What is a CCAA?
Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, or CCAA, is a voluntary conservation agreement between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (the Service) and one or more parties with the intention of addressing the needs of at-risk species before they become listed as endangered or threatened. Non-federal landowners (including property owners, easement holders, and lease holders) voluntarily commit to certain conservation actions to help stabilize or restore the species. In turn, the Service provides participating property owners with an Enhancement of Survival (EOS) permit containing assurances that they will not be required to implement additional conservation measures beyond those in the agreement, even if the species is listed. By proactively incentivizing conservation action ahead of regulation, such agreements provide benefits to the at-risk species as well as the Service and the participating landowners and land managers, all with the goal that listing becomes unnecessary. Given its voluntary nature, industry participants can terminate their involvement in the agreement at any time. The agreement also encourages involvement of Federal lands as well through an integrated Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA). For more information on Ecological Services Conservation Agreements, visit the US Fish & Wildlife Service page.
