled upon the issuance of Instructional Memorandum (IM) 2019-018 by the Department of Interior on December 6, 2018 directing that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) could only require mitigation on federal lands if there was a state regulation requiring it.
Because most disturbances occur on lands managed by the BLM, Nevada became more at risk of having the Greater Sage-grouse listed as threatened or endangered species due to lack of regulatory mechanisms to mitigate disturbances.
In response, the Sagebrush Ecosystem Council immediately began work on a regulation requiring mitigation on public lands. A permanent regulation was passed in 2019 – NAC 232.400-232.480.
A combination of continuous program engagement and the adoption of the regulation has resulted in a significant increase in credit project development and CCS mitigation transactions.
Nevada began development of the mitigation program after many other western states with Sage-grouse habitat had begun development of their systems. Nevada is considered a regional leader in the implementation of a conservation credit system or habitat exchange, being one of the first to have finalized several transactions." SEP Semi Annual Report Dec. 2024
Certified CCS Verifiers
Our Clients
