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HCP Citizen’s Advisory Committee chooses biological team member

The Citizen’s Advisory Committee for CPS Energy’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCPCAC) held its second meeting March 17 at the San Antonio Public Library.

Richard Kostecke was chosen to serve on the Biological Advisory Team.
Richard Kostecke was chosen to serve on the Biological Advisory Team (BAT) that will advise CPS Energy on its Habitat Conservation Plan.  Photo via www.austineconetwork.com

With six members present, the committee, which will assist CPS Energy in an advisory capacity in the development of the utility’s system-wide habitat conservation plan, selected Michael Moore as its chairman and agreed on protocols for the half-dozen meetings anticipated to take place over the next year.

The HCPCAC chose Richard Michael Kostecke to serve as its representative on a three-person biological advisory team (BAT) that will help calculate appropriate mitigation strategies for the utility’s habitat conservation plan.    Texas Parks and Wildlife assigned wildlife ecologist Meredith Longoria, a Conservation initiatives Specialist for the agency, to represent them on the team.   A third BAT member will be appointed by CPS Energy at a later date.

(Image) Meredith Longoria, Texas Parks and Wildlife BAT member
Meredith Longoria, Texas Parks and Wildlife BAT member

With a PhD in Wildlife Science from Texas Tech, Kostecke is known as a bird expert and works as Associate Director of Conservation — Research and Planning for The Nature Conservancy in Austin. Longoria, holds a Master’s degree in wildlife ecology and has worked as an educator.

CPS Energy’s environmental consultants SWCA suggested that a rough draft of the HCP likely will be available in June for consideration by the HCPCAC and BAT.  The next meeting of the HCPCAC will take place when that first draft of the plan is ready.

RELATED:

March 17, 2015 HCPCAC Meeting Agenda

HCP Frequently Asked Questions

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Monika Maeckle

Monika is a contributor to our newsroom.

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