Comment on FR Doc # 2012-06221

The expansion of incentives for individuals voluntarily initiating conservation methods for wildlife is complicated, but necessary. You specifically asked readers to comment on how to encourage voluntary conservation actions, and I think the short answer to that is public awareness. The general public is not usually aware or knowledgeable on species that need our help. It would be helpful to put out information that is easily accessible to property owners so that they are aware of conservation banking, and a list of species in their part of the country that are vulnerable. The Fish and Wildlife Service has created a fantastic list of questions for the general public, and I would like to offer my insight on questions two and three. In question two on voluntary conservation credits and how they can be transferred, there would be more incentive if the owner had discretion in their usage. They took it upon themselves, sometimes bearing economic costs, to conserve a species and they should have the advantage to do what they choose with awarded credits. Question three is about awarding credits based solely on beneficial impacts or net impacts (beneficial minus detrimental), and I believe they should be based on net impacts. Property owners are taking more credit for a benefit if they don’t account for detrimental impact they caused achieving that benefit. Basing solely off of net impact will provide future incentives for property owners to improve off their action and not just reap the rewards and move on.