Eglin AFB GTTR 2017 Rule Bi Op
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE Silver Spring, MO 2081 0 JAN 1 3 2017 Mr. Bruce Hagedorn Chief, Eglin Natural Resources 96 CEG/CEIEA 501 De Leon Street, Suite 101 Eglin Air Force Base, FL 32542-5133 RE: Endangered Species Act section 7 Programmatic Biological Opinion and Conference Report on the U.S. Air Force's Ongoing Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range Activities (FPR-2016-9151) Dear Mr. Hagedorn: Enclosed is the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) biological opinion and conference report on the effects of the U.S. Air Force's Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range activities on endangered and threatened species under NMFS 's jurisdiction and critical habitat that has been designated for those species. We have prepared the biological opinion pursuant to section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)). Based on our assessment, we concluded that these activities are likely to adversely affect, but not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of, threatened and endangered species under NMFS' jurisdiction and are not likely to adversely affect, nor destroy or adversely modify, designated critical habitat in the Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range action area. This biological opinion and conference report concludes section 7 consultation on the U.S. Air Force's Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range activities. The U.S. Air Force is required to reinitiate formal consultation on the proposed action, where it retains discretionary involvement or control over the action and if: (1) the amount of extent of incidental take is exceeded; (2) new information reveals effects of the agency action that may affect ESA-listed species or designated critical habitat in a manner or to an extent not considered in this biological opinion and conference report; (3) the agency action is subsequently modified in a manner that causes an effect to the ESA-listed species or designated critical habitat not considered in this biological opinion and conference report; or (4) a new species is ESA-listed or critical habitat designated that may be affected by the action. In instances where the amount or extent of incidental take is exceeded, the U.S. Air Force must contact the Office of Protected Resources, ESA Interagency Cooperation Division immediately. * Printed on Recycled Paper If you have any questions regarding this biological opinion, please contact Cathy Tortorici, Chief, ESA Interagency Cooperation Division at (301) 427-8495 or [email protected]. Donna S. Wieting Director, Office of Protected Resources Enclosure NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT SECTION 7 BIOLOGICAL OPINION AND CONFERENCE REPORT Action Agency: United States Air Force Activity Considered: Ongoing Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range Activities Consultation Conducted By: Endangered Species Act Interagency Cooperation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Approved: Director, Office of Protected Resourc JAN 1 3 2017 Date: Public Consultation Tracking System Number: FPR-2016-9151 United State Air Force, Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range (EGTTR) Activities PCTS FPR-2016-9151 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Consultation History ........................................................................................................ 3 2 Description of the Proposed Action ..................................................................................... 3 2.1 Testing and Training Activities ........................................................................................ 4 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron System Evaluation Program .................................. 5 Advanced Systems Employment Project ................................................................ 10 Air Force Special Operations Command Training ................................................. 10 413th Flight Test Squadron ...................................................................................... 15 780th Test Squadron ................................................................................................ 17 96th Test Wing Inert Munitions ............................................................................... 22 96th Operations Group ............................................................................................. 22 Summary of Expendables Used in Air-To-Surface Testing and Training .............. 23 2.2 Air Force Mitigation Activities ...................................................................................... 25 Trained Observers ................................................................................................... 25 Pre- and Post-Mission Monitoring .......................................................................... 25 Beaufort Sea State Conditions ................................................................................ 26 Determination of Survey Areas .............................................................................. 27 Description of Monitoring Activities ...................................................................... 28 Operational Mitigation Measures for Gunnery Actions ......................................... 34 Coordination with Eglin Natural Resources of Monitoring Requirements ............ 35 Mitigation Effectiveness ......................................................................................... 36 2.3 Action Area .................................................................................................................... 37 W-151 ..................................................................................................................... 37 W-151A................................................................................................................... 37 2.4 Interrelated and Interdependent Actions ........................................................................ 40 3 Overview of the Assessment Framework .......................................................................... 40 3.1 Evidence Available for the Consultation ....................................................................... 41 3.2 The Air Force’s Acoustic Exposure Analysis ................................................................ 42 Thresholds ............................................................................................................... 43 Ranges to Effect ...................................................................................................... 47 Sea Turtle Density Estimates .................................................................................. 48 4 Status of ESA-listed Species ............................................................................................... 52 4.1 ESA-listed Species and Critical Habitat Not Likely to be Adversely Affected ............. 53 Bryde’s Whale – Gulf of Mexico Distinct Population Segment............................. 53 Sperm Whale ........................................................................................................... 56 Hawksbill Sea Turtle............................................................................................... 57 i United State Air Force, Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range (EGTTR) Activities PCTS FPR-2016-9151 Gulf Sturgeon .......................................................................................................... 57 Loggerhead Critical Habitat .................................................................................... 58 4.2 ESA-listed Species and Critical Habitat Likely to be Adversely Affected .................... 59 Green Sea Turtle – North Atlantic Distinct Population Segment ........................... 59 Loggerhead Sea Turtle – Northwest Atlantic Distinct Population Segment .......... 66 Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle ....................................................................................... 72 Leatherback Sea Turtle ........................................................................................... 79 5 Environmental Baseline...................................................................................................... 88 5.1 Department of Defense Activities .................................................................................. 88 United States Navy Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing Activities ....................... 89 United States Navy Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Activities in Panama City, Florida ........................................................................................................ 94 5.2 Other Federal Actions .................................................................................................... 96 Fisheries .................................................................................................................. 96 Vessel Activity ...................................................................................................... 102 Oil and Gas Operations ......................................................................................... 102 Dredging ..............................................................................................................