Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Penny Cutt Director, Coastal Systems International
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
What is the Endangered Species Act (ESA) • Passed the ESA in 1973 • Protect & recover imperiled species and ecosystems
Administered by:
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • NaDonal Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Survey – PotenDal for T&E Species Onsite?
NO YES
Project moves forward
Biological Assessment No
consultaDon
Project Effect?
NO YES
ConsultaDon
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Biological Assessment • Project descripDon • Describe Project area • Physical & biological condiDons of area • Listed species/criDcal habitat present • How will the Project affect each resource (Corps)
a. No Affect = No consultaDon b. MANLAA = Informal consultaDon c. May Affect = Formal consultaDon
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Op5ons for concrete pile installa5on 1. Installed by impact hammer without noise aZenuaDon device and with more than 5 piles driven per day = formal (LAA) consultaDon. 2. InstallaDon by impact hammer, more than 5 piles per day WITH noise aZenuaDon device (bubble curtain or temporary noise aZenuaDon pile) = informal (NLAA) consultaDon. 3. InstallaDon by impact hammer, 5 or less piles per day (no noise aZenuaDon device) = informal (NLAA) consultaDon. 4. InstallaDon by vibratory or je_ng, no limit on number of piles in a day, no noise aZenuaDon necessary = informal (NLAA) consultaDon.
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Corals (NMFS) Johnsons seagrass (NMFS) Swimming sea turtles (NMFS) Small tooth sawfish (NMFS) Gulf sturgeon (NMFS) Mammals (NMFS) NesDng sea turtles (FWS) Manatees (FWS) Shorebirds (FWS) Beach Mice (FWS)
ConsultaDon – Who has Federal JurisdicDon?
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Informal • MANLAA • Concurrence
OR RecommendaDon to change determinaDon to
No Affect or May Affect
Formal • May Affect • ConsultaDon = 135 days • Service prepares a Biological Opinion
SecDon 7 of the ESA – Interagency ConsultaDon
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
NMFS PRD ConsultaDon • Status of NMFS PRD review can be checked at hZps://pcts.nmfs.noaa.gov/pcts-‐web/homepage.pcts • Currently NMFS PRD informal consultaDon duraDon = 12 months
• VerificaDon of GP 42 and SPGP do not require addiDonal NMFS PRD consultaDon provided the project is designed consistent with permit criteria • NMFS PRD Tier II consultaDon process in place provides for a 10 day consultaDon for GPs • NMFS PRD issued a programmaDc concurrence in 2004 for minor coastal construcDon in Biscayne Bay
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Biological Opinion • Regional BO
• Project Specific BO
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
AnDcipated ProgrammaDc Biological Opinion • Shoreline stabilizaDon • Minor pile supported structures • Maintenance dredging • ReconfiguraDon within exisDng marinas • Maintenance at intakes/oukalls • ScienDfic survey acDviDes • Boat ramps • Agricultural enhancement • Transmission lines • Marine debris • Linear transportaDon
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Aler BO Issuance
1. Implement one of the reasonable and prudent alternaDves; 2. Modify the proposed project and consult again with the FWS or NMFS; 3. Decide not to undertake (or fund, or authorize) the project; 4. Disagree with the opinion and proceed; 5. Apply for an exempDon.
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Species Specific Guidance
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Acropora = NMFS • Survey Guidelines • Designated CriDcal Habitat • NMFS Final Recovery Plan March 2015
• No regional BO -‐ each BO is project specific -‐Pre-‐ & Post-‐construcDon
monitoring -‐Authorized “Take”
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Johnsons seagrass = NMFS • Survey guidelines • Johnsons Key • Dock construcDon guidelines
• CriDcal Habitat • ProgrammaDc consultaDon leZer
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Swimming sea turtles = NMFS • No Key • Recently designated CriDcal Habitat • Regional BO • ConstrucDon Guidelines
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Smalltooth Sawfish = NMFS • No Key • ConstrucDon Guidelines • CriDcal Habitat • No regional BO
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Species Specific Guidance Gulf Sturgeon = NMFS • No Key • CriDcal Habitat – mulDple maps • No regional BO
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Marine Mammals (except manatees) = NMFS • No Key • Designated CriDcal Habitat
-‐ for North AtlanDc Right Whale • No regional BO
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
North American Right Whale CriDcal Habitat
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
NesDng Sea Turtles = FWS • New CriDcal Habitat for Loggerheads • Covered under State ProgrammaDc BO
-‐ConstrucDon condiDons -‐LighDng -‐NesDng success monitoring -‐Escarpment/compacDon monitoring
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Manatees = FWS • April 2013 Manatee Key • Manatee ConstrucDon CondiDons
• No regional BO
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Shorebirds = FWS • No Key • Wintering CriDcal Habitat in Florida
• Covered under State ProgrammaDc BO
Endangered Species - The Marine Environment
Beach Mice = FWS • No Key • CriDcal Habitat for Perdido, St. Andrew & Choctawhatchee Beach Mice
• No criDcal habitat for Southeastern beach mouse
• Covered under State ProgrammaDc BO
Questions?
Questions?