The first annual review for Survey and Manage (S&M) species has been completed in compliance with the 2001 Record of Decision (ROD) for amendments to the S&M, Protection Buffer, and other Mitigation Measures Standards and Guidelines (S&Gs), and the changes recommended in this review are hereby adopted (Attachment 1). This memorandum changes the category placement for species displayed in Table 1-1 of the 2001 S&M ROD. The specific changes are summarized in the attached Results and Implementation Summary table (Attachment 1) and are included in the revised Table 1-1 dated today (Attachment 2). Each change documented for each species in the Results and Implementation Summary table represents a separate and independent decision even though they are all being transmitted in this one memorandum correspondence. Implementation requirements for the different provisions of the S&M Standards and Guidelines are provided below and summarized in Attachment 1. This decision is effective today. Implementation
of 2001 S&M Annual Species Review 2
Application to Management Activities in the Planning
Phase with No Signed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Decision or
Decision Document as of the Effective Date of This Decision
Implementation of Manage
Known Site Requirement. The manage known site
requirement is effective immediately in the portion of the range for Nephroma
bellum that has moved from Category F to Category E and in the extended
ranges for the 10 species that have a range change documented and remain in
Categories A, B, C, D, or E. The 10 species that have been removed in all or a part of their range solely because they are no longer considered closely associated with late-successional or old-growth forest will be considered for inclusion in agency special status species programs and the requirement to manage known sites will remain in effect in the removed portion of their range until their disposition is clarified in the special status species consideration. For all other species removed from S&M or moved to Category F, the manage known site requirement is no longer in effect in the removed portion or Category F portion of their range, and these sites are released for other resource considerations. Implementation of
Pre-Disturbance Survey Requirement. Pre-disturbance survey
protocols will need to be prepared for four lichens that moved from Category B
to Category A. Protocols will be
prepared by the end of FY 2003 and, assuming they are 1-year survey protocols,
will apply to all activities for which NEPA decisions or decision documents are
signed no sooner than one year after their official release and no later than
the end of FY 2004. Actual effective
dates will be set in the Survey Protocol documents or the Agencies’ transmittal
memos. Pre-disturbance surveys will no longer be required in the portion of the range in which a species has been removed from S&M, including species which have been removed because they are no longer considered closely associated with late-successional or old-growth forests and are under review for placement in agency special status species programs. Pre-disturbance surveys will also not be required for the portion of a species range that has moved to Category B, D, E, or F. Implementation of
Equivalent-Effort Survey Requirement. Equivalent effort surveys
will continue to be implemented for the one mollusk species (Helminthoglypta
hertleini) that has changed from Category B to Category E and the other
equivalent effort survey mollusks that did not have a Category change. Application
to Management Activities with
Signed NEPA Decisions or Decision Documents Before the Effective Date of This
Decision For activities under awarded contract or signed permit, or if actual habitat-disturbance has already commenced using agency crews:
If activities are not under an awarded contract or signed
permit, or actual habitat disturbance by agency crews has not begun: Implementation of Manage
Known Site Requirement. Sites of species now
requiring management of known sites will be managed as described under Application
of Manage Known Sites Direction under the Timing Requirements for Surveys
section on page 24 of the S&M ROD S&Gs. This applies to Nephroma bellum, that has moved from
Category F to Category E, and in the extended ranges for the 10 species that
have a range change documented and remain in Categories A, B, C, D, or E. The 10 species that have been removed in all or a part of their range solely because they are no longer considered closely associated with late-successional or old-growth forest will be considered for inclusion in agency special status species programs and the requirement to manage known sites will remain in effect in the removed portion of their range until their disposition is clarified in the special status species consideration. For all other species removed from S&M or moved to Category F, the manage known site requirement is no longer in effect in the removed portion or Category F portion of their range. Implementation of
Pre-Disturbance Survey Requirement. Pre-disturbance surveys for
those species listed as Category A, C, or “equivalent effort” in Table 1-1 of
the S&M ROD is expected to have been completed previously for projects with
signed NEPA decisions or decision documents.
If, however , surveys have not been completed, then pre-disturbance
surveys will no longer be required in the portion of the range in which a
species is removed from S&M, or moves to Category B, D, E, or F. “Equivalent effort” surveys for the one
mollusk species (Helminthoglypta hertleini) that has changed from
Category B to Category E is still required. No surveys are required for the four lichen species that move from Category B to Category A as a result of this decision. In addition, no surveys are required for those species where range changes will result in new areas identified as needing pre-disturbance surveys. NEPA Documentation for
Habitat Disturbing Activities. Future agency NEPA decisions
or decision documents for habitat disturbing activities should incorporate by
reference the results of the 2001 S&M Annual Species Review to document the
changes effected by this memorandum.
Refer to the 2001 S&M S&Gs and Guidelines, pages 18-19; Forest
Service Nov. 20, 2001, memorandum, file code 1900/2620; and BLM Information
Bulletin No. OR-2002-033 for further details. For additional information
regarding applicability of these findings, please refer to the series of
Question and Answer memoranda (for the Forest Service, March 20, 2001, file
code 1920/2430; June 26, 2001, file code 1920/2600; and November 20, 2001, file
code, 1900/2620; for the BLM, Information Memorandum OR-2001-036, Information
Bulletin No. OR-2001-214, and Information Bulletin No.OR-2002-033).
Implementation of 2001
S&M Annual Species Review 4 Questions regarding this
memorandum should be directed to the appropriate S&M agency representative
(Rob Huff,
rob_huff@blm.gov,
503-808-6479, for BLM; Jeanne Rice,
jrice@fs.fed.us,
for FS R6, 505-808-2661; or Paula Crumpton,
pcrumpton@fs.fed.us,
530-242-2242, for FS R5) or
to the Interagency S&M Program Manager (Terry Brumley,
tbrumley@fs.fed.us, 503-808-2968).
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