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NOTICE TO APPLICANTS: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, pursuant to Presidential Memorandum “Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects” is temporarily ceasing issuance of permits to wind facilities until further notice.
In the interim, ePermits will no longer automatically issue general permits for eagle Incidental Take. Applicants may still complete a general permit application (Form 3-200-71). Eagle Incidental Take applicants should email eaglegeneralpermits@fws.gov with the subject GENERAL PERMIT APPLICATION to notify us of a submitted Eagle Incidental Take application.
Who needs this permit?
An individual, business, agency, or other organization needs this permit to take Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) or Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) incidentally under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA). The incidental take of an eagle means the species is harmed, harassed, killed, etc. as a foreseeable byproduct of an activity where the take is not the primary intent but may happen incidentally.
If your activity is associated with wind energy projects, you are eligible to apply for this general permit (see conditions in “What else do I need to know”). All power line activities are eligible for a general permit if you agree to the conditions in 50 CFR 22.260.
Check out the Application FAQs for more information and the Application Instructions for help with applying.
Note: For activities that do not meet general permit eligibility criteria or to those requesting the customization of a specific permit, you must use the 3-200-71 Eagle Incidental Take – Specific permit.
What do I need to apply?
You must attach the following to your application:
- Maps and photographs of the location of the activity, if available.
- Copies of any Federal, State, Tribal, and/or local authorizations/permits required for your activity.
Is there a fee?
Yes. The fee to apply is $1,000, non-refundable.
The administration fees for wind energy project applications are:
- Distributed and Community Scale - $2,500
- Utility Scale - $10,000
The administrative fees for power line activity applications are:
- Non-Investor Owned - $500
- Investor-Owned - $10,000
Federal, Tribal, State, and local government agencies, and those acting on behalf of such agencies, are exempt from the processing fee (documentation may be required).
When does it expire?
This permit is valid for up to 5 years after which you must submit a renewal application at least 30 days before it expires.
Are there reporting requirements?
Yes. Keep records of your activities because you must submit an annual report by September 30th of each year. The report must include any discovered eagle remains or injured eagles, including species, condition, discovery date, location, and other information relevant to eagle identification.
You are also required to report dead or injured eagles discovered in the Service’s Injury and Mortality Reporting System (IMR) no later than two weeks from the date of discovery of eagle remains or eagle injury.
What else do I need to know?
As the applicant, you are responsible for determining if there are eagle nests near your project. To determine if there are eagle nests near your project, the Service recommends both a desktop analysis and field-based surveys.
Anyone who assists or acts as your agent for the activities under this permit must have their own 3-200-71 general permit or be identified by you as a sub-permittee on the application or permit.
Application review time:
Available to print as soon as application and payment are complete. Once you have submitted payment, click on the Return Home option. Your new permit will be located under My Permits and Requests/My Active Permits.
Wind Energy Projects
Your wind energy project must be in the contiguous 48 States and be one of the following:
1. This is your first time applying for a general permit and:
- All turbines are at least 2 miles from a golden eagle nest and at least 660 feet from a bald eagle nest.
- All turbines are in areas characterized by seasonal relative abundance values that are less than the relative abundance values for the date range for each species. The annual relative abundance value thresholds for eagles are defined in the table below:
Table 1
Relative Abundance Value Thresholds for Bald Eagles Throughout the Year
Date Range | Bald Eagle Relative Abundance |
1. February 15 – May 23 | 0.821 |
2. May 24 – July 19 | 0.686 |
3. July 20 – December 20 | 0.705 |
4. December 21 – February 14 | 1.357 |
Table 2
Relative Abundance Value Thresholds for Golden Eagles Throughout the Year
Date Range | Golden Eagle Relative Abundance |
1. February 8 – June 6 | 0.081 |
2. June 7 – August 30 | 0.065 |
3. August 31 – December 6 | 0.091 |
4. December 7 – February 7 | 0.091 |
2. Your project is currently authorized under a general incidental take permit that:
- Has discovered fewer than four eagles (either eagle remains or injured eagles) of any one species during the previous general permit tenure;
- Had no lapse in general-permit coverage; and
- Ensures that any turbines not authorized on the previous general permit meet the issuance criteria.
3. Your existing project has received a letter of authorization from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Power Line Activities
All power line activities are eligible for a general permit as long as you agree to the conditions in 50 CFR 22.260.