Consultations | Overview
Photo credit: Bjorn Erickson/USFWS
The purposes of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are to provide a means for conserving the ecosystems upon which endangered and threatened species depend and a program for the conservation of such species. The ESA directs all federal agencies to participate in conserving these species. Specifically, section 7 (a)(1) of the ESA charges federal agencies to aid in the conservation of listed species, and section 7 (a)(2) requires the agencies, through consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), to ensure their activities are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of listed species, or destroy or adversely modify their critical habitat.
The Service has a digital project planning tool, Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC), which quickly identifies Service-managed resources based on user-drawn project locations and automatically provides resource lists and information such as conservation measures. IPaC identifies potential impacts and provides suggestions for addressing them early in the project development process, helping to save time and money and avoid potential project delays.
To learn more, download the consultations fact sheet [196KB].
Find answers to frequently asked questions regarding consultations.
View the Service's policies regarding consultations.
Learn about final regulation revisions related to consultations.
Read the latest full library of documents related to consultations.
Learn about Pesticide Registrations, Endangered Species Act Consultations, and Settlements
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