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<br />000280 <br /> <br />any appeal to the Endangered <br />Species Committee. <br /> <br />(h) Conservation Recommendations. <br /> <br />i. Conservation recommendations <br />may be included with a <br />biological opinion if <br />appropriate, and are <br />discretionary actions, related <br />to the project under review, <br />that the federal agency or <br />applicant can undertake to <br />help conserve the species or <br />its habitat. 50 C.F.R. <br />& 402.14 (g) (6) <br /> <br />(5) Biological Assessment - Section 7(c). <br /> <br />(a) The initial responsibility for <br />determining whether the project <br />will affect a listed or proposed <br />species lies with the action <br />agency. The Service then concurs <br />or does not concur with their <br />finding. One of the tools for <br />assisting the action agency in <br />making that determination is the <br />"biOlogical assessment." 16 D.S.C. <br /> <br />& 1536(c); 50 C.F.R. & 402.12. <br /> <br />(b) By regulation, a biological <br />assessment must be prepared for <br />"major construction activities" (50 <br />C.F.R. & 402.12(b)), which are <br />further defined as construction <br />projects (or other undertakings <br />having similar physical impacts) <br />which are a major federal action <br />significantly affecting the quality <br />of the human environment as <br />referred to in the National <br />Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 50 <br />C.F.R. & 402.02. <br /> <br />(c) The contents of a biological <br />assessment are discretionary, but <br />generally include the results of <br />onsite inspections to determine the <br />presence of a listed or proposed <br /> <br />13 <br />