North Florida ESO posts Oil-spill Wildlife Response Planning & Emergency Consultation Information
The Service's North Florida Ecological Services Office (NFESO) continues to support the joint agency response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As part of that response, there is a growing need for Federal action agencies to consult with us on an emergency basis regarding their direct and permitting oil-spill response actions. To facilitate project planning and streamline the emergency consultation process, the NFESO has posted information and reference documents Federal action agencies can use in oil-spill response project planning and review.
While our focus is primarily within the North Florida Ecological Services Office operating area, many of these may be applicable in other areas of the Gulf Coast. Please check with the appropriate Service Ecological Services Office in your area or state for additional guidance.
Additional best management practices, protocols, plans and conservation recommendations will be posted as they become available.
ESA Section 7 Emergency Consultation Information, plans, protocols, best practices
North Florida ESO Workload Acknowledgement
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), along with many other federal agencies, is making the response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico its top priority.
The North Florida Ecological Services Office (NFESO) in Jacksonville is significantly supporting the Service’s overall efforts in dealing with this spill of national significance.
Our conservation managers, financial and administrative staff, biologists and ecologist are deployed in the field or operating locally in full-time support of the federal government’s Unified Area Command in Robert, LA and the Incident Command Centers in Houma, LA, Mobile, AL, and Miami, FL.
Our capacity to sustain this priority support requires that we heavily scrutinize and prioritize our regular workload.
This means our client federal agencies and others may notice uncharacteristic delays in responding to requests for technical assistance, reviews, and information requests.
We encourage everyone to review the tools and information available on our website, as much of the commonly requested information is available here.
We appreciate your patience and understanding during this period.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Response to Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) continues to support the joint agency response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico with experienced specialists, land managers, and support personnel. Booms to capture and deflect anticipated oil are being deployed at Breton National Wildlife Refuge, where thousands of brown pelicans and shorebirds are currently nesting. The Service also is initiating Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration activities in this incident to assess and address the long-term damage to impacted resources.
Service Oil Spill Response Information
Deepwater Horizon Response Unified Commmand Operations
To Volunteering in the recovery effort -- 866--448-5816, or click here to visit Volunteer web resources
To report oiled wildlife -- 866-557-1401
To report oiled shoreline -- 866-448-5816
Media queries and requests --
985-902-5231/5240 (Unified Command Joint Information Center (JIC) - Robert, La.)
251-445-8965 (Mobile Incident Command JIC)
888-693-3003 (Pennisular Florida Incident Command JIC)
To file claims for damages related to the oil spill -- 800-440-0858
Many HUD loan projects in North Florida given clearance to proceed
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's North Florida Ecological Services Office (NFESO) in Jacksonville has issued a letter authorizing many of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) loan projects in to move forward without the need for additional ESA consultations. The clearance to proceed letter essentially applies to those loan projects where the scope is a replacement or rehabilitation of an existing structure.
Florida Wildlife Conservation Guide
Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and others, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Florida Wildlife Conservation Guide (Guide) offers users at any experience level a compendium of guidance and reference materials related to wildlife, land use planning and conservation. Private landowners have information about various programs available including incentive-based mitigation programs.
