Suggested Streamlined Coordination for Oil and Natural Gas Exploration, Drilling and Production in Louisiana Shale Plays
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Louisiana Ecological Services Office SUGGESTED STREAMLINED COORDINATION FOR OIL AND NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION, DRILLING AND PRODUCTION IN LOUISIANA SHALE PLAYS Developed in partnership with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries September 2017 SHALE OIL AND GAS FORMATIONS Source: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .......................................................................................................................................3 I. Federally Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................................................6 A. Birds .................................................................................................................................6 Red-cockaded Woodpecker ............................................................................................6 Interior Least Tern ..........................................................................................................7 B. Mammals ..........................................................................................................................8 Louisiana Black Bear (delisted - effective 4/11/2016) ..................................................8 Northern Long-Eared Bat ...............................................................................................9 C. Fish ..................................................................................................................................10 Pallid Sturgeon ...............................................................................................................10 Atlantic Sturgeon ...........................................................................................................11 D. Reptiles............................................................................................................................13 Gopher Tortoise .............................................................................................................13 Ringed Map Turtle .........................................................................................................13 E. Mollusks ..........................................................................................................................14 Fat Pocketbook Pearly Mussel .......................................................................................14 Alabama Heelsplitter .....................................................................................................14 Louisiana Pearlshell Mussel ..........................................................................................15 Pink Mucket Pearly Mussel ...........................................................................................16 Rabbitsfoot Mussel ........................................................................................................16 F. Amphibians ......................................................................................................................17 Dusky Gopher Frog........................................................................................................17 G. Plants ...............................................................................................................................19 American Chaffseed.......................................................................................................19 Louisiana Quillwort .......................................................................................................19 Earth fruit .......................................................................................................................20 i II. Species Proposed for Listing .......................................................................................................21 Louisiana Pinesnake.............................................................................................................21 III. Migratory Birds and Pollinators.................................................................................................22 Bald Eagle ............................................................................................................................22 Colonial Wading/Water Birds..............................................................................................23 Birds of Conservation Concern ............................................................................................24 Pollinators ............................................................................................................................24 IV. Wetlands ....................................................................................................................................25 V. Best Management Practices ........................................................................................................25 Roads and Access Ways .....................................................................................................28 Vehicle Maintenance, Petroleum, and Chemicals ..............................................................28 Literature Cited ................................................................................................................................30 Appendix A: Gopher Tortoise Survey Guidelines ..........................................................................32 Appendix B: Executive Order 13186 ..............................................................................................33 Appendix C: Reviewers/Meeting Participants ................................................................................37 Appendix D: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries ................................................38 ii INTRODUCTION This document was prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Louisiana Ecological Services Office (LESO) and partners to protect and conserve important public resources such as wildlife and plants, and their habitats (including waterbodies) within areas of Louisiana with a high potential for new or continued oil and natural gas drilling and production. We encourage the use of best management practices (BMPs) in exploration, drilling and reclamation activities. BMPs should be innovative and dynamic environmental practices to guide activities to be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner. They should allow energy companies to prepare for and maintain energy production while minimizing environmental impacts. Louisiana shale plays may now or hereafter contain plants and animals determined to be threatened, endangered, or special status species (i.e., Federal proposed, candidate, and at-risk species and State Species of Greatest Conservation Need). State and Federal agencies may recommend modifications to, or mitigation for oil and gas proposals to further their conservation and management objectives to avoid activities that will contribute to species impacts or trends toward the need to federally list a species. Federal agencies may recommend modifications to a proposed activity that is likely to adversely affect or result in jeopardy to the continued existence of a proposed or threatened or endangered species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated or proposed critical habitat, in accordance with the Endangered Species Act (Act) as amended (16 U.S.C.1531 et seq.). If implementation of a project has the potential to directly or indirectly affect a federally listed species, consultation with the Service would be through the Federal action agency if there will be Federal involvement (such as permitting or other authorization). Otherwise, coordination with the Service is also recommended (non-Federal entities, private sector), as a Habitat Conservation Plan may be necessary to comply with prohibitions against taking listed species. Section 9 of the Act and Federal regulation under section 4(d) of the ESA prohibit the “take” of endangered and threatened species, respectively, without special exemption. Take is defined as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. Harm is further defined by the Service to include significant habitat modification or degradation that results in death or injury to listed species by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering. Harass is defined by the Service as intentional or negligent actions that create the likelihood of injury to listed species to such an extent as to significantly disrupt normal behavior patterns which include, but are not limited to breeding, feeding or sheltering. 3 Please contact the LESO at (337-291-3101) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) at 225-765-2800 if you are unsure of the occurrence of sensitive fish, wildlife, or plants or their habitats in potential construction areas. The LESO website can be used for initial project review/screening for Federal trust resources (https://www.fws.gov/southeast/lafayette). Also, if a proposed project area is within a state or federally owned management area, that appropriate agency office should be contacted for any authorization that may be needed. These include National Wildlife Refuges (985-882-2011) and the Kisatchie National Forest (318-473-7160). The Louisiana Legislature has directed the Department of Natural Resources to coordinate the management, preservation, conservation and protection of the state's water resources and has