200 likes | 335 Views
ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAMMATIC CONSULTATIONS IN OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND IDAHO July 9, 2004. Assignment. December 18, 2003 charter to ICS Assessment of Programmatic Consultations Recommend new opportunities or expansion
E N D
ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAMMATIC CONSULTATIONS IN OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND IDAHO July 9, 2004
Assignment • December 18, 2003 charter to ICS • Assessment of Programmatic Consultations • Recommend new opportunities or expansion • Initiated by R-6 and NOAA Fisheries • Expanded to included R-1, R-4, and Idaho BLM
Team Members • Russ Strach, NOAA Fisheries • Dan Brown, FWS • Tim Burton, ID BLM • Scott Peets, USFS, R-6 • Alan Christensen, USFS R-6 • Dan Duffield, USFS R-4 • Marc Liverman, NOAA Fisheries • Steve Morris, NOAA Fisheries
Evaluation • Assembled programmatic consultation documents - Formal and informal • 109 FWS • 64 NOAA Fisheries • Plan-level, program-level, and batched • 24 different activity types • 12 BLM Districts, 42 National Forests • Obtained other relevant data
Untangling “Programmatic Consultation” Definitions • Plan-level – LRMP/LUP containing groups of programs • Program – Guides development of activity types but not specific projects, i.e., range program • Project-level – Individual actions, time/location • Batched – Groups of project-specific actions (not programs), i.e., watershed • Other Processes – Idaho Pilot, counterpart regulations, Fire Design Criteria
Focus and Filters • Areas where NMFS/FWS species overlap • Isolated programs not streamlined by NFP PDCs or counterpart regulations • No step-down consultation required • Complex, controversial, or litigation sensitive • USFS/BLM fish habitat improvements
Complexity Factors • Available Information: upfront details • Predictability of Program: defining scale, types of actions, location, timing, exposure • Number of Species/CH Affected • Species Wide Ranging vs. Narrow Endemic • Species Life History Diversity • Geographic Scale ↑ Complexity ↑ • Coordination with Other Affected Agencies
FWS Species Density* on USFS and BLM Lands FWS Species Diversity 20 Plants 6 Mollusks 3 Invertebrates 10 Fish 6 Birds 7 Mammals *Densities are based on number of T&E species per county
* It is unlikely that NMFS and FWS would be able to provide broad-scale ESA coverage for these activity types. Many components are already addressed in the NW NFP PDC's, It may be possible to consult programmatically on these components "Too complex" means: this activity is highly variable across the Region, but may be handled on a unit-by- unit basis ** NMFS and FWS may be able to provide some broad-scale ESA coverage for these activity types, without subsequent project-level consultation.
Programmatic Consultations for Fish Habitat Restoration – US F&WS
Programmatic Consultations for Fish Habitat Restoration – NOAA Fisheries
Programmatic Consultations for Noxious Weeds – NOAA Fisheries
Utility IndexDefined • FWS/NMFS both issued consultation documents • All ESA-listed species addressed • Template for scale and information needs • Applicable to all listed fish species • Others?
High Moderate Low
Programmatic Consultations Process and Risk • NMFS and FWS • Different interpretations of risk (legal) – -ITS with and without step-down consultations • Interpretations of AZ Cattle growers lawsuit - Solicitor’s decision • Legal risk vs. biological benefit • Decision-making authority/risk for Regional-scale consultation • Working to address divergence • Meantime focus on mutually acceptable approaches
Recommendations • Thoughtfully expand fish habitat restoration to other units/regions • Convene a sub-regional team(s) or one team across OR, WA, and ID • Draw from the culvert programmatic and others to develop any future programmatics • Consider other program areas after an evaluation of instream restoration effort
RecommendationPros and Cons • Stepdown possible (pro) • Reduces between unit redundancy (pro) • Increased long-term efficiencies (pro) • New Initial upfront workload (con) • Harmonizing differences across states and agencies (con) • Use existing streamlining structure (pro/con) • Commitment to increased monitoring and reporting