[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29749-29750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11730]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

[WO-230-04-1150-PG]


Joint Counterpart Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation 
Regulations; Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service Alternative 
Consultation Agreements With U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. Forest Service, 
Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries (NOAA Fisheries) (referred to 
as the Services), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest 
Service (FS) have approved Alternative Consultation Agreements pursuant 
to the joint counterpart regulations for consultation under section 7 
of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to streamline consultation on 
proposed projects that support the National Fire Plan (NFP).

DATES: The BLM and FS Alternative Consultation Agreements with U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service are 
available on the BLM and FS Web sites.

ADDRESSES: Information on the Alternative Consultation Agreements is 
available electronically through the Internet sites (http://www.blm.gov 
or http://www.fs.fed.us. ), or from the BLM, 1849 C Street, NW., LSB-
204, Washington, DC 20240 or from the FS, Mail Stop 1121, 1400 
Independence Avenue, Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Olwell, Bureau of Land 
Management, Endangered Species Program Lead, 202-452-7764, or [email protected] or Marc Bosch, U.S. Forest Service, Endangered Species 
Program Leader, 202-205-1220, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The counterpart regulations, authorized by 
50 CFR 402.04, complement the consultation process by providing an 
alternative process for completing section 7 consultation for projects 
that authorize, fund, or carry out actions that support the NFP. The 
Counterpart Regulations eliminate the need to conduct informal 
consultations and obtain written concurrence from the Services for 
those NFP actions that the BLM or FS determines are ``not likely to 
adversely affect'' (NLAA) listed species or designated critical 
habitat.
    The final rule for the counterpart regulations was published in the 
Federal Register on December 8, 2003, and became effective on January 
7, 2004. Implementation of the counterpart regulations requires BLM and 
FS to develop and sign an Alternative Consultation Agreement (ACA) with 
the Services, and to jointly develop a training program, based on the 
needs of the agency. The BLM and the FS signed separate ACAs with the 
Services on March 3, 2004. The interagency training program is being 
developed by BLM, FS, FWS, and NOAA and will be available for agency 
staff by May, 2004.
    The regulations require that the ACA and related oversight or 
monitoring reports be made available to the public through a Federal 
Register notice of availability. The ACA for the Bureau of

[[Page 29750]]

Land Management is available on BLM's Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nhp/text/index.html. The Forest Service ACA is available on the Forest 
Service's Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us.

    Dated: April 8, 2004.
Jim Gladen,
Director, Watershed, Fisheries and Wildlife Staff, USDA Forest Service.

    Dated: April 21, 2004.
Thomas H. Dyer,
Deputy Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning, Bureau of 
Land Management.
[FR Doc. 04-11730 Filed 5-24-04; 8:45 am]
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