Advance Project Planning

Helping Integrate Fish and Wildlife Conservation with Needed Infrastructure Development

Since the inception of the Advance Project Planning Program over 70 years ago, Service biologists have been helping to integrate fish and wildlife conservation with needed infrastructure development. The program has lead responsibility to analyze the environmental impacts of federally licensed or funded projects on fish and wildlife and to recommend options that would minimize detrimental impacts and enhance benefits to trust resources.
The Advance Project Planning Program plays a central role in advancing energy, transportation, water, and restoration projects. We work with partners to develop projects that simultaneously meet economic development needs and conserve natural resources, including energy projects, transportation planning, and hydropower projects,

Advance Project Planning also provides targeted technical assistance for other types of projects that are important to local and state economies. For example, our biologists help local governments and State and Federal partners plan navigation and harbor construction projects that are important for economic development that also minimize adverse environmental effects; we help craft measures to protect coral reefs, which are particularly rich ecosystems and nurseries for many important commercial and recreational fisheries; and we partner with project sponsors and communities to plan flood control and beach nourishment projects that protect property, foster tourism, and conserve fish and wildlife habitat.

Most Advance Project Program activities within the Pacific Region are handled by our Fish and Wildlife field offices.  Select an office below to access more detailed information about activities in your area.