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To ensure that a proposed federal action is compliant with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act and meets WSDOT Biological Assessment (BA) standards, a process of environmental evaluation, documentation, and review has been developed by WSDOT.
In June 2006, WSDOT began a qualification program for consultants who prepare biological assessments for the agency. The program involves attendance at required seminars, passing an examination, and meeting biological assessment quality standards defined by WSDOT.
Spotted Owl - Photo from USDA Forest Service
WSDOT's BA development and consultation process can be divided into six general phases:
The Endangered Species Act requires preparation of a BA for any major construction project with a federal nexus. WSDOT has developed specific standards and guidance on content of Biological Assessments prepared for the agency.
WSDOT, in conjunction with USFWS, NMFS and FHWA, routinely develops guidance documents and protocols for addressing certain topics in Biological Assessments. The BA Guidance page provides a localized site to find all current and updated guidance documents on subjects such as stormwater, noise assessments and indirect effects and the WSDOT BA Preparation for Transportation Projects Manual.
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Several protocols and templates are available to standardize elements of the consultation and are required as appendices within Biological Assessments for WSDOT projects.
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Species List/ESA Listing Information
ESA Listing Updates (pdf 55 kb) contains updated information on listing and delisting proposals, status of proposed critical habitat and protective regulations, 90-day petition findings and species undergoing 12-month status reviews for Washington State.
Georgia Basin Rockfish Distinct Population Segments - On April 23, 2009, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published the results of the 12-month scientific status review of five species of rockfish and proposal to list three species under the Endangered Species Act. Based on the review, NMFS has proposed the Georgia Basin Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of bocaccio as an endangered species and the Georgia Basin DPS’s of yelloweye rockfish and canary rockfish as threatened species. The Georgia Basin DPS boundaries refers to all of Puget Sound, including the area around the San Juan Islands and the Strait of Georgia north to the mouth of the Campbell River in British Columbia. The western boundary of the DPS runs along the Victoria sill from east of Port Angeles to Victoria across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf Distinct Population Segment - On April 2, 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published in the Federal Register a Final Rule that identifies the Northern Rocky Mountain (NRM) population of gray wolf as a distinct population segment (DPS), and removes gray wolves within NRM DPS boundaries from the list of threatened and endangered wildlife, except in Wyoming. The NRM DPS encompasses the eastern one-third of Washington and Oregon, a small part of north-central Utah, and all of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. This rule becomes effective on May 4, 2009.
Wolves that occur in the eastern one-third of Washington, east of highways 97, 17, and 395, will no longer be federally listed under the ESA. Any wolves in all other parts of the state west of highways 97, 17, and 395 remain federally protected under the ESA.
Eulachon (Columbia River Smelt) - On March 13, 2009, the National Marine Fisheries Service published a Proposed rule to delineate Columbia River smelt into two or more distinct population segments (DPS) and to list the Southern DPS as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This proposed action may become finalized within one year from the date of the proposed rule (by March 13, 2010).
Canada Lynx - Final rule on revised critical habitat designation for the contiguous United States distinct population segment of the Canada lynx - February 25, 2009. The revised critical habitat designation becomes effective on March 27, 2009.
Southern DPS Green Sturgeon - On September 8, 2008, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published in the Federal Register a Proposed Rule to designate critical habitat for the threatened Southern distinct population segment of North American green sturgeon (Southern DPS of green sturgeon).
Delisting of Bald Eagle - August 8, 2007 - The bald eagle is still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (Eagle Act) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
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