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<br />Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations require that the National Environmental <br />Policy Act (NEPA) be integrated with other environmental reviews; including integration with <br />any environmental analysis required by the ESA. Department of Interior regulations <br />implementing Section 7 of the ESA also encoura;e coordination with NEPA. Accordingly, <br />FERC plans to initiate formal consultation under Section 7 of the ESA with the Service <br />concurrent with transmittal of the revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The <br />revised DEIS in concert with an independent analysis by the Service will form the basis of the <br />Service's biological opinion. On the basis of the Service's biological opinion, FERC will <br />prepare a final EIS, including recommended terms and conditions of the new licenses by which <br />the projects will be required to operate. A revised DEIS is currently scheduled for release by <br />FERC in fall 1993. Thereupon, the Service will have 90 days to prepare a biological opinion <br />and 45 additional days to transmit that opinion to the FERC. The need for additional <br />information or request for extension under NEPA can influence the-date of the final licensing. <br />Though the FERC relicense proceeding is being conducteri independently of the Program, it is <br />anticipated that any reasonable and prudent alternatives that may be necessary for the relicensing <br />to comply with Section 7- would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Platte River <br />Habitat Conservation Program. Any reasonable and prudent alternatives could have either, or <br />both, land and water management components. The Districts will be responsible for implement- <br />ing water management activities required by FERC in compliance with the ESA. The Program <br />will assume responsibility for implementing any land management responsibilities required by <br />FERC to comply with the Endangered Species Act, including acquisition, clearing, monitoring, <br />management, and maintenance. All actions will contribute to meeting the Program goals and <br />objectives. <br />Following completion of the FERC relicensing, additional Section 7 consultations on federal <br />actions for the Districts' project that may be necessary in the general approach in Section 2.5. l, <br />and the Program will be responsible for providing the reasonable and prudent alternatives. <br />29