To better address project reviews and best management practices regarding little brown bats (MYLU) and tri-colored bats (PESU) pursuant to VDWR listing of these species as Virginia Endangered species, VDWR has created a new application for these species.
The Little Brown Bat and Tri-colored Bat Winter Habitat and Roosts Application can be accessed to assist project proponents in evaluating potential impacts their project may have on these species. If your project intersects with the inner 0.5-mile-radius circle representing a hibernaculum, your project may be within the 0.25-mile-radius hibernaculum buffer and subject to applicable restrictions: please refer to the Best Management Practices for Conservation of Little Brown Bats and Tri-colored Bats (PDF) for additional guidance. If your project is outside of this inner circle, but intersects with the 5.5-mile-radius outer buffer, then your project is not within the 0.25-mile-radius hibernaculum buffer, but it is within the larger 5.5-mile-radius buffer that may be of concern if federally-listed species also occupy the hibernaculum.”
Currently a standalone application, we will incorporate these data and this application into other project review protocols and reports as soon as possible. In the interim, we recommend that project proponents conducting environmental reviews access this application to evaluate potential project impacts upon these species, in addition to their normal VaFWIS or other environmental review protocols.