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<br />002613 <br /> <br />Recovery actions which prorecr or improve habirat conditions and result in more <br />Immediate, positive population responses wrll be most important in derermining rhe <br />extent to which the RIP provides rhe reasonable and prudent alrernatives for projecrs <br />undergoing Section 7 consultation. In general, these actions will be given highest priority <br />in the RIPRAP. <br /> <br />The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will determine whether progress by the RIP <br />provides a reasonable and prudent alternative based on the following factors: <br /> <br />a. Actions which result in a measurable popular ion response, a measurable <br />improvement in habitat for the fishes, legal prorection of flows needed for recovery, <br />or a reduction in the threat of immediate extinction. <br />b. Status of fish popularion. <br />c. Adequacy of flows. <br />d. Magnitude of rhe impact of projects, <br /> <br />Therefore, these factors were considered in rhe development and prioritization of rhe <br />recovery actions in the RIPRAP. <br /> <br />III. Framework for Agreement <br /> <br />The following describes the agreement among RIP participants on a framework for <br />conducting Secrion 7 consultations on deplerion impacrs related to new projecrs (as <br />defined in Secrion 4,1.5 a. of the RIP) and impactsl associated with historic projecrs in <br />rhe Upper Colorado River Basin. This agreement is meant to supplement and clarify the <br />process outlined in Sections 4.1.5, 4.1.6 and 5.3.4 of the RIP. This agreement applies only <br />to the four Colorado River endangered fishes in the Upper Colorado River Basin, <br />excluding the San Juan River, and is not a precedent for other endangered species or <br />locatIOns. <br /> <br />1. Activiries and accomplishments under the RIP are intended to provide rhe <br />reasonable and prudent alrernatives which avoid the likelihood of jeopardy to the <br />continued existence of the endangered Colorado River fishes (hereinafter the <br />"reasonable and prudent alternative") resulring from depletion impacts of new <br />projects and all existing or past impacts related to historic projects with the <br />exception of the discharge by historic projects of pollutants such as trace elements, <br />heavy metals, and pesticides. However, where a programmatic biological opinion <br />applies, the appropriate provisions of such an opinion will apply to future individual <br />consultations. <br /> <br />'All impacts except the discharge of pollutants such as trace elements, heavy metals, <br />and pesticides. <br /> <br />Appendix A - Section 7 Agreement <br /> <br />A-Z <br />