Planning and Consultation Tools in Georgia | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Project Planning Toolbox

Our biologists are here to share effective practices that protect fish, plants, and wildlife and their habitats. This collection of resources can help in planning your future projects or simply learn about imperiled species and best conservation practices.

How can we help?

Species Info
Project Review
Conservation Measures
Energy Industry Guidance
Survey Guidance
Federal Programmatic Agreements
Emergency Consultation Resources

hand with blue glove holding a northern long-eared bat identified as bat number 12 — Northern long-eared bat, North Carolina, 2016

For questions related to the recent proposal to reclassify the Northern Long-eared Bat, check out Common QnA's about the Proposed Northern Long-Eared Bat Uplisting 2022, NLEB Critical Habitat, and NLEB 4(d) Rule

About Our Species in Georgia

Gopher tortoise hiding under shell from the front-view with grass around it — Gopher Tortoise by USFWS

Requesting Project Review by Your State and Federal Agencies

State Agency Project Review

Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Review Page

Endangered Species Act Project Review

USFWS Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) -- To learn about the federally protected species that may occur in your area or project footprint, you can request a Official Species Report using IPaC IPaC
Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) is a project planning tool that streamlines the USFWS environmental review process

Learn more about IPaC . IPaC will also lead you through "determination keys" that can help in determining whether a project may impact a species. Currently, the follow determination keys are available for Georgia and more are coming soon: Northern long-eared bat, Multi-state Indiana bat. Finally, the IPaC Consultation Package Builder provides an interactive, step-by-step process to help you prepare a biologist assessment leveraging U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data and recommendations, including conservation measures designed to help you avoid or minimize effects to listed species. See this demo to learn more. All of these tools are available to use for free.
USFWS Georgia Ecological Services Project Planning and Review -- This will help you prepare a report to send to us if you would like us to review your project or simply request assistance in the planning stages.
USFWS Georgia Ecological Services HUC10 Watershed Tool -- Our office developed a this tool to provide a list of state and federally protected species that may occur within a HUC10 watershed.

How to Add Map Layers on IPaC for Project Planning

From the IPaC Home Page, click "Get Started".
In the left navigation bar, find the "Layers" menu, and click "Add".
You will see a series of folders (e.g., Biological Data, Environmental Data). Click the small right-facing arrow to expand these folders and activate different map layers that are available. Then click "OK".
The data layer you activated should now appear on your map!

Series of screenshot images labeled numbers 1 through 4

Image Details

Conservation Measures

Tall, green grasses with longleaf pines and blue sky in the background. — Ephemeral wetland in longleaf pine ecosystem, Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina, 2019. Gopher frog habitat and release site. Photo by Melanie Olds, 2019

Energy Industry-Specific Considerations

Survey Guidelines

Three biologists walking through a mine passage, shining flashlights at the walls

Federal Programmatic Agreements

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District - Effect Determination Guidance Tools (EDGES)
Federal Highway Administration - Joint Coordination Procedures for Interagency Consultation among the Federal Highway Administration's Georgia Division and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Georgia Ecological Services, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Georgia Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Federally Insured Loan and Grant Projects - Region wide clearance letter for projects that meet criteria for "no effect" determinations
U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency - 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 consultation guidance developed by USDA-FSA and Georgia Ecological Services - GAES clearance letter for FSA Emergency Conservation Program, Emergency Forest Restoration Program, Farm Storage Facility Loan, Tree Assistance Program, and FSA Loan Activities
U.S. Federal Communications Commission - Georgia Ecological Services Clearance to Proceed with Construction or Co-location of New Communications Towers less than 200 feet Above Ground Level in accordance with FCC Environmental Review Rules and Guidelines - Document