[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31343]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 21, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Availability of Draft Section 7 Endangered Species
Consultation Handbook--Procedures for Conducting Section 7
Consultations and Conferences
AGENCIES: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; National Marine
Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (hereafter referred to as Services) announce the
availability of their Draft Section 7 Endangered Species Consultation
Handbook--Procedures for Conducting Section 7 Consultations and
Conferences. This draft document provides internal guidance for
conducting section 7 consultations and conferences under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Its purpose is to provide policy
and guidance for section 7 procedures to promote efficiency and
nationwide consistency within and between the Services. The Services
seek public comment on this draft guidance document.
DATES: Comments on the Draft Endangered Species Consultation Handbook
must be received on or before February 21, 1995 to be considered during
preparation of a final guidance document.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the Draft Endangered Species
Consultation Handbook may obtain a copy by contacting the Division of
Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax
Drive, room 452, Arlington, Virginia 22203 (telephone 703/358-2106).
Written comments and materials regarding the Draft guidance should be
directed to the same address. Comments and materials received will be
available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business
hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jamie Rappaport Clark, Chief, Division of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, at the above address (703-358-2171), or Russell
Bellmer, Chief, Endangered Species Division, National Marine Fisheries
Service, 1335 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 (301-
713-2322).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.) requires each Federal agency to ensure, through consultation with
the Secretary of the Interior or Commerce, that any activity they
authorize, fund, or carry out is not likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any listed species or result in the destruction or adverse
modification of its critical habitat. Section 7(a)(4) requires similar
conference procedures for activities likely to result in jeopardy to
proposed species or adverse modification of proposed critical habitat.
This draft handbook would provide consistent procedures for Service
compliance with the affirmative conservation responsibilities of
section 7(a)(1) of the Act, and for the conduct of section 7(a)(2)-(4)
consultations and conferences. This consistency would be achieved by
(1) providing national procedural and policy guidance, (2) providing
standardized formats and language for section 7 consultation documents,
(3) ensuring Service compliance with section 7, (4) providing
assistance to other agencies in their compliance with section 7 of the
Act, and (5) providing for conservation of listed, proposed and
candidate species.
Although the procedures and definitions in the Handbook are
supported by both Services, not all are applicable to the National
Marine Fisheries Service due to organizational differences between the
two Services, as well as differences in the special character of
species under the jurisdiction of each Service. Further guidance
clarifying National Marine Fisheries Service specific organizational
requirements would be included in the final handbook.
Public Comments Solicited
The Services intend that a final decision on the Draft Endangered
Species Handbook take advantage of information and recommendations from
all interested parties. Therefore, comments or suggestions from the
public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific
community, industry, or any other interested party concerning this
draft document are hereby solicited. All comments and materials
received will be considered prior to the approval of any final
document.
Author/Editor: The editor of this document is James J. Slack,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Endangered Species (see
ADDRESSES section).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: November 4, 1994.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
Dated: November 9, 1994.
Charles Karnella,
Acting Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-31343 Filed 12-20-94; 8:45 am]
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