USFWS. USFWS does not exercise ESA authority over Permit Species.
USFWS. The USFWS will work with the Landowner(s) [and any other cooperators signing this Agreement,] throughout the entire Agreement term to support actions needed to ensure that the project is designed and constructed per the Agreement and functions as intended. The USFWS, its agents, or assignees will provide advanced notice prior to accessing the Landowner(s) property to implement the project described in the work plan, and to monitor project success. The USFWS assumes no liability for damage or injury other than that caused by its own negligence, on the above acreage. The USFWS does not assume jurisdiction over the premises by this Agreement.
USFWS. A. The Parties acknowledge and agree that USFWS has made no determination, and is giving the Parties no assurances, regarding compliance of the Restoration Project or PG&E’s operation of its FERC Project No. 1121 with the ESA.
X. USFWS agrees to do the following:
1. Support a petition to the SWRCB for the instream dedication of that amount of water diversion rights transferred by PG&E to CDFG as more fully described in Section 6.1 E;
2. Support the amendment of the license of FERC Project No. 1121, described in Section 6.1 C, that incorporates the facility modifications described in Section 4.1, the prescribed instream flow releases described in Tables 1 and
3. In the next relicensing proceeding for FERC Project No. 1121, support the continuation of the prescribed instream flow releases described in Attachment 1 and Ramping Rates described in Attachment 2, and any changes to those prescribed instream flow releases or Ramping Rates resulting from Adaptive Management, subject to applicable law.
C. Regarding the biological and environmental monitoring described in Section 7.3, USFWS agrees to support incorporating Battle Creek monitoring needs into appropriate CVPIA, CALFED, and other monitoring programs.
D. As approving and implementing various activities described in the MOU will result in a major federal construction activity that may affect species under USFWS jurisdiction, USFWS will conduct the requisite Section 7 consultation for species under its authority. The above measures will require FERC to exercise its federal discretionary authority in approving an amendment of the license for FERC Project No. 1121 prior to implementation. This action,
USFWS. Attend Technical Team meetings, when appropriate. • Participate in training efforts with FDEP and FWC. • Provide technical assistance during the permitting review process, where there may be effects to federally listed species, proposed species, petitioned species, or candidate species. • Coordinate compliance with FWC to meet ESA requirements for relevant federally threatened and endangered (“T/E”) species. • Provide section 7 consultation keys, Standard Local Operating Procedures for Endangered Species (SLOPES) and other species effects evaluation tools used to evaluate effect determinations • Provide technical assistance regarding effects on federally threatened or endangered species and measures to avoid or minimize adverse effects. • In coordination with FWC, develop appropriate, site-specific habitat conservation or species management opportunities. • Participate in project-specific meetings, teleconferences and email conversations regarding wildlife and habitat reviews upon request as related to ESA-listed species, proposed species, petitioned species, or candidate species. This will provide support for the review of wildlife and habitat impacts when needed. • Take the lead in resolution of issues related to federally listed species. • Incidental take for federally listed species will be handled in accordance with the Biological Assessment and Biological Opinion developed for this assumption. • Attend Technical Team meetings when appropriate. • Participate in training efforts with FWC and USFWS. • Provide oversight during the permitting review process, when needed. • Provide State 404 Program and ERP program related permit applications as soon as possible for review upon submittal. • Provide any additional information that may assist in the review, including activity-specific information to FWC and USFWS. Incorporate any additional information requested by FWC and USFWS into the FDEP requests for additional information or completeness requests to the applicant. • Participate in project-specific meetings, teleconferences and email conversations regarding wildlife and habitat reviews. This provides support for the review of species and habitat impacts when needed. • Provide notification to FWC regarding timelines for the submittal of FWC questions and comments during the review of submitted applications. When FWC is actively reviewing a permit, FDEP will not issue the permit without resolution of FWC’s review.
USFWS. Legal protection measures (new, revised or expired legal protections that impact tortoises and/or their habitat)
USFWS. USFWS is a federal agency within the United States Department ofthe Interior charged with responsibility for administering the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and providing for the conservation of federally listed fresh water and semi-anadromous aquatic and terrestrial species and their habitats. USFWS enters into this Agreement pursuant to the ESA, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956.
USFWS. Total estimated acreage of protected gopher tortoise habitat (either by public ownership, by easement, or covered under a management plan that provides for the conservation of the gopher tortoise) EK – Egmont Key NWR totals 328 acres (fee title), but due to erosion, the island is estimated to be about 280 acres currently. The entire island is gopher tortoise habitat. An inholding within Egmont Key NWR of 6.54 acres is owned by Hillsborough County and leased to the Tampa Bay Pilots Association. This area is marked as private property with no public access. It is not under a gopher tortoise management plan, but the gopher tortoises are protected. OK – The 800 acres owned and managed by Okefenokee NWR reported in the past has been reduced to 470 acres based on suitable soil types used to fine tune survey transect locations. The 1900 acres of refuge owned lands managed by Forest Investment Associates through a long-time lease agreement has been reduced to 982 acres based on the evaluation of soil types. This land is under intensive silvicultural timber production.
USFWS a) Disease and die-offs (date, property/location, cause if known, number of deaths)
b) Disease screening efforts
USFWS. 1984. Sonoran topminnow recovery plan. Albuquerque, NM: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 56 p.
