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Delphinium leucophaeum |
The project biologist should systematically evaluate the impacts of a proposed project (with a federal nexus) upon species and habitats by preparing a BA report. The impact analysis phase is divided into two tasks:
- Environmental Impact Analysis to Determine Project Action Area
- Analysis of Project Impacts to Species and Critical Habitats.
Environmental Impact Analysis to Determine Project Action Area
First an analysis of chemical, physical, and biological project effects on the environment is completed to determine the geographic extent of the project action area. The following topics are addressed in the project impact analysis phase:
- Direct effects
- Indirect effects
- Interrelated actions or activities
- Interdependent actions or activities
For those projects that require formal consultations due to an adverse effect determination for a listed species, cumulative effects must also be addressed. However, impacts associated with cumulative effects do not influence (are not taken in to consideration when defining) the size of the project action area.
Analysis of Project Impacts to Species and Critical Habitats
In the second task, the project biologist should systematically evaluate the impacts of a proposed project upon species and habitats occurring within the project action area by completing an exposure and response impact analysis. This analysis will first identify the potential for species and habitats within the project action area to be exposed to project impacts. If exposure is likely, the analysis will then characterize the anticipated response of species and habitat to project impacts. If exposure is unlikely, the biologist should document why this is the case.
The exposure analysis should identify whether or not listed species or designated critical habitat will “co-occur” with the effects of the activities under consultation and should characterize the magnitude and spatial and temporal patterns of exposure to species or critical habitats. To determine the potential for exposure of listed species to project-related impacts, the project biologist should consider the characteristics of each anticipated project impact (where, when, length of time, frequency, etc.), environmental baseline conditions, and how the timing of or use by a species in the action area could coincide with anticipated impacts resulting in potential exposure. To determine potential for critical habitats to be exposed to project impacts, the project biologist must simply examine whether project impacts will extend into critical habitat areas and/or will affect any primary constituent element of these habitat areas.
If exposure is likely, the project biologist would complete a response analysis. Response analyses determine how listed resources are likely to respond after being exposed to project-related effects. A biologist would first identify general responses of species and habitats to anticipated project impacts. The biologist would then consider how specific project impacts would be modified by proposed impact minimization measures and how these changes would in turn affect anticipated species' and habitats' responses to project impacts. Given the potential for exposure and the influence of BMPs on anticipated project-related effects, the project biologist would characterize the anticipated response of each species or critical habitat attribute associated with each project-related impact.
To make an effect determination that pertains to the project as a whole, these project-element specific impact analyses would be considered in concert for each for each listed species or designated critical habitat.
For projects that require formal consultations due to an adverse effect determination, the BA must address cumulative effects. However, impacts associated with cumulative effects do not influence the effect determination of the project on listed species or critical habitat.