American Oil and Gas Reporter - March 2017 - 95

USFWS Unveils Revised Policy
For Voluntary Species Protection
WASHINGTON-U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service Director Dan Ashe says his director's order establishing a new policy
to help states engage with landowners in
voluntary conservation efforts will help
the country's at-risk species before they
are listed under the Endangered Species
Act.
Under the policy, USFWS says
landowners can generate mitigation credits
for efforts that benefit declining species
through state agencies' conservation programs. Those credits can be redeemed
to offset or mitigate actions detrimental
to a species should it subsequently be
listed under ESA. The agency adds the
credits also may be traded or sold to a
third party.
"We all have a stake in the future of
our nation's wildlife, and many landowners
are keen to play a role in helping ensure
our wild plants and animals and their
habitats are conserved for future generations. This policy provides another mechanism for private landowners, government
agencies and others to do just that. By
investing in early voluntary conservation
actions on behalf of wildlife before they
reach the point at which they need to be
listed under ESA, we can provide both a
more secure future for at-risk species
and reward those who make it happen,"
Ashe describes.
According to USFWS, it worked to
develop and finalize the policy with the
Federal-State Joint Task Force on Endangered Species Act Policy, which includes representatives from state fish and
wildlife services.
According to the federal agency, the
new policy differs from candidate conservation agreements with assurances. It
says CCAAs are open only to nonfederal
landowners and not federal agencies, and
their primary incentive is the assurance
that if a landowner takes certain actions
to conserve a species, there will be no
further restrictions if the species is listed.
In contrast, the new policy is available
for any landowning entity, including
states, tribes, corporations, private individuals, and federal agencies, using marketable credits rather than regulatory assurances to provide the primary participation incentive.
By incentivizing early voluntary conservation efforts before a species reaches
the point where listing is necessary, USFWS says the policy will help protect at-

risk wildlife from habitat loss, competition
from nonnative species, and other threats.
State Programs
At-risk species that could benefit from
these prelisting conservation actions need
not be formal candidates for ESA listing,
USFWS points out. Credits could be
earned only before a species becomes
listed, only for actions that are not mandated by federal, state or local law and
are not part of an existing CCAA. The
agency says in order to receive credit,
the conservation programs must be part
of a state program that a state agency establishes in accordance with this policy.
States may choose, at their discretion,
to set up and administer a program that follows this policy, USFWS says. Using state
wildlife action plans or other formal conservation strategies for a species, states will
provide the overarching species conservation
framework for these voluntary conservation
actions, monitor impacts and benefits to
populations, and provide oversight to ensure
conservation actions are implemented and
maintained, the agency details.
Under the policy, USWFS says it will
review the state programs to ensure they
conform, help states develop conservation
strategies if they need them, and with
tracking implementation and maintenance
of voluntary actions.
Federal agencies will be able to use
conservation credits they earn as a result of
proactive conservation efforts when undertaking ESA Section 7 consultations, USFWS
says. This part of the ESA mandates that
federal agencies must consult with USFWS
before funding, permitting or undertaking
an action that may affect a listed species.
The service adds that the policy clarifies
that when federal agencies take beneficial
actions before a species is listed, it will
give those actions appropriate consideration
during the consultation process.
"The Association of Fish & Wildlife
Agencies is appreciative of this innovative
approach that values and credits effective
conservation stewardship, particularly on
privately owned working landscapes, and
recognizes the important efforts being
led by state fish and wildlife agencies to
recover and conserve species that most
need our cooperative support," says Nick
Wiley, AFWA president.
The policy can be found at
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/prelisting-conservation.html. ❒

Support
Energy Education
The American Oil & Gas
Historical Society seeks
your help building new
partnerships with community museums, teacher
workshop practioners, and
other energy educators.
This Society, a 501(c)-3 nonprofit organization established
in 2003, needs immediate
financial support to continue
making a difference in public
education. Our "Petroleum
Age" newsletter and network
of community oil and gas
museums serve as frontline
energy educators. Together we
explain the many historic
achievements of today's energy
business. The public gains a
new appreciation for geology,
petroleum engineering and
chemistry. Funding remains the
constant challenge for accomplishing this outreach. Now
more than ever, America needs
an educated public making
informed decisions about energy.
Please make a tax-deductible
donation today.
American Oil & Gas
Historical Society
1201 15th Street, NW, Ste. 300
Washington, DC 20005
Ph: 202-857-4785 F: 202-857-4799

www.aoghs.org
MARCH 2017 95

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/preslisting-conservation.html http://www.aoghs.org http://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/preslisting-conservation.html

American Oil and Gas Reporter - March 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Oil and Gas Reporter - March 2017