Terrestrial Biology & Terrestrial Biology & Beyond…Beyond…

Chris MaguireTerrestrial Biology Program CoordinatorOregon Department of Transportation

Local Government Environmental Training 2010Corvallis, Oregon

ESA Effects Determination ESA Effects Determination TrainingTraining

Purpose:

Establishes expectations for the consultant community and Local Governments to author effects determinations under Section 7 of the federal ESA

ESA Effects Determination ESA Effects Determination TrainingTraining

ESA Effects Determinations & Associated Documents:

NE >> No Effect Memo

NLAA >> Biological Assessment (BA)

LAA >> Biological Assessment

NE = No EffectNLAA = Not Likely to Adversely AffectLAA = Likely to Adversely Affect

ESA Effects Determination ESA Effects Determination TrainingTraining

Qualifications:

- 20 semester hrs of enviro courses or 3 yrs relevant experience

- Training & testing

- Refresher course every 2 yrs

2010 Training: Salem, May 26 & 27

ESA Effects Determination ESA Effects Determination TrainingTraining

Local Government Options:

- Use Local Gov staff qualified by ODOT

- Use ODOT qualified consultant

- Use qualified ODOT staff (if they are willing and available)

Federal ESA – Federal ESA – Wildlife/PlantsWildlife/Plants

Wildlife (and others): Fender’s blue butterfly Oregon silverspot butterfly Fairy shrimp Northern spotted owl Marbled murrelet Western snowy plover (Pacific coastal) Stellar sea lion (eastern population)

Plants: 15 species

Photo: Nick Testa, ODOT

Oregon ESA Oregon ESA

Fish – 10 species (all federal listed)

Reptiles – 4 species (all federal listed)

Birds – 7 species (6 federal listed)

Mammals – 12 species (8 federal listed)

Plants – 60 species (15 federal listed)

State listed only wildlife: bald eagle, western ground squirrel, kit fox, wolverine, gray whale

Oregon ESAOregon ESA

2 Regulatory Agencies

• OR Dept of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW)- fish and wildlife

• OR Dept of Agriculture (ODA)- plants

Oregon ESAOregon ESA

ODFW – fish & wildlife (Incidental take permit)

– plants (Take permit)

Federal ESA – fish & wildlife (Incidental take

permit)

– plants (No incidental take permit)

Oregon ESAOregon ESA

State ESA – fish & wildlifeCompliance: A federal ESA permit serves as a waiver of state ESA requirements(ORS 496.172(4))

State ESA – plantsCompliance: An action initiated by a person other than a state agency that has met federal ESA requirements for a species meets state ESA requirements (ORS 564.115(6))

Oregon ESA – Fish & WildlifeOregon ESA – Fish & Wildlife

• Public agencies must consult with ODFW for actions on public land (owned or leased) if an action has the potential to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of a T&E animal

• If ODFW determines that such take will not adversely impact the long-term conservation of the species or its habitat, ODFW may issue an incidental take permit

Oregon ESA – PlantsOregon ESA – Plants

• A public agency must determine whether listed plants occur or are likely to occur on public lands targeted for action

Oregon ESA – PlantsOregon ESA – Plants

• A public agency must determine whether listed plants occur or are likely to occur on public lands targeted for action

• A public agency must determine, prior to the action, whether the proposed action has the potential to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of any population of the listed species (on public land)

Oregon ESA – PlantsOregon ESA – Plants

• A public agency must determine whether listed plants occur or are likely to occur on public lands targeted for action

• A public agency should determine, prior to the action, whether the proposed action has the potential to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of any population of the listed species

• Results of the effects analysis should be provided to ODA for review, project approval, and a take permit

MBTA – Migratory Bird MBTA – Migratory Bird Treaty ActTreaty Act• Illegal to take or possess any

migratory bird w/o an USFWS permit • Includes feathers, eggs, nests, or

products• Take = pursue, hunt, shoot, wound,

kill, trap, capture, or collect

MBTA MBTA

• It is legal to harass birds (if no harm occurs) and remove empty nests

• Strict liability law – anyone can be convicted regardless of intent or guilty knowledge

• All Oregon birds except feral pigeon, house sparrow, European starling, mute swan, and domesticated and raised birds (> 450 species)

MBTAMBTA

• Most vulnerable life stages: Eggs & young incapable of flight

• No incidental take permits• Slim possibility of a special purpose

permit

MBTA – ComplianceMBTA – Compliance

• Work in non-nesting season (roughly September through February)

• Use USDA APHIS Wildlife Services through ODOT IGA (requires and ODOT EA)

• AVOID (on structures & in vegetation)

• Follow ODOT MBTA Directive

APHIS Liaison: Diane Winterboer (541-258-2189; diane.e.winterboer@aphis.usda.gov)

BGEPA BGEPA (Bald and Golden Eagle (Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act)Protection Act)

Mature bald eagleImmature bald eagle

Mature golden eagle

BGEPA BGEPA

• Illegal to take, possess, or transport any bald eagle, alive or dead, w/o a USFWS permit (includes feathers, eggs, & nests)

• Take = pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest, or disturb

• Incidental take permit is possible

BGEPA BGEPA

Disturb means to bother an eagle to a degree that causes, or is likely to cause:

1) injury to an eagle,

2) a decrease in its productivity, by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior, or

3) nest abandonment, by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior.

Harass/Disturb SummaryHarass/Disturb Summary

• Fed ESA – Cannot harass• OR ESA (fish/wildlife) – Not mentioned• MBTA – Can harass• BGEPA – Cannot disturb

MMPA – Marine Mammal MMPA – Marine Mammal Protection ActProtection Act

• Places a moratorium on the taking of marine mammals

• A take permit is possible• Permits are handled by the NOAA

National Marine Mammal Lab in Seattle