1.
Which section(s) off the Act addresses "jeopardy "
jeopardy
jeopardy jeopardy ddd
Correct Answer
B. Section 7
Explanation
Jeopardy is only mentioned in Section 7.
2.
What type of permit is issued to private land owners under a Safe Harbor Agreement?
Correct Answer
A. Enhancement of Survival Permit
Explanation
Enhancement of survival permits are issued to non-Federal landowners participating in Safe Harbor Agreements or Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances. These agreements encourage landowners to take actions to benefit species while also providing assurances that they will not be subject to additional regulatory restrictions as a result of their conservation actions.
3.
What document does a non-federal applicant need to prepare, in consultation with the Services, in order to receive an Incidental Take Permit under Section 10 of the Act?
Correct Answer
D. Habitat Conservation Plan
Explanation
HCPs are planning documents required as part of an application for an incidental take permit. They describe the anticipated effects of the proposed taking; how those impacts will be minimized, or mitigated; and how the HCP is to be funded. HCPs can apply to both listed and nonlisted species, including those that are candidates or have been proposed for listing
4.
How much time do the services have to make a “substantial information” finding after receiving a petition to list or delist a species?
Correct Answer
C. 90 days
Explanation
The Services must make a finding within 90 days of receiving a petition (to the extent practicable) as to whether or not there is “substantial information” indicating that the petitioned listing may be warranted. If this preliminary finding is positive, a status review is conducted, with a finding that the listing either is or is not warranted required within one year of receipt of the petition.
5.
True or False: "Adverse Modification" of critical habitat concerns only effects on the survival of a species and not recovery. Recovery is explicitly excluded from consideration under Section 7 and is only addressed through the separate Recovery Planning Process of Section 4.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
FWS/NMFS jointly define “destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat” as "a direct or indirect alteration that appreciably diminishes the value of critical habitat for both survival AND recovery of a listed species." 50 CFR 402.02. Note that there remains major unresolved issues regarding what "adverse modification" means.
6.
Which of the following court decisions is notable for its findings regarding "adverse modification" of critical habitat? (I know...this should be an extra credit question)
Correct Answer
C. Gifford Pinchot Task Force v. United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Explanation
In "Pinchot," the Ninth Circuit held that the FWS adverse modification analysis was fatally flawed because FWS equated "recovery" with "survival" in its evaluation of "destruction or adverse modification" and, therefore, failed to consider the effects of alterations in critical habitat on species recovery.
7.
The process for conducting "formal" and "informal" consultation is legally defined in which of the following:
Correct Answer
A. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Explanation
50 CFR Part 402 spells out the process for "Interagency Cooperation Under the Endangered Species Act" The latest version was published in the Federal Register, (v 74) on May 4, 2009.
Section 7 of the Act does not use the terms "formal" or "informal" to describe consultations. The Consultation Handbook is not a legal document and does not reflect changes to 50 CFR Part 402 made since its publication.
8.
Federal agencies are not required to consult the "Services" (either through "informal" or "formal" consultation) under which of the following circumstances:
the proposed action may affect the listed species or critical habitat but the effects will be insignificant, discountable, or beneficial
Correct Answer
B. Where the agency has no discresion in taking action
Explanation
In a 2007 opinion -- National Home Builders Ass'n v. Defenders of Wildlife -- the Supreme Court ruled (5 to 4) that Section 7 consultation requirements apply only to discretionary federal actions.
Note: "insignificant, discountable, or beneficial" effects are for "may affect, not likely to adversely affect" determinations, which require "informal" consultation with and concurrence from the Services. Only if the determination is “No Effect” may the action proceed without any consultation (though action agencies may request written concurrence for such determinations).
9.
Which of the following words is not in the Act
Correct Answer
C. Cumulative
Explanation
Cumulative effects are not mentioned in the Act. They were recently defined in the 2009 Final Rule for interagency consultations as "those effects of future State or private activities, not involving Federal activities, that are reasonably certain to occur within the action area of the Federal action subject to consultation."
10.
What is the difference between a Biological Evaluation (BE) and a Biological Assessment (BA)?
Correct Answer
A. A BA is defined under ESA. A BE is a generic term not mentioned in either the Act or the CFRs.
Explanation
Biological assessments are defined in Section 7(c) of the Act and in 50 CFR Part 402. There is no statutory definition for a BE, though informal consultation documents are often called BEs, particularly when prepared by non-federal applicants. The most recent CFR definition of a BA is “the information prepared by or under the direction of the Federal agency concerning listed and proposed species and designated and proposed critical habitat that may be present in the action area and the evaluation potential effects of the action on such species and habitat.”