# Presentation: 245959

## National Center Ecologists

**National Environmental Policy Meeting**
**Sacramento, CA  **
**June 14-15, 2005**
**By: Meg Bishop, Matthew Judy, David Heffington**
**	**

## NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

-  CENTERS

## FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTERS

- Provide direct technical assistance to
-            States, Caribbean Area and Pacific Basin
- Acquire/develop new science and
-            technology
- Develop and maintain national
-           technical standards, references, and
-           related procedures
- Build partnerships & collaborate to provide
-           training
- Support National Specialists

## STRUCTURE

- Each NTSC has two types of teams:
- Core Team
- National Technology Development Teams

## Interdisciplinary in scope
Focus on technical assistance support to states
Provide leadership for standards
Support training (national)

- Interdisciplinary in scope
- Focus on technical assistance support to states
- Provide leadership for standards
- Support training (national)

## Core Team Make-Up

- Conservation agronomist
- Wildlife & Aquatic biologists
- Water management  engineer
- Environmental engineer
- Agricultural engineer
- Forester
- Agricultural economist
- Rangeland management specialist

- Soil scientist
- Sociologist
- Plant materials specialist
- Technology specialist (2)
- Grazing land specialist (2)
- Public affairs specialist
- Ecologist – Environmental Specialist

## National in scope
Focus on developing new technical tools and information
Responsible for coordinating initial implementation and training
Nine Teams

- National in scope
- Focus on developing new technical tools and information
- Responsible for coordinating initial implementation and training
- Nine Teams

## Greensboro
Animal Waste Utilization
Social Sciences
Soil Quality
Fort Worth
Wildlife
Wetlands
Grazing Lands
Portland
Water Quality / Quantity
Air Quality / Atmospheric Change
Bioenergy

- Greensboro
- Animal Waste Utilization
- Social Sciences
- Soil Quality
- Fort Worth
- Wildlife
- Wetlands
- Grazing Lands
- Portland
- Water Quality / Quantity
- Air Quality / Atmospheric Change
- Bioenergy

## Resources shared between Core Teams and Technology Teams
Core Team specialists are first point of contact

- Resources shared between Core Teams and Technology Teams
- Core Team specialists are first point of contact

## Obtaining Assistance from the NTSCs

- The top priority of the NTSCs is to provide technical services to the states, Pacific Basin and Caribbean Areas.
- To carry out this assistance, NTSCs will coordinate with State Conservationists and State technical specialists.

## Obtaining Assistance from the NTSCs (continued)

- Request for Technical Assistance can be initiated by:
- Phone call to an NTSC specialist,
- Email to an NTSC specialist, or
- Contacting the Center technology specialist
- Visiting the NTSC web site (future)

## Obtaining Assistance from the NTSCs (continued)

- Generally, If assistance will:
- Exceed 12 hours of effort by the NTSC specialist, and/or
- Require travel or on-site visit to the state,
- Then, a “formal” request for assistance from the State Conservationist to the NTSC Director may be needed.

## GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR NTSCs

- Who to Contact:
- State technical specialists are encouraged to contact any specialist within an NTSC.
- NTSC specialists will coordinate within the Center and with specialists in other Centers as needed.

## GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES (continued)

- Coordination and Collaboration Across State Lines – NTSCs will:
- Maintain transparency of operations and availability of information;
- Fully coordinate and share resources across boundaries and among teams, and
- Refer assistance requests to each other to ensure quality service is provided to states.

## GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES (continued)

- For Formal Assistance:
- Entrance and exit conference with STC and State specialists will be offered
- Conferences may be by meeting or teleconference
- Assistance report will be provided

## Direct technical assistance and support to states
Support National Specialists

- Direct technical assistance and support to states
- Support National Specialists

## IA – request to assist with development of Forage Suitability Groups.
ME – assistance in utilization of fish passages
OR – request to develop template for basin-level environmental assessments.
NV, OR, ID – request to assist with coordination of range ESD’s across State borders.
SD, NE, KS – development of areawide EA’s
NHQ - Development and delivery of training

- IA – request to assist with development of Forage Suitability Groups.
- ME – assistance in utilization of fish passages
- OR – request to develop template for basin-level environmental assessments.
- NV, OR, ID – request to assist with coordination of range ESD’s across State borders.
- SD, NE, KS – development of areawide EA’s
- NHQ - Development and delivery of training

## Conservation practice standards writing workshops (multi-state)
Consistency of technical standards across state lines
Development of Ecological Site Descriptions
Assistance with Conservation System Guidesheets (CSGs)
Programmatic ESA consultations
Assistance in developing consultation agreements with tribes to address cultural resource concerns
Expansion of Categorical Exclusions

- Conservation practice standards writing workshops (multi-state)
- Consistency of technical standards across state lines
- Development of Ecological Site Descriptions
- Assistance with Conservation System Guidesheets (CSGs)
- Programmatic ESA consultations
- Assistance in developing consultation agreements with tribes to address cultural resource concerns
- Expansion of Categorical Exclusions

## Are not archeologists
Provide coordination for interstate issues
Supply an interdisciplinary focus 
Coordinate multi-agency efforts and training
Support cultural resource processes, e.g.,  
Assist states in developing consultation agreements with tribes
Investigate and acquire new technology to assist state efforts

- Are _not_ archeologists
- Provide coordination for interstate issues
- Supply an interdisciplinary focus
- Coordinate multi-agency efforts and training
- Support cultural resource processes, e.g.,
- Assist states in developing consultation agreements with tribes
- Investigate and acquire new technology to assist state efforts

## Meg Bishop- West

Matthew Judy- Central

Kristin Smith- East

- Meg Bishop- West
- Matthew Judy- Central
- Kristin Smith- East