The Role of Line Officers and Managers

1. The Role of Line Officers and Managers Prepared for: The Interagency Section 7 Streamlined Consultation Training Summit (March 9 - 10, 2004) Prepared by:Bill LeVere, Director of Bio-Physical Resources, Intermountain Region, FS

2. The Role of Management • Managers need to familiarize themselves with ESA and the Section 7 Streamlining Procedures • Managers need to be actively engaged in the process • Managers need to demonstrate commitment to our “Shared Mission”

3. The Role of Management • Managers need to ensure that project proposals are getting to Level 1 Teams as early in the NEPA process as possible • Managers need to ensure that projects are fully described and their effects are identified and appropriately analyzed

4. The Role of Management (continued) • All managers for all agencies need to involve their employees in the process as early as possible • It’s not OK to come in at the “eleventh hour”

5. The Role of Level 1 Teams and Management • Level 1 Teams should not be redesigning projects outside the scope of the original project proposal • Who decides what’s inside or outside the scope of the original project proposal? – the line manager.

6. The Role of Level 1 Teams and Management (continued) • Level 1 Teams do have a role as a “recommending body” to suggest modifications to a preferred alternative, if and when they see opportunities to minimize impacts to listed species and their habitat, while staying within the purpose and need, and scope of the original project

7. The Role of Level 1 Teams and Management (continued) • Any final decisions with respect to modification of the preferred alternatives lies with the line manager • However, it should also be noted that any final determination in a biological assessment lies with the action agency biologist and/or Level 1 Team

8. What Did He Just Say? • When it comes to project modification or project mitigation, the Level 1 Team plays a “recommending” role • The line manager makes the final decision as to whether to buy into the recommendation or not

9. But . . . • Ignoring or declining said recommendations are not without consequence • For example, by declining these recommendations, the Level 1 Team and/or action agency biologist may have to make a LAA determination whereas they may have been able to make a NLAA determination if the recommendations were adopted.

10. Keep in Mind & Remember • There are trade-offs involved here • In order to be successful, it will require some “give and take”, and constant involvement and communication • Level 1 Teams, Level 2 Teams, and all Line Managers have a responsibility to our “Shared Mission”

11. Our “Shared Mission” • Per the August 30, 2000 Interagency Memorandum of Agreement regarding ESA Section 7 Programmatic Consultation and Coordination, our “Shared Mission” is: • “… enhance conservation of imperiled species while delivering appropriate goods and services provided by the lands and resources managed by the signatory agencies”

12. Roles & Responsibilities • Role: It’s perfectly OK for Level 1 Teams and action agency biologists to question project proposals and make recommendations • Role & Responsibility: It’s also the line managers role & responsibility to listen to and consider these recommendations • Responsibility: However, we all need to recognize that at a certain point in the process, the line manager needs to balance this input with everything else they have to consider (budgets, personnel, etc) and make the final decision

13. Roles & Responsibilities • Role: It’s perfectly OK for line managers to question BA effects analysis and determinations and to question the need for additional mitigation requirements • Role & Responsibility: It’s the Level 1 Teams and action agency biologists role & responsibility to respond to these questions • Responsibility: However, at a certain point in the process, the Level 1 Team or action agency biologist needs to make their final determination

14. Questions? Comments?