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<br /> <br />t l1li<< <br /> <br />0023E>5 <br />Federal ReJI.lar I Vol. 51. No. 106 I Tu..day. June 3. 1986 I Rule. and Regulation. <br /> <br />Para,raph (c) 011 W.I1I. .dopled <br />/rom propo.ed 1402.1f(e) and the <br />Introductory poragraph 01 propo.ed <br />1402.1f(d). Thl. poragreph govem. <br />Initiation 01 early con.ultatlon by the <br />Federol agancy 1/ the pro.pectlvo <br />eppltcant compUe. with pangr.ph (b). <br />Poragraph (d) oll402.l1govem. the <br />procedure. for conducting ellrly <br />consultation. To eliminate unnecellary <br />regulatory languega. thl. paragr.ph <br />erollll-references the Hem. in 1402..14(c}- <br />(j). .Ince the general con.ultetlon <br />requirement. are the lame a. for fonnal <br />consultation. The proposed rule <br />repented these requlrementlllln 1402.14 <br />(d) through (I). <br />One commenter argued that the <br />Service exceeded ill authority in <br />propo.ed paragraph (d)(3) by telling <br />I ~l,Feder81 agencies. how lu meet thelr <br />responsibilities by requiring Federal <br />~ f . agencies to involve the applicant in the <br />data.gatheringlunction. Although We i. <br />not included in the final rule. the F.d.ral <br />agency hall an underlying responsibility <br />to involve the applicant in every aspect <br />of the early consultation to the extent <br />possible. Moreover, the applicant may <br />be the primary lIouree of data used in <br />the conaultation. <br />If the Iction is II major construction <br />activity. then a biological 8118enment <br />must be prepared in accordance with <br />1402.12 before the request for early <br />con8ultation II .ubmitted. al Is required <br />for formal con.ultation. This il a change <br />lrom propo.ed 1402.12(b)(10]. which <br />made the biological alle8smenl optional <br />4uii!18 early consultation. The Service <br />agreea with the comment tha~ lor major <br />construction aclivttiee. a meaningful <br />early,con.ullation mu'llnclude lb. <br />,preps'ratlon ola biological a..e..menl <br />because the preliminary biological <br />. PP!J)ion illued after early con.ultaUon <br />may be confirmed.. the final biological <br />opinIon. Therefore, II early consultation <br />II requested for a major construction <br />ectivlty. the Fed.ral agency mu.l <br />complete a biological 8nell8ment under <br />1402.12 prior to .ubmlttlng Ite reque.t <br />for early r:onsuJtaUon. <br />The time limit. and ext.n.lon <br />provislonl for (ormal con.ullaUon are <br />incorporated by reference al the <br />requirements for early conlultatlon. <br />Several commenlen lell that the <br />"mutually agre.d upon" I.nguage of lbe <br />propo.alll402.14(e)) w.. too 100.. and <br />Ihat d.finltlve lime IimJt. were needed. <br />The Service agree. and h.. .dopted the <br />lime Iimlt.lor lormel coOlultetlon to <br />epply to e.rly consultation .. w.ll The <br />Service nole. lb.~ for major <br />con.lnlellon .ctlvltl... lbe time period <br />will not begin to run until tho bloloilcal <br />a.....m.nl under 1402.121a complet""'. <br />Boca UII time deadline. havo been <br /> <br />5--07"" <br /> <br />0020(Ot)(ll-WA Y"-llo1&$6l <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />.dopled. there I. no n.ed 10 requlre . <br />wrIt1en notice thet con.ulletlon h.. <br />be.n concluded. .. requnl.d by one <br />coromenler. <br />Propo.ed 1402.1C(1) concemod <br />reque.t. by the Service lor .dditlonal <br />dll.. and did not r.qulre tho addition 01 <br />a wrIt1en notlco procedure lor obt.lnlng <br />an exten.lon. 1111. I. now requJred. .1 <br />requested by one commenter. by <br />Incorporating the formal conlultltion <br />requIrement.. <br />Propo.od 1402.14(f] recognlzod thaI <br />the Service'. re.ponslbllltl.. during <br />e8rly con.ultation 8re the a8me 8. tho.e <br />thel ext.t during lormal ""n.ultatlon. <br />Th. final rule retain" lbl. provl.lon by <br />rel.rence. Th. Service I. oppo..d to <br />limiting the .cope 01 It. analy.l. 01 <br />Impact. during early consultation. and It <br />i. al.o oppo.ed 10 limiting the free now <br />01 communication among II, the F.deral <br />agency. and lba appUcan~ Therelore. <br />the comment .ugge.llng that draft <br />preliminary biological oplnlon. not be <br />rel....d 10 lbe Federel agancy or the <br />pro.pective applicant I. relectad. nu. I. <br />not an I..ue lbet can b. dealt wllb on an <br />ad hoc b..I.. d.pendina on the program <br />experience with particular agencies or <br />region.. The policy bahlnd early <br />consultation il clear: full involvement of <br />all partie.. including the pro.pectiv. <br />opplican~ to Id.ntlfy and eliminate <br />confllcll at lbe earU..1 poealble etage 01 <br />a proJect. <br />Paragraph (e) 011402.11 provld.. lbat <br />the contenla and conclullona of 8 <br />preliminary biological oplnlon are lba <br />.ame .. lor a biological opinion I..ued <br />alter lormal con.ullatlon In 1402.14(1). <br />One commenler .tated that bIological <br />oplnlOOl need only be I..ued alt.r <br />formal con.ultation under ..ction 7(a)(2) <br />01 lb. Act and that tbIa .hould b. <br />clarlfted In the rule. The Service <br />dilagree. becaule . ""written .tatement" <br />containing lba Secretary'. opinion Is <br />required to be given after lb. conclu.lon <br />of bolb early end lormal comult.tlon. <br />However. lb.", I. an Important <br />difference In lb..e two type. 01 <br />opinion.: the former baa no <br />Independ.nl, operative .fsnlfIcance. <br />while lb. lalt.r .tate. lbe Service'. <br />"final" ludgment on lba Impacta of an <br />aellon. The preliminary biological <br />opinion. I..u.d alter the concIu.lon 01 <br />early con.ulletlon. ha. no operative <br />lorce unU) It Ia latar confirmed by lbe <br />Service under ..ellon 7(b)(3)(B) 01 lbe <br />Acl, IUlt before the artlon I. to be talton. <br />On. commenter ..Id thaI It I. <br />inappropriale 10 Include an incidental <br />take .tatement wllb a preliminary <br />b1oloilcaJ opinion. Tha Servlca believe. <br />thaI Input on Inddental taIto I. ....ntial <br />10 adequately a..l.t lbe applicant In <br />Planalna III action. It would be unfair to <br /> <br />F4701.FV1'".(111.BOJ...f-1lHlC1 <br /> <br />". <br />~ \ <br /> <br />lora tho appUcanllo walt unU! lb. tlma <br />for conllrmatlon 01 lb. prallmlnary <br />bloloilcal o,>lnlon 10 rec.elve IIa lInl <br />notice on the lemu and conditions that <br />mu.1 be compllad wllb .nd the amount <br />.nd axtent 01 permJ..lbl. Inddental <br />Ilk.. No harm re.ullllo lb. .peeIe. by <br />providing this .tatament In lbe <br />preliminary biological opinion beca.... <br />n .taled In lbe rule. It do.. not <br />con.titute a permJllo take. Th. "taIdng" <br />examptlon under ..ellon 7(0)(2) doe. nol <br />occur unU) lb. preliminary biological <br />oplnlon Ia leter confirmed .. . final <br />oplnlon under IW.ll(f]. <br />Paragrapb (f] 011402.11 II adopted <br />/rom propo..d II 402.15{b] and <br />402.16(a). nu. paragrapb ecknowledgeo <br />lbal, 1/ certain Ilndlngl are made by lba <br />Service. a pre\lmlnaly biological opinion <br />may be conllrm.d .. a final biological <br />oplnlon aft.r lormal application lor a <br />Federal Ucense or permJtla made. The <br />ruI. require. lbe ServIce to make IIa <br />ded.lon on confirmation within 45 dey. <br />alter recelpl of lbe Fed.ra1 agencY. <br />reque.l. A. requ..led by one <br />commenter. both lbe requut and lb. <br />Service'. re.pom. mu.l be In wrIUns- <br /> <br />Section 402.12 Biological AueumenL <br /> <br />nus .ection .xplalna lbe biological <br />881ellSment requirementJ under lection <br />7(c) 01 lb. Acl and lbe proce.. thaI mUll <br />be lollow.d In IIa preparation. The <br />requirement thaI blolcglcal a.....moola <br />be prepared In advanca 01 certain <br />consultation. und.r .actlon 7(a)(2) w.. <br />add.d by the 1978 Am.ndm.nll. <br />Although lba Service b... .. a matler of <br />ag.ncy prectlce. been requiring lbe <br />preparation 01 biological ..11111110011 In <br />appropriala ca... undar lbe .ulbority 01 <br />.action 7(c). W. final rule conaolldete. <br />all regula lory requJrem.nll pertaining to <br />biological ...e..manll. <br />The propo.ed"twe .ddreued lbe <br />biological a.....menl provl.lons In <br />11402.01(c) and 402.12(b).1n re.ponaa to <br />public commenll. lbe Service h.. <br />m.rged th... _tlom In the fIna1 rule <br />Inlo I W.12. The new formal clarIft.. <br />tha requlremenla and procedure. for <br />preparing biological a......"enll. <br />Allbough lb. oraanlzatlon of theee <br />provl.lom b.. bean chanpd <br />.ub.tantlally. lbe IUbelance 01 lbe <br />~atlonl...xcaplfor~or <br />amendm.nll. lbe lalDe a. that presented <br />In lbe propooed ruI.. <br />Th. Informal conauJtation and <br />blo'.JgIcaI ......menl pn>ceII8I were <br />bolb p.....nted In 1402.12 of the <br />propooed rule. nu. confuHd oaveral <br />commenton who believed that <br />biological .....omanll oould only be <br />performed In OOD/uncl1on with Informal. <br />oonsultatiOl1A. To eUmlnata thIo <br /> <br />. ~ <br />