Endangered Species Act

Endangered Species Act (ESA), Section 7 Consultation

Required for federal actions to ensure that the actions will not jeopardize the continued existence of any federally listed species or adversely modify or destroy listed critical habitat.

  1. Identify proposed project/proposed action

  2. Identify Section 7 federal lead action agency

  3. Initiate informal consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service/National Marine Fisheries Service (USWFS/NMFS); including development of species list

  1. Draft Biological Assessment (BA) (for the actions that may adversely affect an ESA listed species or modify or destroy critical habitat)

  2. Submit BA with written request for formal consultation

  3. USFWS/NMFS issue Biological Opinion

 
Endangered Species Act Process Steps 1 through 3 Step 1: Identify proposed project/proposed action, Step 2: Identify Section 7 federallead action agency, Step 3: Initiate informal consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service/National Marine Fisheries Service (USWFS/NMFS); including development of species list Identify Section 7 federallead action agencyIdentify proposed project/proposed actionInitiate informal consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service/National Marine Fisheries Service (USWFS/NMFS); including development of species list
Endangered Species Act Process Steps 1 through 3 Step 1: Identify proposed project/proposed action, Step 2: Identify Section 7 federallead action agency, Step 3: Initiate informal consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service/National Marine Fisheries Service (USWFS/NMFS); including development of species list Identify Section 7 federallead action agencyIdentify proposed project/proposed actionInitiate informal consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service/National Marine Fisheries Service (USWFS/NMFS); including development of species list
List of numbers from 1-3
Endangered Species Act Process Steps 4 through 6 Step 4: Draft Biological Assessment (BA) (for the actions that may adversely affect an ESA listed species or modify or destroy critical habitat), Step 5: Submit BA with written request for formal consultation, Step 6: USFWS/NMFS issue Biological Opinion Submit BA with written request for formal consultationUSFWS/NMFS issue Biological OpinionDraft Biological Assessment (BA) (for the actions that may adversely affect an ESA listed species or modify or destroy critical habitat)
List of numbers from 4-6
Download Process Flowchart