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INRMP Content and Format
Sikes Act Training:
INRMP Content and Format
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INRMP Content and Format
10 Sikes Act Required Elements
(1) Fish and wildlife management, land management, forest management, and fish- and wildlife-oriented recreation
(2) Fish and wildlife habitat enhancement or modifications
(3) Wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration, where necessary for support of fish, wildlife, or plants
(4) Integration of, and consistency among, the various activities conducted under the plan
(5) Establishment of specific natural resource management goals and objectives and time frames for proposed action
(6) Sustainable use by the public of natural resources to the extent that the use is not inconsistent with the needs of fish and wildlife resources
(7) Public access to the military installation subject to requirements necessary to ensure safety and military security
(8) Enforcement of applicable natural resource laws (including regulations)
(9) No net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the military mission of the installation
(10) Such other activities as the Secretary of the military department determines appropriate
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INRMP Content and Format
Four Important Objectives of INRMPs
(1) Comprehensive plans for the management of all installation natural resources
(2) INRMPs shall be prepared to assist installation commanders in their efforts to conserve and rehabilitate natural resources consistent with the use of military installations to ensure the preparedness of the Armed Forces
• INRMPs are principally intended to help installation commanders manage natural resources more effectively so as to ensure that installation lands remain available and in good condition to support the installation's military mission
(3) INRMPs are to be prepared "in cooperation with" the USFWS and appropriate state fish and wildlife agencies
• This cooperation begins at the development stage of the INRMP and extends through preparation and coordination to completion
(4) Mutual agreement should be the goal with respect to the entire plan
• Mutual agreement is only required with respect to those elements of the plan that are subject to the otherwise applicable legal authority (i.e., authority derived from a source other than the Sikes Act, such as the Endangered Species Act) of the USFWS and state fish and wildlife agencies to conserve, protect, and manage fish and wildlife resources
2002 DoD Guidance
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INRMP Content and Format
DoD Instruction 4715.03 Enclosure 3 Addresses: - INRMP Preparation, Review and Implementation
- Partnerships
- Biodiversity
- Ecosystem-based management
- Land Management
- Coastal Resources
- Fund-Producing Programs
- Access
- Public Awareness
- Special Designation
- Conservation Law Enforcement
- Disclosure of Information
- Property Transfers
- Conservation Credits
INRMP Implementation Manual/Guidance Under Development
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INRMP Content and Format
Navy General Content Requirements
• Installation location and mission
• Mission description and requirements
• Land management
• Other (land management) considerations
• Ecosystem management
• General physical environment
• General biological environment:
– Use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/data management
– Relationship to other installation planning efforts
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INRMP Content and Format
Navy General Content Requirements Continued
• Resource Management Area Requirements:
– Wetlands, Watershed, and Estuary Protection
– Fish and Wildlife Management
– Forest Management
– Agricultural Outleasing
– Outdoor Recreation
– Grounds Maintenance
– Coastal & Near Shore Areas
• Threatened or Endangered Species and Critical
Habitat Requirements
• Migratory Birds
• Monitoring Requirements
• Federal Anti-Deficiency Act Language
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INRMP Content and Format
Biodiversity
DoD Instruction 4715.03
• Incorporate principles of ecosystem-based management – Avoid single-species management and
implement an ecosystem-based multiple species management approach, consistent with ESA
– Use an adaptive management approach to manage natural resources such as climate change
– Evaluate and engage in the formation of local or regional partnerships that benefit the goals and objectives of the INRMP
– Use the best available scientific information in decision-making and adaptive management techniques
– Foster long-term sustainability of ecosystem services
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Biodiversity continued
• Biodiversity conservation on DoD lands and waters should:
– Maintain or restore remaining native ecosystem types across their natural range of variation
– Maintain or reestablish viable populations of native species on an installation, when practical
– Maintain ecological processes, such as disturbance regimes, hydrological processes, and nutrient cycles, to the extent practicable
– Manage and monitor resources over sufficiently long time periods to allow for adaptive management and assessment of changing ecosystem dynamics
• Use heritage and other natural resources database networks
• Implement conservation and management efforts to further the conservation of State-listed species when such action is practicable and does not conflict with legal authority, military mission, or operational capabilities.
• Restore or rehabilitate altered or degraded landscapes and associated habitats to promote native ecosystems and land sustainability when such action is practicable and does not conflict with military mission or capabilities consistent with Executive Order 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance
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INRMP Content and Format
Land Management
DoD Instruction 4715.03 • DoD lands, waters, airspace, and coastal resources are
to support mission-related activities. All DoD natural resources conservation program activities shall work to guarantee DoD continued access to its land, air, and water resources for realistic military training and testing and to sustain the long-term ecological integrity of the resource base and the ecosystem services it provides
Navy INRMP Guidance • Navy defines land management as programs and
techniques to manage lands, wetlands, and water quality; including soil conservation, erosion control, and nonpoint source pollution, surface and subsurface waters, habitat restoration, control of noxious weed and poisonous plants, agricultural outleasing, range management, identification and protection of wetlands, watersheds, floodplains management, landscaping, and grounds maintenance
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INRMP Content and Format
Forest Management
Forest Management: Actions designed for the production and
sale of forest products and for maintaining the health and
vigor of forest ecosystems
DoD and Navy Guidance:
• DoD Components shall assess installation lands for forestry suitability
• Document the current status of commercial and non-commercial
forestry management and ecosystem management within forest areas
• Document current forest resource inventory data and statistical
summaries by stands or compartments
• Assemble maps and detailed descriptions of individual forest stands
with timber access roads
• Describe silvicultural management practices and plans such as timber
stand improvement techniques, harvesting methodologies, reforestation
practices, fire protection methods, and endangered species and cultural
resources protection initiatives
• Describe the markets for applicable forest products 10
INRMP Content and Format
Agricultural Outleasing
Agricultural Outleasing: The use of non-excess DoD lands under a lease to an agency, organization, or person generally for growing crops or grazing domestic animals
DoD and Navy Guidance: • DoD components shall assess installation lands for agricultural
outlease suitability
• Document coordination and cooperative agreements with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and discuss the suitability and availability of land for agricultural outlease
• Assemble maps and detailed descriptions of current or potential outleased land and prime and unique farmlands, including soil types, erodibility, fertility, productivity potential, and current vegetative cover
• Document the need for an Outlease Conservation Plan with monitoring systems and schedules for lease compliance, applicable land use controls, pest management practices, and specifications for construction and maintenance of improvements
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INRMP Content and Format
Wildland Fire Management
DoD Instruction 4715.03 • Management shall reduce the potential for wildfires, function
as an ecosystem-based management tool, integrate applicable State and local permit and reporting requirements, and be consistent with DoDI 6055.06 and the current Environmental Protection Agency memorandum
• Responses to wildfire responses shall be conducted in a manner that preserves health, safety, and air quality; protects facilities; and facilitates the health and maintenance of natural systems.
• Use prescribed burn programs where appropriate
Navy Position • Uncontrolled fires have the ability to effect the developed
environment as well as the undeveloped environment in ways that degrade the value of natural resources and capability of lands to support military readiness activities.
• INRMPs shall address the need for management of fuel loads, including the use of prescribed burns, for habitat enhancement purposes and to reduce the potential for wildfires
• A wildland fire management plan shall be developed for installations where necessary 12
INRMP Content and Format
Wetlands Management Wetlands : Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground
water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence of
vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, such as
swamps, marshes, and bogs
• Jurisdictional wetlands are those that meet the criteria of having
hydric soils, wetland hydrology, and hydrophytic vegetation, and
are regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of
the Clean Water Act
Clean Water Act [Federal Water Pollution Control Act], 33 U.S.C. 1251
• A comprehensive statute aimed at restoring and maintaining the
chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation's waters
• Provisions requiring permits to dispose of dredged and fill materials into
navigable waters are important for wildlife protection purposes
Executive Order 11990: Protection of Wetlands
• “Mandates each Federal agency to provide leadership and take action
to minimize the destruction, loss or degradation of wetlands, and to
preserve and enhance the natural and beneficial values of wetlands
- Wetlands" definition more specific and different from above
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INRMP Content and Format
Wetlands Management Continued
DoD Instruction 4715.03 A watershed-based approach shall be used to manage operations, activities, and
lands to avoid or minimize impacts to wetlands, ground water, and surface waters on or adjacent to installations in accordance with the guidelines and goals established in the Unified Federal Policy for a Watershed Approach to Federal Land and Resource Management
– A no net loss of size, function, and value of wetlands, and will preserve the natural and beneficial values of wetlands shall be used n carrying out activities in accordance with E.O. 11990.
– When avoidance of wetlands and other waters of the United States is not practicable, and impacts have been minimized, participation in an approved off-site mitigation bank or in-lieu fee instrument is encouraged as sound conservation
– Off-site mitigation may provide a preferred alternative to meet watershed protection and ecosystem goals and meet future mission requirements. The enhancement, creation, or restoration of wetlands or streams on DoD property may also be an acceptable means for mitigating mission impacts on wetlands to meet permit conditions
– All appropriate permits are obtained and mitigation completed if discharges of pollutants into wetlands or other U.S. waters is necessary
– All applicable nonpoint source laws respecting the control and abatement of water pollution
– Incorporate best management practices for runoff for the State in which the installation is located to minimize nonpoint sources of water pollution.
– DoD shall prevent and control soil erosion, and implement soil conservation measures
– Adverse impacts on floodplains shall be avoided when possible
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INRMP Content and Format
Wetlands Management Continued
Navy INRMP Guidance:
• Identify any jurisdictional wetlands, surveys, or pending 401, 402, and
404 permits and mitigation projects
• Document the health of existing wetlands and any applicable wetlands
banking
• Address non-point source pollution plans as they relate to soil erosion
prevention and pesticide and fertilizer use
• Address wastewater or stormwater management issues
• Discuss regional programs for estuary and watershed protection as well
as local watershed protection initiatives
• Reference installation spill plans as they relate to watershed protection
and natural resources damage
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INRMP Content and Format
Coastal Resources
DoD Instruction 4715.03 • Manage operations, activities, and natural resources to avoid or minimize
adverse effects to natural resources on, adjacent to, or in close proximity to
DoD lands or near-shore areas
• Complete planning-level surveys to characterize significant installation and
near-shore natural resources.
• Establish procedures to ensure that no federally funded projects disrupt the
undeveloped and unprotected coastal barriers of the Coastal Barrier
Resource System unless those expenditures are for military activities
essential to national security
• Avoid impacting coral reefs and protect and enhance coral reef ecosystems
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Coastal Zone, Marine Environment, and Near Shore
Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1451: Encourages coastal states to develop and implement coastal
zone management plans for which Federal actions must be
conducted in a manner consistent with a federally approved state
plan
Executive Order 13158 Marine Protected Areas:
Marine environments are areas of coastal and ocean waters, the
Great Lakes, and their connecting waters, and submerged lands
there under, over which the U.S. exercises jurisdiction, consistent
with international law
Near Shore Areas: All submerged lands titled to the military and all other submerged
lands that are adjacent to installations that extend from the mean
high water level, offshore to the boundary of any security areas
controlled by the Military Services
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INRMP Content and Format
Coastal Zone, Marine Environment, and Near Shore Cont…
Navy INRMPs should include Coastal & Near Shore Areas by:
• Addressing the state coastal zone management plan and consistency determinations
• Addressing nonpoint source pollution that may impact coastal and near shore areas
• Including maps, inventories, and assessments of significant coastal resources such as coral reef ecosystems and other benthic habitats and resources
• Addressing important marine species and littoral zone issues
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INRMP Content and Format
Coral Reef & Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV)
Executive Order 13089: Coral Reef Protection Directs Federal agencies to study, restore, and conserve U.S.
coral reef ecosystems • The identification of coral reefs and their conservation by means of
appropriate management actions should be addressed in INRMPs, in accordance with the DoD Coral Reef Implementation Plan of 2000
• "Coral Reef Conservation Guide for the Military" creates awareness and outlines procedures militaries should use to ensure safe and environmentally responsible behavior in and around coral reefs
Navy Position • Installation near shore areas shall be surveyed for the presence of
coral reefs and their associated resources, where appropriate
• Coral reefs and their conservation must be addressed in the installation INRMP where found
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) • SAV Restoration Handbook: A Guide for Restoring SAV on DOD
Installations
https://www.denix.osd.mil/portal/page/portal/NaturalResources/VegetationandHabitat
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INRMP Content and Format
Invasive Species
Invasive species: Any non-native (alien) plant, animal, microbe
or their seeds, eggs, spores or other biological material that
is capable of propagation of that species, and whose
introduction into a non-native ecosystem is likely to cause
harm to the economy, environment, or human health
Federal Noxious Weed Act, 7 U.S.C. 2814: Provides for control and
management of non-indigenous weeds that injure or have the potential to
injure interests of agriculture and commerce, wildlife resources, or the public
health
EO 13112: Invasive Species: Prevention and control of invasive species shall be
addressed in INRMPS
• Invasive species include injurious wildlife, noxious weeds, and plant and
animal pests
• Potential to introduce or spread invasive species shall be addressed by
planning documents along with means for prevention and control
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INRMP Content and Format
DoDI 4715.3:. Identify, prioritize, monitor, and control invasive
and noxious species and feral animals on its installations
whenever feasible. Accordingly native species should be
used, where feasible, to restore any habitats from which
native species are removed or controlled.
OPNAV 5090: Navy installations will cooperate with States that
maintain programs for controlling noxious plants, and will
provide access for that control, provided that: (1) access is
consistent with installation security procedures, (2) proven
control measures are used, and (3) control measures have
been implemented on privately owned adjacent lands
Invasive Species Continued
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INRMP Content and Format
Landscaping/Grounds Maintenance Presidential Memo: Requires environmentally and economically beneficial
landscaping practices to be used, and regionally native plants for landscaping to be used
DoD Instruction 4715.3:
• Environmentally and economically beneficial landscaping practices shall be used
• To the extent practicable, conserve and protect water resources, use locally adapted native plants, avoid using invasive species, and minimize the use of pesticides and supplemental watering
• Restore or rehabilitate altered or degraded landscapes and associated habitats to promote native ecosystems and land sustainability when such action is practicable and does not conflict with military mission or capabilities
Navy INRMPs should:
• Address installation landscape plans and sections of integrated pest management plans pertaining to outdoor pest management
• Describe BMPs for erosion control, low maintenance landscaping, reduced mowing procedures, and water conservation
• Investigate creating or expanding an urban forestry program
• Describe BMPs for control of pests and noxious weeds
• Integrate low-maintenance indigenous species in landscape planning and projects
• Describe BMPs for selection of plant materials for land rehabilitation 23
INRMP Content and Format
Fish and Wildlife Management
Navy INRMP Guidance:
Fish and Wildlife Management: Actions designed to preserve, enhance and
regulate indigenous wildlife (fish, birds, mammals and all other classes of
wild animals) and their habitats, including conservation of protected species
and non-game species, management and harvest of game species, BASH
reduction, and animal damage control
Navy INRMPs should:
• Develop maps of managed fish and wildlife areas, and document existing
management practices (e.g., stocking, food plots, permits and fees, and any
animal damage control procedures or BASH issues)
• Research any possible local diseases found in animals (e.g., Lyme disease,
Chronic Wasting Disease, rabies, encephalitis, etc.)
• Analyze the current demand for installation resources and any existing
programs for Watchable Wildlife, Recreational Fisheries, or protection of
neotropical migratory birds
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INRMP Content and Format
Fish and/or Essential Fish Habitat
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 - 1883:
Provides for the conservation and management of the fisheries, and other purposes
Essential Fish Habitat or EFH : "…those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning,
breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity.
- Necessary means the habitat required to support a sustainable fishery and the
managed species' contribution to a healthy ecosystem.
- Spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity covers all habitat types utilized by a
species throughout its life cycle”
CNO Memo Regarding EFH Assessments and Consultations, 22 Mar 2011
- Address Applicability, Analysis, Determinations, and Consultations
Navy INRMP Guidance requires marine species and littoral zones issues be addressed
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INRMP Content and Format
Marine Mammals
• Marine Mammal Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. 1361:
MMPA established a Federal responsibility to conserve
marine mammals with management vested in the
Department of Interior (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) for
sea otter, walrus, polar bear, dugong, and manatee
– The Department of Commerce (NOAA, National
Marine Fisheries Service) is responsible for
cetaceans and pinnipeds, other than the walrus
• Navy INRMP Guidance requires marine species and
littoral zones issues be addressed
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INRMP Content and Format
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Federal Agency Responsibilities
• Section 7(a)(1): Develop conservation programs for threatened and endangered species
• Section 7(a)(2):
– Do not jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species or
– Destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat
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INRMP Content and Format
ESA - Critical Habitat
• “Critical Habitat”:
– Areas deemed essential to the conservation of a threatened or endangered species
– May require special management consideration or protection
• “Conservation” in this context means those areas needed to enable listed species to recover to the point the protections of the ESA are no longer necessary
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INRMP Content and Format
Critical Habitat Exemption and Exclusion Overview
• ESA Section 4(a)(3)(B) Exemption
– INRMP may be in lieu of CH designation
– Special management actions
• ESA Section 4(b)(2) Exclusion
– Economic benefits/national security
considerations
– October 2008 Memo
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Critical Habitat Exemption - ESA Section 4(a)(3)(B)
ESA Section 4(a)(3)(B): • The Secretary shall not designate as critical habitat any lands
or other geographical areas owned or controlled by the DoD, or designated for its use, that are subject to an integrated natural resources management plan prepared under section 101of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670a), if the Secretary determines in writing that such plan provides a benefit to the species for which critical habitat is proposed for designation
• Nothing in this paragraph affects the requirement to consult
under section 7(a)(2) with respect to an agency action (as that term is defined in that section)
• Nothing in this paragraph affects the obligation of the DoD to comply with section 9, including the prohibition preventing extinction and taking of endangered species and threatened species
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INRMP Content and Format
Critical Habitat Exclusion – ESA Section 4(b)(2)
NDAA 2004 Section 318 amended the ESA to:
• (B)(i) The Secretary shall not designate as
critical habitat any lands or other geographical
areas owned or controlled by the DoD, or
designated for its use, that are subject to an
integrated natural resources management
plan prepared under section 101 of the Sikes
Act (16 U.S.C. 670a), if the Secretary
determines in writing that such plan provides
a benefit to the species for which critical
habitat is proposed for designation
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ESA Section 4(b)(2) Continued
• Designates critical habitat on the basis of best scientific data available and takes the following into consideration:
– Economic impact
– Impact on national security
• Excludes an area from CH if benefits of
exclusion outweigh benefits of specifying
the area as CH
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INRMP Content and Format
USFWS Policy/Guidance and DoD Guidance
• If adequate special management or protection is provided by a legally operative plan, habitat identified may be omitted from Federal critical habitat designation
– An INRMP may serve as adequate special management and obviate the need for CH designation
• USFWS criteria (i.e., Miramar criteria):
1. The plan provides a conservation benefit to the species
2. The plan provides certainty that the management plan
will be implemented
3. The plan provides certainty that the conservation effort will be effective
• Consistent with Navy policies and 2006 Navy INRMP guidance
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INRMP Content and Format
Criteria #1: The plan provides a conservation
benefit to the species
• The cumulative benefits of the management activities identified in a
management plan, for the length of the plan, must maintain or provide for an increase in a species' population, or the enhancement or restoration of its habitat within the area covered by the plan (i.e., those areas deemed essential to the conservation of the species)
• A conservation benefit may result from reducing fragmentation of habitat, maintaining or increasing populations, insuring against catastrophic events, enhancing and restoring habitats, buffering protected areas, or testing and implementing new conservation strategies
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INRMP Content and Format
Criteria #2: The plan provides certainty that the
management plan will be implemented
• Persons charged with plan implementation are capable of
accomplishing the objectives of the management plan and have
adequate funding for the management plan
• They have the authority to implement the plan and must obtain all
the necessary authorizations or approvals
• An implementation schedule (including completion dates) for the
conservation effort is provided in the plan
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INRMP Content and Format
Criteria #3: The plan provides certainty that the
conservation effort will be effective
INRMPs should include:
(1) Biological goals (broad guiding principles for the program)
and objectives (measurable targets for achieving the goals)
(2) Quantifiable, scientifically valid parameters that will
demonstrate achievement of objectives, and standards for
these parameters by which progress will be measured, are
identified
(3) Provisions for monitoring and, where appropriate, adaptive
management
(4) Provisions for reporting progress on implementation (based
on compliance with the implementation schedule) and
effectiveness (based on evaluation of quantifiable
parameters) of the conservation effort are provided
(5) A duration sufficient to implement the plan and achieve the
benefits of its goals and objectives
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Navy Policy on Addressing Listed Species in INRMPs
• The INRMP should document surveys that have been performed for listed species, species recovery plans, BAs, and BOs and examine the habitat health and mission impacts in the INRMP
- The INRMP should also address threatened and endangered species not currently found on the installation for which critical habitat might be designated
- All installations with critical habitat or the potential for critical habitat should address the USFWS three-point criteria detailed in Section 4.5
• INRMPs must follow CNO N4 Memo of 30 Oct 2002, "Procedures for Introducing/ Actively Attracting Endangered Species onto U.S. Navy Property."
- Mitigation for non-Navy actions or activities should not be suggested for Navy lands or supported in an INRMP unless it has been approved by the chain of command to the CNO level
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Navy Responses to Proposed CH Designations
2002 ASN Memo: • Responses to any proposal to designate CH or introduce federally protected species
requires review and approval from CNO N4
• N4 approval requires processing through chain of command:
– Process can take up to one month
– Required documentation includes:
1) Coordination Summary
2) Action Memo
3) One page Executive Summary
4) Draft Cover Letter with N4 signature
5) Detailed Response as an attachment to letter
Needs to Include Section 4(a)(2) and 4(a)(3)(B)
– Example: Arroyo Toad package
• USFWS and NOAA FR notices for petitions to List and/or Species Reviews signed out at region level
– Coordination with HQ is required
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INRMPs and ESA
• INRMPs should reflect relevant aspects of:
– Prior §7(a)(2) consultations
– §7(a)(1) conservation planning
– §4(f) recovery plans
• Typically, INRMPs incorporate measures agreed to as part of informal or formal consultations
• INRMP multi-species strategies may trigger need for new consultation on INRMP
Red Wolf
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Addressing “Listed” Species in Navy INRMPs
Listed species and Species at Risk (SAR) • These are species included on lists maintained by the USFWS and
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, states and territories, Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species, or on a “watch list,” as an endangered, threatened, or vulnerable species, a species of concern, or candidates for any such lists.
– SARs are defined as any species, plant or animal, which is not yet federally listed as threatened or endangered under ESA, but has been designated as a candidate for listing
– SAR also include species whose status may warrant listing at any time, and whose conservation if not addressed, would severely impact the military mission
• BE PREPARED FOR UPCOMING LISTING AND CRITICAL HABITAT DESIGNATIONS
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Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 16 USC 703
• Series of 4 bilateral multi-national treaties protecting
migratory birds
– USFWS has exclusive authority
• National Defense Authorization Act FY 2004
– Exempts DoD readiness activities
• List of Migratory Birds
– 50 CFR Part 21:
– http://birds.fws.gov
– Focal Species Strategy for Migratory Birds
• Utilize the USFWS' Migratory Bird Program website to
find lists of Birds of Conservation Concern and Birds of
Management Concern and address those species in
INRMPs, on installations where they occur.
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Migratory Bird Management
• Avoid and Minimize Impacts
• Readiness Activities:
– DoD/MBTA Migratory Bird Rule
– Unintentional take authorized
– INRMPs need to Support NEPA Documentation
• Non-Readiness Activities:
– EO 13186: Responsibilities of Federal Agencies To
Protect Migratory Birds
– DoD and USFWS MOU Apr 2007
– No authorization for unintentional take
– USFWS prosecutorial discretion
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Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. §668
• Provides for the protection of the bald and golden eagle by
prohibiting, except under certain specified conditions, the
taking, possession, and commerce of such birds
• When the Bald Eagle was delisted, the Service proposed
regulations to create a permit program to authorize limited
take of bald eagles and golden eagles where take is
associated with otherwise lawful activities
DoD Instruction 4715.03
- DoD Components shall protect bald eagles pursuant to
MBTA where appropriate.
- DoD shall continue to implement military readiness
activities in accordance
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DoD PIF
• Sustains and enhances the military mission through proactive,
habitat-based conservation and management strategies that
maintain healthy landscapes and training lands
• Works beyond installation boundaries to facilitate cooperative
partnerships, determine the current status of bird populations, and
prevent the listing of additional birds as threatened or endangered
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North American Bird Plans
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Regional Bird Plans
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Access
DoD Instruction 4715.03
• DoD lands, waters, and coastal resources shall
be made available to the public for the
educational or recreational use of natural
resources when such access is compatible with
military mission activities, ecosystem
sustainability, and with other considerations such
as security, safety, and fiscal soundness.
• INRMPs shall describe areas and conditions
appropriate for public access.
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Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor Recreation: A program, activity, or opportunity dependent on the
natural environment (e.g., picnicking, bird-watching, hiking, wild and scenic
river use, hunting, fishing, and primitive camping that will not impair or
degrade natural resources)
Sikes Act: DoD is authorized to carry out a program for the development,
enhancement, operation, and maintenance of public outdoor recreation
resources at military installations in accordance with a mutually agreed
upon INRMP
• In developing facilities and conducting programs for public outdoor
recreation, DoD shall ensure outdoor recreation opportunities (e.g.,
fishing, hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, boating, and camping) made
available to the public also provide access for:
– Disabled veterans
– Military dependents with disabilities
– Other persons with disabilities
• When access to a military installation for such persons and other civilians
is not otherwise restricted when topographic, vegetative, and water
resources allow access for such persons without substantial modification
to the natural environment
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Outdoor Recreation Continued Navy Guidance
• Document cooperative agreements and coordination with the National Park Service for outdoor
recreation
• Include maps and detailed descriptions of current and potential outdoor recreation areas
• Address public accessibility for hunting, fishing, and trapping, and future demands for outdoor
recreation, boating access, and off-road vehicles
• Include specifications and/or constraints about construction techniques, materials, or signage
• Determine the appropriate interface with the installation's program for Morale, Welfare and
Recreation (MWR)
Recreational Hunting and Fishing: Navy installations shall incorporate public access where
feasible, and participation in outreach programs for recreational use of fish and wildlife
resources
E.O. 12962: Recreational Fisheries: Recreational Fisheries requires Federal agencies to improve
the quantity, function, sustainable productivity, and distribution of U.S. aquatic resources for
increased recreational fishing opportunities by restoring degraded habitat, fostering
conservation, and providing access and awareness of opportunities for recreational fishing
E.O. 13443: Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation: Facilitation of Hunting
Heritage and Wildlife Conservation requires Federal agencies to provide for enhanced and
expanded hunting opportunities by the management of game species and their habitats
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Mitigation and Conservation Banks
• Mitigation Bank: A site, or suite of sites, where resources (e.g., wetlands, streams, riparian areas) are restored, established, enhanced, or preserved for the purpose of providing compensatory mitigation for impacts authorized by permits
• Conservation Banks: A parcel of land containing natural resources values that are conserved and managed in perpetuity, through a conservation easement held by an entity responsible for enforcing the terms of the easement, for specified listed species and used to offset impacts occurring elsewhere to the same resource values on non-bank lands
– USFWS Recovery Crediting Guidance
- After concurrence from the appropriate chain of command, DoD installations may participate in off-installation conservation banks and recovery credit systems
• Compensatory mitigation should be considered whenever a Navy action has unavoidable impacts to natural resources.
• Many laws governing the conservation and protection of natural resources have requirements for compensatory mitigation, and under some statutes, compensatory mitigation is voluntary.
• Compensatory mitigation shall be conducted in compliance with federal laws and regulations as required.
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INRMP Content and Format
Climate Change • Climate change is referred to by the National Academy of Sciences as any significant
change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Global warming is one aspect of climate change.
• All DoD Components shall, in a regionally consistent manner, and to the extent practicable and using the best science available, utilize existing tools to assess the potential impacts of climate change to natural resources on DoD installations, identify significant natural resources that are likely to remain on DoD lands or that may in the future occur on DoD lands and, when not in conflict with mission objectives, take steps to implement adaptive management to ensure the long-term sustainability of those resources.
• Assessing the impacts of climate change is best approached by identifying an environmental baseline for the future that considers the differences in landscape form and function caused by climate change and other stressors on the landscape.
– Regional partnerships are the most appropriate means to conduct such assessments and in developing and implementing adaptation strategies. In general, natural resources managers should identify NRM strategies that provide conservation benefits to the ecosystem, regardless of whether climate changes occur.
• Cross reference with Base Master Plan information on Climate Change 51
INRMP Content and Format
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INRMP Content and Format
GIS and Data Management
• GIS and Data Management needs to be addressed in an INRMP:
– Funds should be requested as part of INRMP Revisions, Updates
or Implementation
– All applicable INRMP implementation projects need to have a GIS
deliverable that is consistent with spatial data standard for
facilities, infrastructure, and environment (SDSFIE)
• Navy GeoReadiness Centers provide overall coordination and
acquisition of GIS data and resources
– Responsible for maintaining Common Installation Picture (CIP)
data layers
– Ensures geospatial data holdings of the Navy Regions meet
quality control standards for accuracy, currency, and compliance
– Provides GeoReadiness Services via Regional Shore Installation
Management System (RSIMS)
– Enables program managers, activities, and tenant commands to
view, report, analyze and update data
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INRMP Content and Format
Partnership and Volunteers
DoD Instruction 4715.03
• DoD installations may use appropriate partnerships and volunteers to
enhance natural resources conservation programs, when practicable, in
accordance with DoDI 1100.21: Voluntary Services in DoD
• Work shall be performed under the direction of Federal employees and, when
practicable, under the direction of professionally trained NRM
Navy Position
• Partnerships (e.g., Coastal America, Partners in Flight, Student Conservation
Association, Chesapeake Bay Initiative) and volunteers shall be used, to the
extent practicable, to complete projects under the direction and approval of Navy
NRMs and consistent with NAVFAC P-73
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INRMP Content and Format
Enhancement Actions Beyond Compliance
• Includes those projects and activities that enhance
conservation resources or the integrity of the
installation mission, or are needed to address overall
environmental goals and objectives, but are not
specifically required by law, regulation, or E.O., and
are not of an immediate nature. − Community outreach activities, such as International Migratory
Bird Day, Earth Day, National Public Lands Day, Pollinator
Week, and Arbor Day activities
− Educational and public awareness projects, such as
interpretive displays, oral histories, Watchable Wildlife areas,
nature trails, wildlife checklists, and conservation teaching
materials
− Restoration or enhancement of natural resources when no
specific compliance requirement dictates a course or timing of
action.
− Management and execution of volunteer and partnership
programs
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INRMP Content and Format
Biodiversity Tools
Biodiversity Conservation Toolbox
• Biodiversity Outreach Toolkit
• Commander’s Guide
• Revised guidebook with case studies
• DENIX (www.denix.osd.mil )
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INRMP Content and Format
Federal Anti-Deficiency Act Language
• INRMPs must include the following language regarding funding
limitations:
– “All actions contemplated in this INRMP are subject to the
availability of funds properly authorized and appropriated under
Federal law. Nothing in this INRMP is intended to be nor must be
construed to be a violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act (31 U.S.C.
1341 et seq.)”
• Suggest that language be included on Implementation Table
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INRMP Content and Format
DoD INRMP Template
DoD Navy Crosswalk Table
INRMP Table of Contents Example
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Zachary S. Welch/Released)
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INRMP Content and Format
Integration into other DoD Programs
Integrate the DoD Natural Resources Conservation Program with other
DUSD(I&E) activities, including, but not limited to:
- business enterprise integration
- environmental management
- safety, occupational health
- facilities
- global climate change
- ecosystem services
- renewable energy
- installations requirements
- geographic information systems (GIS)
- environmental management systems (EMS)
- the Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative
- project planning programs
- range and training area management and sustainment programs 59
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Relationship to Other Installation Planning Efforts
• Coordinate INRMP preparation with:
– Installation Master Plan or Site Development Plan
– Range Plan
– Training Plan
– Integrated Cultural Resources Plan
– Integrated Pest Management Plan
– BASH Plan *
– Forest Management Plan
– Wildland Fire Management Plan
– Endangered Species Management Plan *
– Installation Restoration Programs
- Navy Requires specific language to be cited
• Recommended to be incorporated by reference Recommended to be incorporate into the INRMP
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State Wildlife Action Plans
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Other Planning Documents
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INRMP Content and Format
INRMP Preparation
• In-House
• Environmental Consultant
• Tripartite Teams
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