The Trump administration has finalized the first steps in 澳门六合彩开奖预测 supported changes to streamline and modernize the implementation of the Endangered Species Act, which can be unpredictable and add delay and cost to the permitting and construction of infrastructure projects.
The pertain to regulations governing the listing and delisting of species and plants, the designation of critical habitat, and the interagency consultations that are part of the approval process for projects that involve federal permits or funding. A few highlights of 澳门六合彩开奖预测-supported changes include:
- Removed automatic assignment of 鈥渆ndangered species level鈥 protections for threatened species in favor of developing tailored species-specific protections. Fish and Wildlife Service intends to finalize species-specific rules concurrent with the final listing or reclassification, an 澳门六合彩开奖预测 supported goal, but it fell short of making that an official deadline.
- Returned to the 鈥渟tep-wise鈥 approach to designating unoccupied habitat as critical鈥攑rioritizing occupied habitat. 澳门六合彩开奖预测 supported this action and requested a higher threshold for unoccupied habitat. The final rule adds clarity that there needs to be 鈥渞easonable certainty鈥 instead of a reasonable 鈥渓ikelihood鈥 that the unoccupied habitat is essential. The final version also adds a requirement that unoccupied critical habitat contain one or more features essential to the conservation of the species.
- Added clarity, as requested by 澳门六合彩开奖预测, on the issue of 鈥渂aseline jeopardy鈥 鈥 adding language that previously approved actions or ongoing activities outside of the discretion of the project sponsor form the environmental baseline.
- Established a deadline for informal consultations, a concept that 澳门六合彩开奖预测 strongly supported. The final version sets a 60-day time frame for the Service to provide a written concurrence or non-concurrence, unless extended upon mutual consent. Although the time frame is not as aggressive as requested, 澳门六合彩开奖预测 stressed the importance of clear deadlines that keep the permitting process moving forward.
Overall, the final rules align with much that 澳门六合彩开奖预测 supported in the proposals (see 澳门六合彩开奖预测 comment letters), taking crucial steps in streamlining and reforming the implementation of the ESA. According to the Unified Agenda, the Administration will pursue additional reforms to ESA implementation. 澳门六合彩开奖预测 will engage in that process and continue to bring members鈥 interests to the forefront.
Environmental groups have already filed suit to challenge the new rules.
For more information, contact Melinda Tomaino at tomainom@agc.org.