PRRIP Purposes and Overview Draft (2)

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PLATTE RIVER RECOVERY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM September--November 1-29, 2005 In the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Cooperative Agreement ("Program Agreement"), the Department of the Interior ("DOI") and the States of Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming agreed to participate in the basin-wide cooperative program described in this Program Document and its attachments relating to four target species (interior least tern, whooping crane, piping plover and pallid sturgeon) listed as threatened or endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act ("ESA"), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et M., and their associated habitats.l The Platte River Recovery Implementation Program ("Program") builds upon the July 1, 1997 Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to Endangered Species Habitats Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska ("July 1997 Cooperative Agreement"). The Program includes certain activities and contributions from the states and the federal government to be conducted during incremental time periods as described below. The signatories have agreed that implementation of this Program will be through a Governance Committee consisting of representatives of the signatories and stakeholders as described in the Program Organizational Structure in Attachment 6. 1. PROGRAM PURPOSES A. The purpose of this Program is to implement certain aspects of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS') recovery plans far the target species that relate to their associated habitats by providing for the following: 1. securing defined benefits for the target species and their associated habitats to assist in their conservation and recovery through a basin-wide cooperative approach agreed to by the three states and DOI; ` For purposes of this Program Document and its attachments, the term "associated habitats" means, with respect to the interior least tern, whooping crane, and piping plover, the Platte River valley beginning at the junction of U.S. Highway 283 and Interstate 80 near Lexington, Nebraska, and extending eastward to Chapman, Nebraska, including designated critical habitat for the whooping crane and that portion of any designated critical habitat for piping plover within that Lexington to Chapman reach. With respect to the pallid sturgeon, the term "associated habitat" means the lower Platte River between its confluence with the Elkhorn River and its confluence with the Missouri River. "Associated habitats" may, to the extent approved by the Governance Committee, include any critical habitat in the Lexington to Chapman reach of the Platte River Basin which is subsequently designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service far the target species. The Governance Committee may agree to undertake, fund or give credit for land activities outside the associated habitats to provide biological benefits to the target species. Septe nber-November -129 2005 Program Document 1 ?