Exhibit C: BO Template - Laserfiche WebLink

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Slateineilt section below may need aclditional text.] VIII. Cumulative Effects Cumulative effects include the effects of future State, local, or private (non-federal) actions that are reasonably certain to occur in the action area considered in this biological opinion. A non-federal action is "reasonably certain" to occur if the action requires the approval of a State or local resource or land-control agency, such agencies have approved the action, and the project is ready to proceed. Other indicators which may also support such a"reasonably certain to occur" determination include whether: a) the project sponsors provide assurance that the action will proceed; b) contracting has been initiated; c) State ar local planning agencies indicate that grant of authority far the action is immiilent; or d) where historic data have demonstrated an established trend, that trend may be forecast into the future as reasonably certain to occur. These indicators must show more than the possibility that the non-federal project will occur; they must demonstrate with reasonable certainty that it will occur. Future federal actions that are unrelated to the proposed action are not considered in this section because they require separate consultation pursuant to section 7 of the Act and would be consulted on at a later time. Ctnnulative effects are described on pages 194 to 300 of the Tier 1 PBO, and are hereby incorporated by reference. [Discuss any changes in cuinulative effects, ifany, since the Tier 1 PBO was issued, or include a stateinent sayin(; thei•e are no substantial changes in status since that time]. IX. Conclusions The Service concludes that the proposed [Project Nai-ne] is consistent with the Tier 1 PBO for effects to listed species and critical habitat addressed in the Tier 1 PBO. After reviewing site specific information, including: 1) the scope of the Federal Action, 2) the environmental baseline, 3) the status of the whooping crane, interiar least tern, piping plover, pallid sturgeon, western prairie fringed orchid, and the bald eagle in the central and lower Platte River and their potential occurrence within the project area, as well as whooping crane critical habitat, 4) the effects of the [Project Name], and 5) any cumulative effects, it is the Service=s biological opinion that the [Project Name], as described, is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the federally endangered whooping crane, interior least tern, and pallid sturgeon, or the federally threatened northern Great Plains population of the piping plover, western prairie fringed orchid, or bald eagle in the central and lower Platte River. The Federal Action is also not likely to destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat for the whooping crane. X. Incidental Take Statement Section 9 of ESA and federal regulations pursuant to section 4(d) of ESA prohibit the take of endangered and threatened species without special exemption. Take is defined as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct, and applies to individual members of a listed species. Harm 5