Land, Water & WetlandsLANDTransportation Staff from our ESA & Habitat Conservation Division routinely review and provide comments and recommendations regarding impacts to fish and wildlife resources associated with various transportation projects where Federal funds or permits are involved, such as airports and highways projects in northern Idaho and eastern Washington. Our involvement in these activities generally falls under the authority of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), section 404 of the Clean Water Act, or section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Forest and other Land Management Activities Staff from our ESA & Habitat Conservation Division review and provide comments and recommendations on numerous proposals each year involving forest or other activities on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in northern Idaho and eastern Washington. In most cases these actions involve Service trust resources such as wetlands, migratory birds and threatened and endangered species. Our involvement in these activities generally falls under NEPA, MBTA and the ESA. Military Installations Private Lands Our Habitat Conservation Branch routinely provide comments pertaining to fish and wildlife resources on private lands that may be affected by activities either funded by or that require a Federal Permit. Our involvement in these projects usually fall under NEPA, MBTA, section 404 Clean Water Act, and ESA. Also, the Service has an active and highly regarded program that provides funding for habitat restoration projects in partnership with private landowners throughout our area of responsibility. For further information, please see our description of the Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program on this website. Partners for Fish and Wildlife Migratory Birds Uplands, open water, and wetlands all provide important habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl in northern Idaho and eastern Washington. The Service participates and/or cooperates with Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in the effort to conserve these species and their habitats. Our Habitat Conservation Branch also provides technical assistance to numerous non-governmental entities and the general public in a comprehensive effort to conserve migratory birds. These partners include Avista Utilities and Inland Power and Light. When available, Fish and Wildlife Office staff pick-up and/or transport injured birds (usually raptors) to veterinary care and/or rehabilitation facilities. Most avian species found in northern Idaho and eastern Washington is protected by various Federal Laws including the MBTA, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act. A list of migratory birds and waterfowl protected under the MBTA can be found at the following URL: http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/intrnltr/mbta/mbtandx.html Interstate Pipelines Fish and Wildlife Office staff also provides comments and recommendations on pipelines regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. These include natural gas, gasoline, and other petroleum products. WATERThe Service is involved in water resources issues through various Federal legislation and Programs. These include: Hydropower Relicensing The Upper Columbia Fish and Wildlife Office has and continues to be involved in re-licensing of several hydropower projects in the Inland Northwest where fish and wildlife resources may be affected. Our involvement in this process is conducted pursuant to the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Federal Power Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Endangered Species Act. Some of the larger hydropower projects in eastern Washington and northern Idaho include;
Wetlands Regulatory Program (“404 Program”) This Program involves the Service’s review of permit applications for work in navigable waters of the United States. under the authority of section 404 Clean Water Act and section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act These permits are issued by the Corps of Engineers in the following geographic areas:
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA) Ongoing Federal Projects that involve preparation of Coordination Act Reports prepared by our Habitat Conservation Branch, include:
WETLANDSClassification of Wetland Habitats The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) first published Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States in December 1979, it is sometimes referred to as Cowardin’s wetland classification system, after the lead author. As stated in the preface of the publication, this “system has been widely used throughout the United States and is often cited in the scientific literature”. This publication is available at no charge to the public at the following Service URL: http://www.fws.gov/nwi/Pubs_Reports/Class_Manual/class_titlepg.htm National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Since the 1970’s, the Service has been involved in the preparation of large scale mapping of wetlands in the United States using Service’s Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States. All of Washington and most of northern Idaho has been mapped under the NWI program. Most of this area is available in a digital format, however a portion of northern Idaho is still only available in hard copy format. The NWI website and access to Service’s NWI maps, please use the following URLs. NWI info: http://www.fws.gov/nwi/ NWI Maps: http://wetlandsfws.er.usgs.gov/wtlnds/launch.html Wetland Plant Species A general discussion of wetland plants and links to various related websites (e.g., Hydric Soils of the United States) can be accessed online from the following U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service URL: http://www.fws.gov/nwi/Plants/plants.htm The Service prepared a National List of Plant Species that occur in Wetlands, published in 1988 and updated in 1993. These are available on line by various regions in the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) and Puerto Rico. Wetland plant species found in Idaho and Washington are within Region 9 and can be accessed online from the following URL. http://www.fws.gov/nwi/Plants/list88.html Beginning in 2006, through an Memorandum of Agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, NRCS, and the Corps of Engineers, the Service transferred the responsibility for updating the National List of Wetland Plant Species to the Corps of Engineers. also see: Habitat and Resource Conservation
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