**SOUTHEAST** **REGION**

**INTRA-SERVICE SECTION 7**

**BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION FORM**

\[Federally endangered, threatened, and candidate species\]

**Originating Person: \_\_**The person(s) or unit (field office, refuge,
program) proposing an action for which Intra-Service Section 7
Biological Evaluation Form is being prepared.

**Telephone Number: \_**Self
explanatory**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ E-Mail: \_**Self
explanatory

**Date: \_**Date the information on the Form was finalized.

**PROJECT NAME (Grant Title/Number):\_\_\_**Self explanatory

**I. Service Program:** Self explanatory

> **\_\_\_ Ecological Services**
>
> **\_\_\_ Federal Aid**

**\_\_\_ Clean Vessel Act**

> **\_\_\_ Coastal Wetlands**
>
> **\_\_\_ Endangered Species Section 6**
>
> **\_\_\_ Partners for Fish and Wildlife**
>
> **\_\_\_ Sport Fish Restoration**
>
> **\_\_\_ Wildlife Restoration**
>
> **\_\_\_ Fisheries**
>
> **\_\_\_ Refuges/Wildlife**

**II. State/Agency:** Self explanatory

**III. Station Name:** Self explanatory

**IV. Description of Proposed Action (attach additional pages as
needed):**

> What is the purpose of this proposed action and how do you plan to
> accomplish it? Describe the project area as well as the project. These
> descriptions should be detailed enough so that the reviewer can fully
> understand what the components of the action include and how the
> project will affect the species. Do not assume that the reviewing
> office will understand procedures that are taken for granted within
> your program. Details can be provided here, or by attaching copies of
> project plans, management plans, stocking schedules, or other project
> documents. National Environmental Protection Act documents are usually
> helpful attachments. Sketches or blueprints of the proposed action
> should be attached. Proposed project dates should be provided. Attach
> a biological assessment if the project is considered a \"major
> construction activity.\" Include any measures agreed to through
> informal consultation to reduce any adverse impacts.

**V. Pertinent Species and Habitat:**

> **A. Include species/habitat occurrence map:** Attach a map that
> identifies species locations with the project area.

B.  Complete the following table:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **SPECIES/CRITICAL HABITAT**                     **STATUS**^1^
  ------------------------------------------------ ----------------------
                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

^1^STATUS: E=endangered, T=threatened, PE=proposed endangered,
PT=proposed threatened, CH=critical habitat, PCH=proposed critical
habitat, C=candidate species

> Identify listed, proposed and candidate species as well as designated
> and proposed critical habitat within the action area and their status.
> The action area includes the immediate area where the proposed action
> will occur, as well as any other areas where direct or indirect
> impacts of the action may be expected. For example, effects of an
> action in the headwaters of a stream may affect endangered fish that
> occur 20 miles downstream. A compilation of species or critical
> habitats that possibly occur in the action area may be generated by
> the Project Leader, or it may be requested from the appropriate
> Ecological Services Office.
>
> Note: All experimental populations of listed species are treated as
> threatened species. However, for the purposes of intra-Service section
> 7 consultation, they are treated as species *proposed* for listing if
> they occur off National Wildlife Refuge or National Park System lands
> and they are classed as \"non-essential\" experimental populations.
>
> List all listed, proposed or candidate species and designated or
> proposed critical habitat that may occur within the action area. This
> informs the reviewer what species have been considered.

**VI. Location (attach map):**

> **A. Ecoregion Number and Name:** Self explanatory
>
> **B. County and State:** Self explanatory
>
> **C. Section, township, and range (or latitude and longitude):** Self
> explanatory
>
> **D. Distance (miles) and direction to nearest town:** Self
> explanatory
>
> **E. Species/habitat occurrence:** Depict species= locations and their
> habitat on a project area map.

**VII. Determination of Effects:**

> **A. Explanation of effects of the action on species and critical
> habitats in item V. B (attach additional pages as needed):**
>
> Discuss either the effects of the action on each listed, proposed, or
> candidate species and critical habitat in the action area, or why
> those species or critical habitats will not be affected. For species
> or critical habitats affected by the proposed action, provide the
> following information:
>
> Impacts of the proposed action on species and/or critical habitat,
> include direct, indirect, interdependent, interrelated, and cumulative
> impacts. (Quantification of effects - acres of habitat, miles of
> habitat, number of individuals, etc.

+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| **SPECIES/**      | **IMPACTS TO SPECIES/CRITICAL HABITAT**          |
|                   |                                                  |
| **CRITICAL        |                                                  |
| HABITAT**         |                                                  |
+===================+==================================================+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+

> **B. Explanation of actions to be implemented to reduce adverse
> effects:**
>
> Project modification ideas may be found in recovery plans. Although
> section 7 of Act prohibits only those actions by Federal agencies
> which are likely to jeopardize listed species or adversely modify
> critical habitat, the Service has a commitment to recovering listed
> species and trying to prevent the need to list additional species.

+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
| **SPECIES/**       | **ACTIONS TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS**                 |
|                    |                                                 |
| **CRITICAL         |                                                 |
| HABITAT**          |                                                 |
+====================+=================================================+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+
|                    |                                                 |
+--------------------+-------------------------------------------------+

**VIII. Effect Determination and Response Requested:**

+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
| **SPECIES/**                  | **DE |       |       | **RE        |
|                               | TERM |       |       | SPONSE^1^** |
| **CRITICAL HABITAT**          | INAT |       |       |             |
|                               | ION^ |       |       | **          |
|                               | 1^** |       |       | REQUESTED** |
+===============================+======+=======+=======+=============+
|                               | **   | *     | *     |             |
|                               | NE** | *NA** | *AA** |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
|                               |      |       |       |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
|                               |      |       |       |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
|                               |      |       |       |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
|                               |      |       |       |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
|                               |      |       |       |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
|                               |      |       |       |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+
|                               |      |       |       |             |
+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------------+

^1^DETERMINATION/ RESPONSE REQUESTED:

> NE = no effect. This determination is appropriate when the proposed
> action will not directly, indirectly, or cumulatively impact, either
> positively or negatively, any listed, proposed, candidate species or
> designated/proposed critical habitat. Response Requested is optional
> but a AConcurrence@ is recommended for a complete Administrative
> Record.
>
> NA = not likely to adversely affect. This determination is appropriate
> when the proposed action is not likely to adversely impact any listed,
> proposed, candidate species or designated/proposed critical habitat or
> there may be beneficial effects to these resources. Response Requested
> is a@Concurrence@.
>
> AA = likely to adversely affect. This determination is appropriate
> when the proposed action is likely to adversely impact any listed,
> proposed, candidate species or designated/proposed critical habitat.
> Response Requested for listed species is AFormal Consultation@.
> Response requested for proposed and candidate species is AConference@.
>
> **Enter the Species, the Determination, and the Response Requested.**
>
> **[No effect/no adverse modification]{.underline}**. For listed,
> proposed, or candidate species. This conclusion is reached if the
> proposed action and its interrelated and interdependent actions will
> not directly or indirectly affect listed species or destroy/adversely
> modify designated critical habitat. Response Requested action would be
> the optional written concurrence is encouraged to facilitate a
> complete administrative record.
>
> **[May Affect, but is not likely to adversely affect species/adversely
> modify critical habitat]{.underline}**. This conclusion is appropriate
> when effects to the species or critical habitat are expected to be
> beneficial, discountable, or insignificant. Beneficial effects are
> contemporaneous positive effects without any adverse effects to the
> species or habitat. Insignificant effects relate to the size of the
> impact (and should never reach the scale where take occurs), while
> discountable effects are those that are extremely unlikely to occur.
> Based on best judgment, a person would not: (1) be able to
> meaningfully measure, detect, or evaluate insignificant effects; or
> (2) expect discountable effects to occur. If the Ecological Services
> Office concurs in writing with the Project Leader\'s determination of
> \"is not likely to adversely affect\" listed species or critical
> habitat, the intra-Service section 7 consultation process is
> completed.
>
> **[May affect, and is likely to adversely affect species/adversely
> modify critical habitat]{.underline}**. This conclusion is reached if
> any adverse effect to listed species or critical habitat may occur as
> a direct or indirect result of the proposed Service action or its
> interrelated or interdependent actions, and the effect is not
> discountable or insignificant (see definition of \"is not likely to
> adversely affect\". In the event the overall effect of the proposed
> action is beneficial to the listed species or critical habitat, but
> may also cause some adverse effect on individuals of the listed
> species or segments of the critical habitat, then the determination
> should be \"is likely to adversely affect.\" Such a determination
> requires formal section 7 consultation.
>
> Example: A refuge proposes prescribed burning for a prairie remnant to
> improve the habitat for the endangered Karner blue butterfly. The burn
> will substantially improve the habitat for the species and promote its
> recovery in subsequent years. However, individual Karner blue
> butterfly eggs and larvae will be killed during the burn. Even though
> the net effect of the burn will be highly beneficial to the listed
> species, the burn must be considered to have an adverse effect. A
> finding of \"is likely to adversely affect\" is necessary.
>
> **[Is likely to jeopardize proposed species/adversely modify proposed
> critical habitat]{.underline}**. For proposed species and proposed
> critical habitats, the Service is required to evaluate whether the
> proposed Service action is likely to jeopardize the continued
> existence of the proposed species or adversely modify an area proposed
> for designation as critical habitat. If this conclusion is reached, a
> section 7 conference is required. If this conclusion is reached,
> intra-Service conference is required.
>
> **[Is likely to jeopardize candidate species]{.underline}**. For
> candidate species, the Service is required to evaluate whether the
> proposed Service action is likely to jeopardize the continued
> existence of the candidate species. If this conclusion is reached,
> intra-Service section 7 conference is required.
>
> **\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **Signature** (originating station) **date**
>
> **\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **Title**

**IX. Reviewing Ecological Services Office Evaluation:**

> **A. Concurrence \_\_\_\_\_\_ Nonconcurrence \_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **B. Formal consultation required \_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **C. Conference required \_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **D. Informal conference required \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **E. Remarks (attach additional pages as needed):**
>
> **\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **Signature date**
>
> **\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**
>
> **Title office**