|
<br />f. .
<br />
<br />.'
<br />
<br />,
<br />I
<br />, 7,' :Tb,e ;PrQgfol!ll ,j$r~P9nsible for pr,pvidi!lghabitat el~!lIe!lts ~hich the Service de~rmines
<br />are essential ,tQ ,'recQY~ry, o("Plattl<~i'ler 'c;n~l!nger~(U~ies, not. i,!qividUal4-~tt;i( project
<br />. . .' I
<br />sponsors/owners. Whether or not a Section 7 review is required, the Program wilI work
<br />coop€;J:lltiyely With th,e, Qwn~rs/operators of historicpr,pjec~, sponsors of propose9 projects, and
<br />other parties, on ~ voluntary ,basis to identify, eval~ate, and implement actions n~ed to recover
<br />the endangered species; habitats. , , ' ' , ,!
<br />
<br />, :'."
<br />
<br />'-"
<br />
<br />'." '.' ...'
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />8. The responsibility for the efflciencY.l!Jld teffective!l~,s of the Program and for its viability
<br />as a reasonable and prudent alternative rests upon Program parti!=ipants, not with the individual
<br />project proponents. The Program participants fully share that responsibility.
<br />
<br />9. If the Program cannot provide reasonable and prudent alternatives per item 6 above, as
<br />a last resort, the Service wilI develop a reasonable and prudent alternative, if available, with the
<br />lead federal agency and the project proponent. Program participants recognize that such
<br />instances would be inconsistent with the intended operation .of the Program. In this eventuality, ,~ ;
<br />lie reasonable and rudent alternative WI e consIstent WIth the ESA. ~ ~,~
<br />
<br />
<br />2.5.2 Bureau of Reclamation Review of Existing Project Operations ' '{.,~~~,
<br />
<br />'l7~
<br />;:, .,
<br />, Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act requires federal agencies to carry out conservation
<br />.. . . ,
<br />programs for listed species.' :Section 7(a)(I) als~ requires ffderal agencies to ensure that their
<br />a~tions are ,not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species or to' adversely
<br />modify ~r destroy critical habitat. , I~ order t~ determine if the water resource projects
<br />constructed and operated by Reclamation in the North and, South Platte River Basin may have
<br />adversely affected the threatened and ~ndangered. species habitat in central Nebraska,
<br />~1t. Reclamation initiated informal Section 7 consultation with the Service in Fiscal Year 1991 to
<br />~(1..nvestiga~ and evaluate the operation of ,exis!ing Reclamation facilities in the Platte
<br />River Basin to ensure compliance with the ESA, The, evaluation includes the North and South
<br />Platte Rivers froQ}, ,Reclamation's existing facilities through the Big Bend area of the Platte
<br />River. Reclamation operates three projects on the North Platte River (Kendrick Project, North
<br />
<br />26
<br />
|