In a win-win for Georgia’s bat species, two first-in the-Nation collaborative conservation agreements were signed during a brief ceremony, Feb. 29, 2024, at the Georgia Department of Transportation Headquarters, in Atlanta.
The agreements were developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Federal Highway Administration.
The first agreement known as the Bat Programmatic Agreement, creates a statewide process to streamline interagency consultation which is required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act for transportation-related projects that could negatively impact endangered bat species.
“The Bat Programmatic Agreement establishes standardized procedures and criteria for evaluating proposed actions that may affect these threatened bats, ensuring compliance with relevant environmental regulations while expediting the permitting process,” said Col. Ron Sturgeon, USACE, Savannah District, commander.
“The timing was perfect between our agreement to implement faster, more bat-friendly permitting and the state of Georgia’s agreement to implement more bat conservation.”
Sturgeon went on to say, “We’re happy to have this opportunity to do our part in bat conservation and partner with the Georgia Department of Transportation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.”
The second agreement, known as the Bat Conservation Funding Agreement, allows the Georgia DOT to transfer funds to the Georgia DNR. These funds are dedicated to purchasing and conserving high-quality forested lands to offset bat habitat loss due to tree clearing during construction of transportation infrastructure projects.
“Georgia DNR will be purchasing and preserving bat areas in key areas of the state,” said Chris Rudd, Georgia DOT director of engineering. “This utilizes the State Wildlife Action Plan to ensure the funds provide the greatest possible benefit.”
At present, there are 16 species of bats in Georgia and three of the species are listed under the Endangered Species Act, including the grey bat, Indiana bat, and the northern long-eared bat. Collectively, these three currently listed endangered bat species exist within 30 Georgia counties, and primarily roost in caves, or seasonally in specific types of trees.
Due to severe population decline, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recommended adding the tricolored bat to the endangered species list in 2022.
Tricolored bats, along with other bat species have been in decline in Georgia and across North America due to factors such as habitat loss, overuse of pesticides, a slow reproductive rate, and white-nose syndrome, according to Georgia DNR Wildlife Biologist Trina Morris.
White-nose syndrome is a deadly disease caused by the fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans. White-nose syndrome was first observed by biologists in 2007 in bat colonies located in caves near Albany, New York. The fungus attacks the bare skin of bats while they hibernate. The disease also changes their behavior making the bats overactive. The additional activity burns calories depleting the bats’ fat stores necessary to their survival through the winter.
“White-nose syndrome has killed over 90% of bats in Northern Georgia,” said Morris.
Tricolored bat populations exist in all 159 Georgia counties and can be in any type of tree, at any time of the year.
Prior to the signing of the Bat Programmatic Agreement, Separate Section 7 consultations were required for each individual infrastructure project. With tricolored bats existing statewide and year-round, transportation projects across the state would have been significantly delayed during the lengthy consultation process.
Under the Bat Programmatic Agreement, all of Georgia DOT projects can be consulted on together saving considerable time.
The implementation of the two agreements together allows officials to maximize bat conservation while greatly minimizing delays and costs to transportation projects.
“These agreements exemplify the true spirit of collaboration,” said Sabrina David Georgia division administrator for the FHWA. “They allow us to deliver needed transportation projects while being good stewards of the environment.”
Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, reflected on the significance of the interagency cooperation involved in producing the two agreements while giving remarks at the ceremony.
McMurry explained, "It is a demonstration of what can be accomplished when government agencies work together to deliver better outcomes while accomplishing the greater good.”
Ceremony attendees expressed hope that the two new agreements would serve as framework for future conservation agreements in Georgia and across the Nation.