Polygon layer · Environmental
Critical habitat map and what it does to a schedule
USFWS designated habitat — the fastest way to lose two years of schedule.
A critical habitat map is a schedule document more than an ecology one. A designation touching a footprint triggers consultation, and consultation is measured in quarters — which is why this belongs in the first screen rather than in month six of diligence.
- Source
- USFWS
- Refresh
- Monthly
- Geometry
- Polygon
- Included from
- Complete ($499/mo)
Why Critical Habitat matters
Critical habitat is the single most common reason a site that penciled perfectly on power and water fails on schedule. Where a federal permit, funding or land is involved, designation triggers consultation that routinely adds a year or more, and mitigation obligations that were not in anyone's model.
Questions Critical Habitat answers
- Does designated critical habitat touch this parcel?
- Which species drives the designation, and how restrictive is it in practice?
- Is a federal nexus likely to force Section 7 consultation here?
What is in the Critical Habitat data
Coverage: Western US designations. Source dataset: Designated critical habitat for listed species.
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Species | The listed species the designation protects. |
| Designation status | Final or proposed critical habitat. |
| Unit | The named habitat unit, which is how the designation is cited in consultation. |
How we serve Critical Habitat
Designations render as polygon overlays that can be checked against any dropped pin through the proximity tool, so a screening answer takes seconds rather than a consultant engagement.
Critical habitat map — source, refresh and coverage
- Steward
- USFWS
- Dataset
- Designated critical habitat for listed species
- Refresh cadence
- Monthly
- Coverage
- Western US designations
- Records
- Fetched live per viewport
- Geometry
- Polygon
- Included from
- Complete ($499/mo/mo)
Who uses Critical Habitat
Data Centers & AI Infrastructure
Power, water, fiber and permitting risk for every candidate site — before you send anyone to look at it.
Energy Development
Route corridors, site generation, and clear the environmental picture before the first landowner call.
Industrial & Manufacturing Siting
The same constraint stack as a data center, weighted for process load instead of compute.
Legal & Title Diligence
Authoritative records, chain context and export-ready evidence for adjudication and title work.
Mining & Exploration
Deposits, active claims, protected land and the water to run a mine — on one map.
Read Critical Habitat alongside
Wetlands (NWI)
National Wetlands Inventory boundaries — jurisdictional risk, mapped.
Protected Areas
PAD-US conserved lands by GAP status — what is off the table, and what only looks like it.
EPA Discharge Permits
Every permitted discharger upstream of you, with their compliance history.
Site Score Grid
Every layer above, resolved to one scored hex you can rank and defend.
Terms used on this page
See Critical Habitat on the map
This layer is included from Complete ($499/mo) upward, alongside every other layer in the Complete coverage.