87-5-903. Definitions. As used in this part, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Connectivity area" means an area that provides an important linkage among populations of sage grouse, particularly between core areas or priority populations in adjacent states and across international borders.

(2) "Conservation bank" means a site or group of sites established through an agreement with the United States fish and wildlife service to provide ecological functions and services expressed as credits that are conserved and managed for sage grouse habitat and populations and used to offset debits occurring elsewhere.

(3) "Core area" means an area that has the highest conservation value for sage grouse and has the greatest number of displaying male sage grouse and associated sage grouse habitat.

(4) "Credit" means a defined unit of trade representing the accrual or attainment of resource functions or value at a proposed project site.

(5) "Debit" means a defined unit of trade representing the loss of resource functions or value at an impact or project site. The unit of measure is the same as that for a credit within a specific mitigation system.

(6) "Department" means the department of natural resources and conservation.

(7) "General habitat" means an area providing habitat for sage grouse but not identified as a core area or connectivity area.

(8) "Habitat exchange" means a market-based system that facilitates the exchange of credits and debits between interested parties.

(9) "Habitat quantification tool" means the scientific method used to evaluate vegetation and environmental conditions related to the quality and quantity of sage grouse habitat and to quantify and calculate the value of credits and debits.

(10) "Oversight team" means the Montana sage grouse oversight team established in 2-15-243.

(11) "Project developer" means an entity proposing an action that will result in a debit.

(12) "Sage grouse" means the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus).