Pre-development Consultation

This program provides early technical assistance to various entities who have applied for federal funds or will have to obtain a federal license or permit. The purpose of the early coordination is to assist the applicant in determining if wetlands or federally endangered or threatened species could be impacted by the proposed activity. The intent is to provide early notification of potential issues before an applicant has committed significant resources toward specific plans or designs. The Kentucky Field Office typically receives over 2,000 pre-development consultation requests each year. The vast majority of requests involve corridor development, such as pipelines and highways. Many of the pipeline activities require stream crossings which potentially could impact aquatic resources including federally listed species. However, most negative impacts can be significantly reduced by directionally boring under the stream or mounting the pipeline from an existing bridge. Most other aquatic impacts can be minimized by utilizing best management practices relative to erosion control and re-vegetation of construction areas. Highway projects reviewed are principally associated with bridge replacement or construction. Generally, recommendations address pier placement in an effort to avoid the alteration of stream flows or the direct loss of valuable habitat. Information or questions concerning pre-development consultations in Kentucky may be obtained from Ms. Mindi Lawson (mindi_lawson@fws.gov).