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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Highway Administration 310 New Bern Avenue, Suite 410, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 April 8, 2003 |
IN REPLY REFER TO
HPP-NC
Mr. Roy E. Crabtree
Regional Administrator NOAA Fisheries
9721 Executive Center Drive
St. Petersburg, Florida 33702
Subject: Designation of Non-Federal Representative to Conduct Informal Consultation Under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act pursuant to 50 CFR 402.08
Dear Mr. Crabtree:
Section 7, Interagency Cooperation, of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, requires Federal Agencies to ensure that their actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of threatened or endangered species, or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated Critical Habitat for such species.
Implementing Section 7 provisions found at 50 CFR 402.08 allows Federal action agencies to designate a non-Federal representative to conduct informal consultations and prepare biological assessments. Based on these provisions, the North Carolina Division Office of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) hereby designates the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to conduct informal Endangered Species Act consultations on behalf of our agency on a program-wide basis. This arrangement shall remain in effect until such time as either FHWA or NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division request a renewal of this designation.
If you have any questions, please contact Rob Ayers, Environmental Programs Coordinator, at 919.856.4330x116 or rob.avers@fhwa.dot.gov.
Sincerely,
/s/ Donald J. Voelker
Donald J. Voelker
Acting Division Administrator
cc: Roy Shelton, NCDOT
Paul Garrett. Ecologist,
FHWA-HEP Rob Ayers
