9669

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9669
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Policy and Guidelines for Planning and Coordinating Recovery of Endangered and Threatened Species.
• USFW Year: 1990.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

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contemplated, the number of organizations responsible for the implementation
of the recovery tasks, the cooperation of private landowners, the '
availability and expertise of personnel, and the availability of funds.
Lead Regions for endangered species activities have been identified to
guide coordination of listing and r~covery assignments. A discussion of
the concept and Regional responsibilities is found in AppendiX II. Some
recovery plans are prepared by Service biologists. The Service also may
use outside expertise in the form of recovery teams, other Federal agencies,
State personnel, private conservation organizations, or private contractors
in the development and implementation of recovery plans. A detailed
, discuss i on of the opt ions ava i lab 1 e for recovery p 1 anpreparat i on and the
roles of prospective participants is found in Appendix II.

,
The Service need not prepare National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
documents on the lead Regional Director's decision to prepare a recovery
plan. Recovery plan development is categorically excluded from complying
with NEPA based on the consultative and technical assistance nature of
recovery planning. However, implementation of a specific task in a plan
may require NEPA compliance if that task constitutes a major federal action.
(See Memo from the Director to the Regional Directors, "NEPA Categorical
Excl us i on for Recovery Pl ans," dated 11/5/86, in Appendi x IV.)

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A. Preliminary Steos and Reqional Resoonsibilities

The recovery planning process begins when or just before a species is
listed. Some management actions may have occurred prior to listing a
species in an effort to begin reversing its decline or minimizing the
threats to its existence. If the species was previously a candidate, some
management actions may have already taken place. The Regional Director
responsible for preparation of the original listing package is normally
designated the lead for preparing and signing the recovery plan, unless
the affected Regional Directors agree otherwise. The Director reserves
the right to approve recovery plans of national significance.

A lead Regional Director is required to submit a recovery outline to
the Director within 60 days of the final listing rule publication briefly
explaining the actions the Region intends to take. This is a one-page
document in which the Regional Director indicates the species recovery
priority number, whether or not a recovery plan will be prepared, the
est imated date of its compl et ion, whether or not a recovery team will be
appointed, and what immediate or major recovery actions are anticipated.
(See Memo from the Director and Recovery Outline format in AppendiX II.)

For a species found in more than one Region, the designated lead Region
will determine the method of plan preparation and coordinate recovery plan

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