PRRIP Draft Environmental Impact Statement

• Description: DRAFT EIS for Platte River Recovery Implementation Program or PRRIP
• State: CO
• State: NE
• State: WY
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 12/1/2003
• Author: U.S Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Title: Platte River Recovery Implementation Program ‎(PRRIP)‎ Draft Environmental Impact Statement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

Platte River Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
the Program in the applicable final biological opinion for the specific project. The Program, through its
programmatic biological opinion, only provides the ESA compliance measures for effects to the target
species and their designated critical habitats.
In order to comply with the ESA, Federal -nexus Program activities must complete site - specific
consultations for effects to non - target listed species. Water Action Plan projects and willing seller /lessor
of water activities are examples where the Program and the Service must consider other listed species
and consult under ESA Section 7 if needed. Depending on the significance of the Federal action,
additional NEPA analyses may also "tier" off the programmatic EIS. For example, prior to construction,
a site - specific NEPA evaluation must be conducted for the local (non- target species) effects of the
Pathfinder Modification Project.
Future Section 7 consultations could result in one of three possible outcomes for Federal -nexus projects
(note: non - Federal nexus projects do not consult under the ESA):
Complete a streamlined consultation (below) for an existing Federal project (i.e., the project is
"covered" by the Program's habitat and water management activities).
Complete a streamlined consultation for a new Federal project (i.e., the project is "covered" by
one of the Program's depletion management plans).
Complete Section 7 consultation without relying on Program activities. Individual water
project owners and operators would be responsible for complying with Section 7 of the ESA
(note: it is the project applicant's decision whether to elect to participate in the Program or not
for ESA compliance purposes).
A "streamlined" consultation is one where: (1) all ESA requirements for Section 7 consultation are still
completed, (2) the effects to the target species and their critical habitats were analyzed in the
programmatic EIS and programmatic biological opinion, and (3) the Program's actions or depletion
management plans can be used as ESA compliance measures for that project's effects to the target
species and their critical habitats in Nebraska.
See the "Water" section in the Governance Committee Program Document for a more detailed discussion
of the coordination between the Service, States, and the Governance Committee during Section 7
consultations as part of the Program.
December 2003