Endangered Species Act

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Endangered Species Act

• So Whats New?
• June 15, 2005

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NRCS Declining Species Conservation Policy

• This is not new!
• NRCS Policy Endangered and Threatened Species of
  Plants and Animals and State Species of Concern
  (Declining Species Conservation Policy)
• Title 190-GM 410.22
• Issued December, 2003

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Declining Species Conservation Policy

• NRCS Policy
• Endangered and Threatened Species
• Species of Concern
• Avoid adverse effects
• Benefit species
• NRCS Responsibilities
• Look for Opportunities

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Declining Species Conservation Policy

• NRCS Policy
• Look for Opportunities

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Executive Order 13352Facilitation of
Cooperative Conservation

• Fairly new
• Signed August 26, 2004
• Supports the NRCS policy

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Executive Order 13352

• Section 1. Purpose. to ensure that the DoI,
  DoA, DoC, and DoD and EPA implement laws relating
  to the environment and natural resources in a
  manner that promotes cooperative conservation
  with an emphasis on appropriate inclusion of
  local participation in Federal decision-making,
  in accordance with their respective agency
  missions policies and regulations.

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Chief Knight

• Increase cooperative conservation to
• Avoid duplicative efforts
• Share information / technology
• Utilize Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate
  Conservation Agreements with Assurances

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Memorandum of Understanding(MOU)
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Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Currently
have a working draft MOU between NRCS, US FWS
the International Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA) This is very new!
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Purpose of the MOU To provide support from
National leadership for Collaborative
Conservation Efforts at the National, Regional,
State and local levels
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Purpose of the MOU To establish and maintain a
framework of cooperation between NRCS, FWS, and
IAFWA in proactively addressing issues related to
listed species, candidates for listing and State
listed species.
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Range of Listings June 12, 2005

• Alaska has 7 listed species
• (6 animals, 1 plant)
• Hawaii has 317 listings
• (44 animals, 273 plants)

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Range of Candidate Species

• NE, NH, VT, (several others) - 0
• Hawaii 105

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Opportunities

• MOU with FWS IAFWA to pursue opportunities for

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Opportunities

• MOU with FWS IAFWA to pursue opportunities for
• Programmatic consultation

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Programmatic Consultation

• NRCS ESA policy states that NRCS through
  negotiations and concurrence from the Services,
  will identify opportunities and procedures, such
  as programmatic consultations, to implement
  conservation measures and practices on a more
  efficient and timely basis.

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Opportunities

• Collaborate with FWS IAFWA to identify and
  pursue opportunities for
• Training
• National initiatives
• State initiatives

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Opportunities

• Collaborate with FWS IAFWA to identify and
  pursue opportunities for
• - Voluntary Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate
  Conservation Agreements with Assurances

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• Safe Harbor Agreements
• SHAs are voluntary agreements between
  non-federal landowners and the USFWS or NOAA
  Fisheries.
• The SHA must provide a net benefit to the
  species.
• SHAs provide landowners with assurances
  against additional restrictions

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• Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances
  (CCAAs)
• CCAAs are formal agreements between the FWS and
  one or more parties to address the conservation
  needs of proposed or candidate species or species
  likely to become candidates before they become
  listed.

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Opportunities

• MOU with FWS IAFWA to pursue opportunities for
• Participation on State Technical Committees

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State Technical Committees

• NRCS can meet its 7(a)(1) responsibilities
• Need to get state partners involved

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State Wildlife Funding Legislation

• State Wildlife Conservation Strategies are
  required in order to receive funding under the
  Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program and
  the the State Wildlife Grants Program.

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Opportunities

• MOU with FWS IAFWA to pursue opportunities for
• -- Programmatic consultation
• Two-way training
• Safe harbor/candidate conservation agreements
• Participation on State Technical Committees

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Thank You