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Description of the Proposed Action United States Department of the Interior FIS H AND WILDLIFE SERVICE South Florida Ecological Services Office 1339 20 111 Street Vero Beach. Florida 32960 Service Log Number: 41910-2011-F-0170 March 13, 2015 Alan M. Dodd, Colonel District Commander U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 701 San Marco Boulevard, Room 3 72 Jacksonville, Florida 32207-8175 Dear Colonel Dodd: This letter transmits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's revised Statewide Programmatic Biological Opinion (SPBO) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Civil Works and Regulatory sand placement activities in Florida and their effects on the following sea turtles: Northwest Atlantic Ocean distinct population segment (NW AO DPS) of loggerhead (Carella caretta) and its designated terrestrial critical habitat; green (Chelonia mydas); leatherback (Dermoche!ys coriacea); hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata); and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) ; and the following beach mice: southeastern (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris); Anastasia Island (Peromyscus polionolus phasma); Choctawhatchee (Peromyscus polionotus a!lophrys); St. Andrews (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis) ; and Perdido Key (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis) and their designated critical habitat. It does not address effects of these activities on the non-breeding piping plover (Charadrius melodus) and its designated critical habitat or for the red knot (Calidris canutus rufa), a species currently proposed for listing. Effects of Corps planning and regulatory shore protection activities on the non-breeding piping plover and its designated critical habitat within the North Florida Ecological Services office area of responsibility and the South Florida Ecological Services office area of responsibility are addressed in the Service's May 22, 2013, Programmatic Piping Plover Biological Opinion. Effects of shore protection activities for the piping plover in the Panama City Ecological Services office area of responsibility will be addressed on a project by project basis. Each proposed project will undergo an evaluation process by the Corps to determine if it properly fits within a programmatic approach. The project description will determine if the project is appropriate to apply to this programmatic consultation. If it is determined that the minimization measures, Reasonable and Prudent Measures, and Terms and Conditions in the SPBO are applicable to the project, it will be covered by this programmatic consultation. If not, the Corps will consult separately on individual projects that do not fit within this programmatic approach. Alan M. Dodd, Colonel 2 We will meet annually during the fourth week of August to review the sand placement projects, assess new data, identify infonnation needs, and scope methods to address those needs, including, but not limited to, evaluations and monitoring specified in this SPBO, reviewing results, f01mulating or amending actions that minimize take of listed species, and monitoring the effectiveness of those actions. The entire programmatic consultation will be reviewed every five years or sooner if new information concerning the projects or protected species occurs. Reinitiation of formal consultation is also required 10 years after the issuance of this SPBO. We are available to meet with agency representatives to discuss the remaining issues with this consultation. If you have any questions, please contact Peter Plage at the North Florida Ecological Services Office at (904) 731-3085, Jeffrey Howe at the South Florida Ecological Services Office at (772) 469-4283, or Lisa Lehnhoff at the Panama City Ecological Services Office at (850) 769-0552, extension 241. Sincerely, wf::/:f~~~ ---- ~ State Supervisor Shore Protection Activities along the Coast of Florida Statewide Programmatic Biological Opinion (Revised) February 27, 2015 Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 MIGRATORY BIRDS .............................................................................................................................................. 13 CONSULTATION HISTORY ................................................................................................................................. 14 BIOLOGICAL OPINION......................................................................................................................................... 17 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION .................................................................................................. 17 Corps Commitments .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Sea Turtles .......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Beach Mice ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 ACTION AREA ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 STATUS OF THE SPECIES/CRITICAL HABITAT ............................................................................................ 21 LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE .................................................................................................................................... 21 GREEN SEA TURTLE ............................................................................................................................................... 22 LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE .................................................................................................................................. 23 HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE ....................................................................................................................................... 25 KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE ................................................................................................................................ 25 LIFE HISTORY ........................................................................................................................................................ 26 LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE .................................................................................................................................... 26 GREEN SEA TURTLE ............................................................................................................................................... 30 LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE .................................................................................................................................. 30 HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE ....................................................................................................................................... 30 KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE ................................................................................................................................ 30 POPULATION DYNAMICS .................................................................................................................................... 31 LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE .................................................................................................................................... 31 GREEN SEA TURTLE ............................................................................................................................................... 32 LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE .................................................................................................................................. 32 HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE ....................................................................................................................................... 33 KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE ................................................................................................................................ 33 ANALYSIS OF THE SPECIES/CRITICAL HABITAT LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED ................................... 43 ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE ............................................................................................................................ 45 EFFECTS OF THE ACTION .................................................................................................................................. 56 Factors to be considered .................................................................................................................................... 56 ANALYSES FOR EFFECTS OF THE ACTION ............................................................................................................... 57 Beneficial Effects ................................................................................................................................................ 57 Direct Effects ...................................................................................................................................................... 58 Indirect Effects ................................................................................................................................................... 60 SPECIES’ RESPONSE TO A PROPOSED ACTION ........................................................................................... 64 STATUS OF THE SPECIES/CRITICAL HABITAT
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