Date of Original
Media Usage Rights/License
Public Domain
Video
Missouri Determination Key Webinar Overview
This recorded presentation provides an introduction and detailed walkthrough of the Missouri Determination Key, a tool developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to streamline Endangered Species Act evaluations for projects in Missouri.
Introduction and Purpose
The agency explains how the Missouri Determination Key was created specifically for Missouri and is delivered through the Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) tool. The key streamlines many section 7 consultations and some section 10 evaluations by providing a clear, step‑by‑step process for determining effects on federally listed species and critical habitat.
Eligibility and Project Scope
The presentation outlines which projects qualify for use of the key. Projects outside Missouri, long‑term actions over ten years, large‑scale dredging, discharge, reservoir alterations, purposeful take, broad chemical applications, and major cave or karst modifications must instead coordinate directly with the field office. The key is designed so that users can independently complete simple, low‑impact projects, with determinations depending on the accuracy of information provided.
How the Key Works
The agency describes how the Determination Key uses project location, built‑in species occurrence data, and protected background layers—such as bat hibernacula and sensitive aquatic features—to guide users through species‑specific questions. These hidden data layers help refine determinations without exposing sensitive information. Stream‑dwelling species follow a shared pathway, cave obligates require conservation measures, and plant species prompt habitat‑based questions. Unique pathways exist for species such as the Hine’s emerald dragonfly, while bat species follow the most complex pathway due to seasonal roosting, tree clearing, structure use, and habitat suitability considerations.
Determination Outcomes and Letters
The key generates outcomes of “no effect,” “not likely to adversely affect,” or “may affect,” accompanied by regulatory letters appropriate for federal or non‑federal projects. Letters include project details, species evaluations, conservation measures, and any needed follow‑up. Proposed species may appear in letters with guidance to coordinate if impacts are expected. Critical habitat determinations follow similar logic, with additional checks for proximity to designated areas.
IPaC Walkthrough and Example Project
The presentation includes a step‑by‑step example showing how to create a project in IPaC, generate a species list, complete eligibility screening, and move through the Determination Key. For a pollinator garden example, the agency demonstrates the bat pathway, including tree clearing considerations, seasonal timing, structural assessments, and background habitat data. At completion, IPaC generates a regulatory letter and compiles all project documentation in one location.
Questions and Clarifications
The agency addresses common questions, including acreage definitions for tree clearing, evaluating adjacent habitat suitability, why drilling and blasting are excluded, why migratory birds are not included in the key, tree‑clearing timing, structure demolition considerations, and how transportation projects intersect with separate programmatic determination keys.
This recorded presentation provides an introduction and detailed walkthrough of the Missouri Determination Key, a tool developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to streamline Endangered Species Act evaluations for projects in Missouri.
Introduction and Purpose
The agency explains how the Missouri Determination Key was created specifically for Missouri and is delivered through the Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) tool. The key streamlines many section 7 consultations and some section 10 evaluations by providing a clear, step‑by‑step process for determining effects on federally listed species and critical habitat.
Eligibility and Project Scope
The presentation outlines which projects qualify for use of the key. Projects outside Missouri, long‑term actions over ten years, large‑scale dredging, discharge, reservoir alterations, purposeful take, broad chemical applications, and major cave or karst modifications must instead coordinate directly with the field office. The key is designed so that users can independently complete simple, low‑impact projects, with determinations depending on the accuracy of information provided.
How the Key Works
The agency describes how the Determination Key uses project location, built‑in species occurrence data, and protected background layers—such as bat hibernacula and sensitive aquatic features—to guide users through species‑specific questions. These hidden data layers help refine determinations without exposing sensitive information. Stream‑dwelling species follow a shared pathway, cave obligates require conservation measures, and plant species prompt habitat‑based questions. Unique pathways exist for species such as the Hine’s emerald dragonfly, while bat species follow the most complex pathway due to seasonal roosting, tree clearing, structure use, and habitat suitability considerations.
Determination Outcomes and Letters
The key generates outcomes of “no effect,” “not likely to adversely affect,” or “may affect,” accompanied by regulatory letters appropriate for federal or non‑federal projects. Letters include project details, species evaluations, conservation measures, and any needed follow‑up. Proposed species may appear in letters with guidance to coordinate if impacts are expected. Critical habitat determinations follow similar logic, with additional checks for proximity to designated areas.
IPaC Walkthrough and Example Project
The presentation includes a step‑by‑step example showing how to create a project in IPaC, generate a species list, complete eligibility screening, and move through the Determination Key. For a pollinator garden example, the agency demonstrates the bat pathway, including tree clearing considerations, seasonal timing, structural assessments, and background habitat data. At completion, IPaC generates a regulatory letter and compiles all project documentation in one location.
Questions and Clarifications
The agency addresses common questions, including acreage definitions for tree clearing, evaluating adjacent habitat suitability, why drilling and blasting are excluded, why migratory birds are not included in the key, tree‑clearing timing, structure demolition considerations, and how transportation projects intersect with separate programmatic determination keys.