Consultations with Federal Agencies
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act directs all Federal agencies to use their existing authorities to conserve threatened and endangered species and, in consultation with the Service, to ensure that their actions do not jeopardize listed species or destroy or adversely modify critical habitat. Section 7 applies to management of Federal lands as well as other Federal actions that may affect listed species, such as Federal approval of private activities through the issuance of Federal permits, licenses, or other actions.
Wildfire, the Endangered Species Act, and Human Safety
Wildlife, the Endangered Species Act, and Human Safety
The Service has compiled a list of websites that provide access to Department of Interior and agency memoranda, policy, and handbook sections related to wildland fire management, human safety and the conservation of candidate, threatened and endangered species. Read more.
ESA and Emergency Consultations for National Defense
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides guidance and regulations related to emergencies involving acts of national defense or security emergencies and the conservation of candidate, threatened and endangered species as required under the Endangered Species Act. Read more.
Enhanced Agency Coordination Under the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act
The Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) addressing interagency coordination under the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. View the Federal Register notice.
Department of Transportation Programmatic Consultation Guidance
The Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with Federal Highways provides guidance to help streamline Endangered Species Act compliance on TEA-21 transportation projects. TEA-21 is the Transportation and Equity Act for the 21 st Century that was passed on June 9, 1998 and provided $203 billion for upgrading and improving the Nation's transportation infrastructure through the year 2003. Section 1309 provides for "environmental streamlining" measures involving various Federal agencies, particularly the Service.
Download the guidance document and attachments.
Contact the Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office nearest you with any questions regarding this guidance.
The Healthy Forests Initiative Guidance
As part of President George W. Bush's Healthy Forests Initiative the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) have developed counterpart regulations and guidance to assist in the section 7 of the Endangered Species Act consultation analysis for projects that support implementation of the National Fire Plan. Download the guidance documents.
Missouri River Conservation
The Missouri River basin supports an abundance of wildlife, including three species that are federally listed under the Endangered Species Act: the endangered pallid sturgeon and least tern and the threatened piping plover. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working together to ensure that Missouri River conservation efforts are compliant with the Endangered Species Act. Read more.
