Interagency Cooperation for Endangered Species

Target Audience:

FWS and NOAA Fisheries biologists responsible for conducting project review of potential impacts to listed, proposed, or candidate species. Action agency biologists and consultants are welcome to attend.

Summary and Objectives:

Participants acquire basic knowledge and skills in conducting interagency consultation under Section 7 Section 7
Section 7 Consultation The Endangered Species Act (ESA) directs all Federal agencies to work to conserve endangered and threatened species and to use their authorities to further the purposes of the Act. Section 7 of the Act, called "Interagency Cooperation," is the mechanism by which Federal agencies ensure the actions they take, including those they fund or authorize, do not jeopardize the existence of any listed species.

Learn more about Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Key information needs and procedures are addressed, with a focus on those related to biological assessments and biological opinions. Lectures and discussions emphasize the interagency exchange of information and solutions to support species conservation, while exercises reinforce those concepts and provide practical experience.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the ESA §7(a)(1) conservation obligation and functions of §7(a)(2), and the legal standards that govern their application to Federal actions. 
• Recognize and describe the steps of the ESA Sect 7(a)(2) compliance pathways and the role/purpose of each step.
• Describe the necessary information included in a biological assessment or biological opinion.
• Describe and apply the 'may affect/no effect,' 'jeopardy/no jeopardy' and 'adverse modification' determination processes.
• Explain the importance of Section 7 consultation in implementing the conservation mandates of the Endangered Species Act. 
• Describe the additional considerations that apply to consultations such as emergency response, programmatic approaches, species recovery, ESA§10 permit actions, and reinitiating consultation.

Competency Addressed:

Conservation Biology - Basic, Environmental Compliance - Basic, Organizational Awareness - Basic, Partnering - Basic, Technical Documentation - Basic