Interagency Coordinators Interagency Coordinators Subgroup (ICS)Subgroup (ICS)

Prepared for:Prepared for:

The Interagency Section 7 The Interagency Section 7 Streamlined Consultation Training Streamlined Consultation Training

SummitSummit

(February 18, 2004)(February 18, 2004)

ICS – What We’re AboutICS – What We’re About

• Is a group chartered by the Regional Is a group chartered by the Regional Executives (that area covered by the Executives (that area covered by the Northwest Forest Plan, PACFISH/ INFISH Northwest Forest Plan, PACFISH/ INFISH [excluding CA], Bull Trout, and related [excluding CA], Bull Trout, and related Biological OpinionsBiological Opinions

• Interagency – FS, NOAA Fisheries, BLM, Interagency – FS, NOAA Fisheries, BLM, and FWSand FWS

Purpose and RolePurpose and Role

• Our Primary Purpose – to be a focal point Our Primary Purpose – to be a focal point for oversight and timely resolution of for oversight and timely resolution of issues with regard to implementation of issues with regard to implementation of streamlined consultationstreamlined consultation

• Primary Role – to function as key policy Primary Role – to function as key policy advisors on the consultation procedures advisors on the consultation procedures to the Regional Executives and Level 2 to the Regional Executives and Level 2 teamsteams

Who is the Current ICS?Who is the Current ICS?

• Bill LeVere, Forest Service (R-4)Bill LeVere, Forest Service (R-4)• Russ Strach, NOAA FisheriesRuss Strach, NOAA Fisheries• Jon Foster, BLM (ID)Jon Foster, BLM (ID)• Wendi Weber, FWSWendi Weber, FWS• Alan Christensen, FS (R-6)Alan Christensen, FS (R-6)• Neal Middlebrook, BLM (OR/WA)Neal Middlebrook, BLM (OR/WA)

Four Main Emphasis AreasFour Main Emphasis Areas

• Improving Consultation Improving Consultation Efficiency and EffectivenessEfficiency and Effectiveness

• Organizing for SuccessOrganizing for Success

• Providing Policy LeadershipProviding Policy Leadership

• Promoting Performance Promoting Performance AccountabilityAccountability

Improving Consultation Improving Consultation Efficiency and EffectivenessEfficiency and Effectiveness

• Reissue Streamlined Consultation Reissue Streamlined Consultation Procedures – updated to include Procedures – updated to include guidance on “common execution guidance on “common execution problems”problems”

• Provide interagency refresher Provide interagency refresher training in application of training in application of streamlined consultation streamlined consultation proceduresprocedures

Organizing for SuccessOrganizing for Success

• NOAA Fisheries to delegate signing NOAA Fisheries to delegate signing authority for letters of concurrence to authority for letters of concurrence to Level 2 representatives, and continue to Level 2 representatives, and continue to pursue delegation of BO’s commensurate pursue delegation of BO’s commensurate with level of delegation within FWS.with level of delegation within FWS.

• Prepare interagency policy direction Prepare interagency policy direction encouraging utilization of action agency encouraging utilization of action agency biologists to draft Section 7 documents biologists to draft Section 7 documents for review and signature of the for review and signature of the responsible consulting agencies. responsible consulting agencies.

Organizing for Success Organizing for Success (continued)(continued)

• Identify full suite of opportunities to Identify full suite of opportunities to assign one consulting agency lead assign one consulting agency lead responsibility for consultation in those responsibility for consultation in those geographic areas where there are both geographic areas where there are both listed resident and anadromous fishlisted resident and anadromous fish

• Establish an interagency website –Establish an interagency website –

www.or.blm.gov/esawww.or.blm.gov/esa

Providing Policy LeadershipProviding Policy Leadership

• Regional Executive commitment to Regional Executive commitment to meet three times per year to meet three times per year to address outstanding policy and address outstanding policy and operational issuesoperational issues

• Develop a comprehensive list of Develop a comprehensive list of policy issues that includes those policy issues that includes those requiring regional or national requiring regional or national resolutionresolution

Promoting Performance Promoting Performance AccountabilityAccountability

• Investigate the development of a Investigate the development of a framework for identifying and tracking the framework for identifying and tracking the consultation workloadconsultation workload

• Develop an agreement on how we are Develop an agreement on how we are going to elevate and address performance going to elevate and address performance accountability issuesaccountability issues

• Identify interagency streamlining teams Identify interagency streamlining teams that operate effectively and recommend that operate effectively and recommend opportunities to acknowledge their successopportunities to acknowledge their success

Update/AmendmentUpdate/Amendment

• Provide an assessment of Provide an assessment of programmatic consultations that programmatic consultations that could be created or expanded for could be created or expanded for Federal landsFederal lands

Questions?Questions?

Comments?Comments?