The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is holding a public meeting on December 4, 2014 to discuss a draft Land Protection Plan and Environmental Assessment for the proposed Wyoming Toad Conservation Area project in Albany County, Wyoming.

The proposed project would allow the Service to purchase conservation easements and limited fee-title lands from willing sellers in the Southern Laramie River area whose lands provide important habitat for the endangered Wyoming toad and a variety of other fish and wildlife resources. The meeting begins a 30-day comment period for the proposed project.

Similar efforts by a number of conservation organizations and private landowners have led to the conservation of important wildlife habitat in various locations throughout the Laramie basin. Using a variety of conservation agreements, the Service, Nature Conservancy, Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and private landowners have worked cooperatively to conserve wetlands and wildlife habitat in Albany County, while maintaining the rural character and agricultural land base of the area. The proposed project seeks to build upon those efforts for the purposes of recovering the endangered Wyoming toad.

The Service has completed an Environmental Assessment to analyze the potential project, as well as a draft land protection plan for the proposed conservation area.

The outcome of the Environmental Assessment and the public input received during the comment period will assist in determining whether the Service should proceed with the proposed conservation area.

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