The South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan (SSHCP) is a regional approach to addressing issues related to urban development, habitat conservation and agricultural protection. The SSHCP will consolidate environmental efforts to protect and enhance wetlands (primarily vernal pools) and upland habitats to provide ecologically viable conservation areas. It will also minimize regulatory hurdles and streamline the permitting process for development projects. The SSHCP will cover 30 different species of plants and wildlife including 10 that are state or federally listed as threatened or endangered. The SSHCP will be an agreement between state/federal wildlife and wetland regulators and local jurisdictions, which will allow land owners to engage in the "incidental take" of listed species (i.e., to destroy or degrade habitat) in return for conservation commitments from local jurisdictions. The options for securing these commitments are currently being developed and will be identified prior to the adoption of the SSHCP. The geographic scope of the SSHCP includes U.S. Highway 50 to the north, Interstate 5 to the west, the Sacramento County line with El Dorado and Amador Counties to the east, and San Joaquin County to the south.  The Study Area excludes the City of Sacramento, the City of Folsom and Folsom’s Sphere of Influence, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and the Sacramento County community of Rancho Murieta. Sacramento County is partnering with the incorporated cities of Rancho Cordova, Galt, and Elk Grove as well as the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District and Sacramento County Water Agency to further advance the regional planning goals of the SSHCP.