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Acropora palmata thicket on Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Andy Bruckner, 1996Coho salmon painting, Canadian Dept of Fisheries and OceansMonk seal, C.E. BowlbyHumpback whale, Dr. Lou Herman
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Endangered Species Act Policies, Guidances, and Regulations

ESA (General) | Listing | Recovery | Interagency Consultation | Permits & Habitat Conservation Plans


ESA (General)
Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
Interagency Cooperative Policy for the Ecosystem Approach
(59 FR 34274; July 1, 1994)
1994 [pdf]
[10 KB]
Interagency Cooperative Policy on Information Standards
(59 FR 24271; July 1, 1994)
1994 [pdf]
[11 KB]
Interagency Cooperative Policy for Peer Review
(59 FR 34270; July 1, 1994)
1994 [pdf]
[10 KB]
Interagency Cooperative Policy Regarding the Role of State Agencies
(59 FR 34275; July 1, 1994)
1994 [pdf]
[10 KB]


Listing (ESA Section 4)
»more info on the Listing program
Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 4 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
[36 KB]
Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan Guidance 2008 [pdf]
[150 KB]
Revision of Candidate Species Definition 2006 [pdf]
[72 KB]
5-Year Review Guidance and Template
»more info on 5-year reviews
2006 [pdf]
[3.9 MB]
Hatchery Listing Policy for Pacific salmonids 2005 [pdf]
[97 KB]
Establishment of the Species of Concern List
(69 FR 19975; April 15, 2004)
2004 [pdf]
[78 KB]
Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts (PECE)
(68 FR 15100; March 28, 2003)
2003 [pdf]
[101 KB]
Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances and Safe Harbor Agreements
(64 FR 32726; June 17, 1999)
1999 [pdf]
[52 KB]
Petition Management Guidance (FWS and NMFS) 1996 [pdf]
[377 KB]
Recognition of Distinct Vertebrate Population Segments (DPS) Under the Endangered Species Act (FWS and NMFS)
(61 FR 4722; February 7, 1996)
1996 [pdf]
[30 KB]
Applying the Definition of Species to Pacific Salmon (ESU Policy)
(56 FR 58612; November 20, 1991)
1991 [pdf]
[1.4 MB]
Guidelines on species priority for listing and recovery
(55 FR 24296; June 15, 1990)
1990 [pdf]
[390 KB]


Recovery (ESA Section 4)
»more info on the Recovery program

Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 4 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
[36 KB]
Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan Guidance 2008 [pdf]
[150 KB]
Interim Recovery Planning Guidance for Threatened and Endangered Species (latest update - September 2007; updated sections indicated on Title Page)

--Appendices to Interim Recovery Planning Guidance for Threatened and Endangered Species
2007 [pdf]
[380 KB]


[pdf]
[7.4 MB]
5-Year Review Guidance and Template
»more info on 5-year reviews
2006 [pdf]
[3.9 MB]
Interagency Cooperative Policy on Recovery Plan Participation and Implementation Under the ESA 1994 [pdf]
[10 KB]
Superceded Recovery Planning Guidelines 1992 [pdf]
[62 KB]


Interagency Consultation (ESA Section 7)
»more info on the Interagency Consultation program

Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 7 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
[52 KB]
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
(69 FR 47732; August 5, 2004)
2004 [pdf]
[203 KB]
National Fire Plan
(68 FR 68254; December 8, 2003)
2003 [pdf]
[86 KB]

Guidance on Alternative Approaches for Streamlining Section 7 Consultation on Hazardous Fuels Treatment Projects. Issued October 11, 2002
(68 FR 1628; January 13, 2003)

2003 [pdf]
[42 KB]
Guidance on Evaluating the Net Benefit of Hazardous Fuels Treatment Projects. Issued December 10, 2002
(68 FR 1629; January 13, 2003)
2003 [pdf]
[43 KB]
Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between EPA, FWS, and NMFS to enhance coordination under the Clean Water Act and the ESA for section 7 consultations
(66 FR 11202; February 22, 2001)
2001 [pdf]
[100 KB]
Improving Coordination of ESA Section 7 Consultation with the FERC Licensing Process 2000 [pdf]
[47 KB]

ESA Section 7 Consultation Handbook

1998 [pdf]
[1.2 MB]


Permits & Habitat Conservation Plans (ESA Section 10)
»more info on the Permit & HCP program

Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 10 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
[43 KB]
"No Surprises" Rule
(63 FR 8859; February 23, 1998)
1998 [pdf]
[69 KB]
Safe Harbor Policy
(64 FR 32717; June 17, 1999)
1999 [pdf]
[51 KB]

Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Handbook
» U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service HCP Handbook website

1996 [pdf]
[4.6 MB]
--Addendum to the HCP Handbook: 5-Point Policy
(65 FR 35242; June 1, 2000)
2000 [pdf]
[274 KB]

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