NFIP Conservation of Species and Habitat · 2019-11-04 · Endangered Species Act (ESA): Overview • Purpose: To recover and therefore prevent the extinction of listed plants and

NFIP Conservation of Species and Habitat

FEMA-USFWS-NMFS Partnership

Presentation Roadmap

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• Endangered Species Act (ESA): Overview

• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Conserving Species Building Awareness Helping with Identification Promoting Existing Incentives and Creating New Incentives

Endangered Species Act (ESA): Overview

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Endangered Species Act (ESA): Overview

• Purpose: To recover and therefore prevent the extinction of listed plants and animals, and to protect the ecosystems on which they depend.

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) administer the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

In general, USFWS is responsible for terrestrial and freshwater species, while NMFS is responsible for marine species.

• Key provisions include: Listing process (Section 4) Critical Habitat designation (Sections 3 & 4) Recovery Plans (Section 4) Interagency Cooperation (Section 7) Prohibition against “take” (Section 9) Habitat Conservation Plans (Section 10)

942 plants

167 fishes

275 invertebrates

94 mammals

101 birds

Species Listed under the ESA

2 lichens

36 amphibians46 reptiles

• Section 7(a)(1) is a less well known and underutilized mechanism for species conservation. More people are familiar with Section 7(a)(2) which mandates that federal

agencies consult on “actions” that may affect ESA-listed species.

• Section 7(a)(1) requires all federal agencies to utilize their existing authorities to carry out programs for the conservation of listed species with advice and guidance from USFWS and NMFS. What does an agency program for the conservation of listed species look like? Ideally should be a proactive, strategic, landscape level, conservation

framework for subsequent agency actions. Should help the agency, or a program within an agency, to perform its

primary mission in a way that is consistent with species recovery. Section 7(a)(1) allows for a lot of flexibility in design and implementation

(such as research habitat restoration BMPs educational outreach mitigation 6

Section 7(a)(1) of the ESA

Overview of NFIP ESA 7(a)(1) Approach

• FEMA requested the Services’ assistance in developing an ESA 7(a)(1) program for the NFIP.

• Goal: To leverage existing FEMA flood risk mitigation priorities by promoting the creation, maintenance, and preservation of naturally functioning floodplains that benefit native flora and fauna generally, and threatened and endangered species and their habitat specifically.

• Three key program components: Building Awareness Helping with Identification Promote Existing Incentives and Create New Incentives

• Each component includes actions that are interrelated and mutually-supporting.

• FEMA is coordinating with USFWS and NMFS to determine which actions effectively promote the conservation of threatened and endangered species and thei habitats

Building Awareness

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Building Awareness in Communities of the Benefits of Threatened and Endangered Species and Habitat Conservation

FEMA developed a Webpage to raise the awareness of the benefits of conserving ESA-listed species and their habitat.

This activity builds off existing efforts promoting the protection of natural floodplain functions.

The Webpage references materials on various USFWS and NMFS websites due to their greater expertise in species conservation.

https://www.fema.gov/floodplains-and-wildlife-conservation

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Building Awarenessin Communities of the Benefits of Threatened and Endangered Species and Habitat Conservation

• Part of FEMA’s awareness campaign is centered on the stand-up of this ESA Section 7(a)(1) Webpage: https://www.fema.gov/floodplains-and-wildlife-conservation

• The Webpage contains tools and research to assist communities, and those working on their behalf, to incorporate species and habitat conservation into floodplain management strategies and decisions.



• The Webpage provides information on specific Community Rating System (CRS) credits that may be used to protect habitat: https://www.fema.gov/reduce-insurance-costs-and-conserve-species Public information activities Mapping and regulation activities (including Open Space Preservation) Restoration activities

• The Webpage provides a link to the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) CRS Success Story Collection: https://www.floodsciencecenter.org/products/crs-community-resilience/success-stories/

https://www.fema.gov/reduce-insurance-costs-and-conserve-species

https://www.floodsciencecenter.org/products/crs-community-resilience/success-stories/


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Helping with Identification

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Helping Communities Identify FloodplainsWhere Threatened and Endangered Species Reside Using a Web-based Mapping Application

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• Phase 1: Platform Stand-up

• Phase 2: Increased FunctionalityCommon Name Scientific Name StatusSpectacle Case (mussel)

Cumberlandia monodonta Endangered

Hine's emerald dragonfly

Somatochlora hineana Endangered

Northern long-eared bat

Myotis septentrionalis Threatened

Eastern Massasauga

Sistrurus catenatus Threatened

Piping PloverCharadrius melodus Endangered

Pitcher's thistle Cirsium pitcheri ThreatenedKarner blue butterfly

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Endangered

Red knotCalidris canutus rufa Threatened

Eastern prairie fringed orchid

Platanthrea leucophaea Threatened


• Phase 2: Increased Functionality Can query analytics for their community or select a specific area using the

Draw tool to receive an output of species and habitats from authoritative sources

Communities may also add their own data for custom visualizations according to user needs

Goal is to see current CRS activity points, and visualize where there may be opportunities for undertaking additional activities that promote habitat and species conservation

Communities that engage in such conservation activities through the CRS will benefit from discounted NFIP flood insurance premiums

FEMA will also engage owners of other tools (e.g., The Nature Conservancy, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management) to determine opportunities for potentially merging tool functionality



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Promote Existing Incentives and Create New Incentives

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Incentivizing the Natural FloodplainFunctional Activities and Threatened and Endangered Species Conservation through the NFIP’s Community Rating System

FEMA is leveraging its CRS program to reward communities for taking actions that both mitigate flood risk and benefit threatened and endangered species.

Through a pilot study, FEMA is currently teaming with the Services to work with a handful of communities interested in species conservation to:

• identify CRS-creditable activities communities might be willing to engage in that both conserve T&E species and mitigate flood risk;

• identify barriers and opportunities to those activities;

• develop training, materials, tools, and approaches to help communities conserve T&E species; and

• provide technical assistance to communities to help carry out these conservation activities.

Through this pilot study, FEMA hopes to gain insight into how communities undertake activities to conserve ESA-listed species, especially those actions that also earn CRS credits. FEMA also intends to provide feedback and recommendations to the CRS Task Force on lessons learned from this pilot study for possible revisions to CRS credit criteria in the 2021 CRS Coordinators Manual that may further promote ESA listed

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• CRS credit to motivate communities to protect threatened and endangered species

• 44 elements support protecting natural floodplain functions



Interviews

• 34 CRS communities interviewed

• 3 to 56 threatened and endangered species


Interviews

• Part 1: General questions on ways the communities protect ESA-listed species

• Part 2: CRS credits


Findings• Most communities’ CRS staff are

not aware of the ESA-listed species.

• Many communities think meeting state requirements is sufficient.

• Those with a “culture” of protecting natural functions were most interested.

• Most communities do not know about all the possible CRS credits.

• Most are doing something, but not


Preliminary Recommendations• Increase awareness of ESA-listed

species in the jurisdiction and ways to protect them.

• Inform communities about taking action and getting CRS credit.

• Help communities obtain CRS credits.

• Tweak the credits and text in the next CRS Coordinator’s Manual to facilitate these recommendations.


Conclusion

• Collectively, our goal is to further the conservation of threatened and endangered species pursuant to Section 7(a)(1) of the ESA using a variety of methods:

Informational Webpage and awareness materials

FRESH Map application

CRS community pilot (interviews and outreach)



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Thank YouQUESTIONS?

Contact Information

• Bret Gates: [email protected]

• Kate Bissell: [email protected]

• Ron Salz: [email protected]

• French Wetmore: [email protected]

• FEMA Webpage: https://www.fema.gov/floodplains-and-wildlife-conservation

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mailto:[email protected]





Documents

NFIP Conservation of Species and Habitat · 2019-11-04 · Endangered Species Act (ESA): Overview • Purpose: To recover and therefore prevent the extinction of listed plants and