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<br />o <br />o <br />r' <br />,;:. <br />..... <br />0;) <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />and thus serve as components of reasonable and prudent alternatives to avoid jeopardy, the <br />Service has identified other reasonable and prudent alternatives for implementation by project <br />sponsors to complete consultation. Following the seven-year research period, the Biology <br />Committee will identifY and prioritize all foreseeable actions scientifically determined to be <br />necessary to achieve recovery of the endangered fish and their habitat in the San Juan Basin, <br />including projects requiring capital construction funds. The Coordination Committee will review <br />the recommendations of the Biology Committee and adopt a modified long range plan, <br />incorporating capital and research projects as appropriate. The long range plan, as amended and <br />updated annually, will be the basis for making funding requests for the Recovery Program, and <br />formulating annual budgets. The revised long range plan will be modified annually by the <br />Coordination Committee as needed to reflect research results and any additional actions needed to <br />achieve recovery. Additionally, amendments to the long range plan will be made to reflect <br />available funding and changes in priorities for implementation. <br /> <br />5.0 SECTION 7 CONSULTATIONS <br /> <br />1. For the purposes of the RIP and Section 7 consultations, it is assumed that (1) the RIP will <br />produce a list of actions that can be implemented to recover the species (2) the funding will be <br />available to implement the long range plan, (3) participants will take appropriate steps to <br />implement those actions; and (4) actions will be implemented in accordance with the schedule <br />in the Long Range Plan (L.P.), as periodically amended. <br /> <br />2. Activities and accomplishments under the RIP are intended to provide the reasonable and <br />prudent alternatives which allow water management and development activities by existing and <br />future water projects to avoid the likelihood of jeopardy, to avoid adverse modification of <br />critical habitat, and to minimize take of endangered species (hereinafter the "reasonable and <br />prudent alternative'') resulting from all existing or past impacts related to existing water <br />projects, including non-depletion impacts, and all impacts of new water projects. <br /> <br />3. The Service will assess the impacts of projects that require Section 7 consultation and <br />determine if actions completed by the RIP have been sufficient for the RIP to serve as a <br />reasonable and prudent alternative. The Service will also consider whether the probable <br />success of the RIP is compromised as a result of a specific depletion or the cumulative effect of <br />depletions. The Service will consider RIP actions throughout the basin in evaluating the <br />sufficiency of those actions to serve as the reasonable and prudent alternative. The Service will <br />make its assessment based on the best available biological data and professional judgement. <br />The Service will assess the sufficiency of RIP actions in proportion to the potential jeopardy <br />impacts of a proposed federal action. That is, the smaller the impact of a federal action, the <br />lower the level of actions by the RIP needed to provide the reasonable and prudent alternative. <br /> <br />Actions which will be considered as contributing significantly to recovery of the silvery minnow <br />include: <br /> <br />o provision of water for the benefit of listed fISh; <br />