What does the MOA bring to the Consultation and Planning Process? At the end of this unit, the successfui participant will 6e able to: Understand the primary concepts emphasized by the MOA to Improve efficiency and effecriveness of land use plans and associated consultations. Identify actions he or she can take to Implement these concepts. At the end of this unit, the successful participant will be able to: Identify the benefits to Implementing the MOA. Identify ways to overcome potential barriers to Implementing the MOA. Interagency Cooperation What does the MOA ask us to do differently? • People and Teams • Process • Land Use Planning and Consultations People and Teams Early Communication Early and Close Coordination Example: Action agency contacts consulting agency early in planning process. People and Teams Organized Teams Strong, organized team approach that includes consulting agency as memt>er - Working Groups. f BO LUP \ ( Team Team J Working Group Reality Check People and Teams Dispute Resolution Pre-arranged dispute resolution process - Local - Regional - National Process Consultation Agreement Capture on paper -scope of proposed action -scale of analysis, information needs -staff and responsibilities -time frames -dispute resolution -staff coordination Process Consultation Agreement Adaptive Process -Be ready to change as needed -Communicate continuously -Agree on changes Process Plan and Program Level Design plans and programs to benefit candidate, proposed and listed species so that future actions will be "no jeopardy" Future consultations much easier to complete Process Plan and Program Level • Reduce consultations, increase coordination • Conserve species per 7(a)(1) Process Consultation Time Frames Promote shorter time frames Written concurrence - 30 days Formal - 90 days 9 How are these time frames possible? Agreement on BA/BE contents and conclusions before submitting consultation request Planning and Consultations Promote Conservation and Recovery Build into LUPs conservation actions for candidates, proposed and listed species At a minimum, design programs to minimize impacts to candidate, proposed and listed species Planning and Consultations Promote Conservation and Recovery Keep options open for future conservation opportunities include analysis of effects to candidates as part of planning process Include candidates in BA/BE Planning and Consultations Conference on Plans Conference on plans when species is proposed Use formal conference where possible Planning and Consultations Develop Guidance Criteria • Effects analysis tool • Identify parameters for each species • Sort components into effects categories to facilitate BA/BE and BO preparation What's your reaction? 8 NOTES AND HANDOUTS What does the MOA bring to the consultation and planning process? OBJECTIVES: At the end of this session, the successful student will be able to: 1. Understand the primary concepts emphasized by the MOA to improve efficiency and effectiveness of land use plans and associated consultations. 2. Identify actions he/she can take to implement these concepts. 3. Identify the benefits to implementing the MOA (exercise). 4. Identify ways to overcome potential barriers to implementing the MOA (exercise). 1. What does the MOA ask us to do differently or emphasize more? People and Teams Process Land Use Planning and Consultations A. People and Teams 1. Early Communication a. Early and Close Coordination - talk to each other, listen to each other very early in the planning process. For example, the action agency will contact FWS/NMFS early in planning process to determine what proactive actions can be built into land use plans. 2. Organized Teams a. Stronger, organized team approach that includes consulting agency as a member - Working Groups. b. Use Working Groups to maintain coordination and communication throughout the planning and consultation process. For Example, Working Groups will: Coordinate and agree on content and conclusions of BA before initiation of consultation. Coordinate and agree on content and conclusions of BO before issuing final opinion. What does the MOA bring to the consultation and planning process? Detailed Outline Page 1 c. Field level biologists (action agency and consulting agency) basic operational unit - Program Level Working Groups. Link to LUP team (action agency) and BO team (consulting agency) through Working Group member. Thus, Working Group member also has a transmitter and translator role. Working Group member will need to objectively represent views and concerns of other agency. d. Reality check on staffing levels - one person from consulting agency may be assigned to several LDP's. Thus responsibility to be a successful transmitter and translator rests heavily with action agency biologist. 3. Dispute Resolution a. Formal (pre-arranged) dispute resolution process after a good faith effort has been made by primary team to work it out. Local, Regional and National Issue Resolution Working Groups B. Process 1. Consultation Agreement a. Capture in consultation agreement such items as; scope of proposed action, scale of analysis, information needs, staff and responsibilities, time frames, dispute resolution, staff coordination. b. Adaptive process - not set in stone - be ready to change as needed - communicate continuously and agree on changes made to consultation agreement. 2. Focus on Plan and Program Level a. If we design plans and programs to benefit or minimize impacts to candidate, proposed and listed species, future activities implemented under the plan and program will likely be "no jeopardy". b. Future program or project level consultations that fit under the no jeopardy plan or program should be much easier to complete. c. May reduce the number of consultations (avoid project by project) and provide a more coordinated approach for implementing programs and actions that benefit species or are least impacting. d. Increase conservation under 7(a)(1). What does the MOA bring to the consultation and planning process? Detailed Outline Page 2 3. New Consultation Time Frames a. Will support shorter consultation time frames once BA is complete IF good coordination and cooperation is completed up front. Remember to check back against consultation agreement. b. Goal of 30 days or less for concurrence letters, 90 days or less for complete formal consultation. 0. How are these timeframes possible? Agreement on BA/BE contents and conclusions before initiating consultation is the key! 0. Land Use Planning and Consultations 1. Use Land Use Plans to Promote Conservation and Recovery a. Build into Land Use Plans conservation actions for candidate, proposed and listed species. b. At a minimum, design programs to minimize impacts to candidate, proposed and listed species. c. Make sure not to preclude future conservation opportunities. d. Analyze effects of plan to candidates as part of planning process. e. Include candidate species in BA's/BE's. 2. Conference on Plans a. Conference on plans when species are proposed. This will avoid the possibility of making irreversible or irretrievable commitments of resources when species becomes listed. BLM Policy already requires conference for may adversely affect actions. Example of how MOA standardizes across all four agencies. b. Use formal conference where possible for proposed species. 3. Develop Guidance Criteria a. Guidance Criteria = Effects Analysis Tool b. Identify parameters or criteria for each species that normally would result in "no effect", "not likely to adversely affect", likely to adversely affect" and "likely to jeopardize". c. Use criteria to sort components of the plan into effects categories and facilitate BA and BO preparation. What does the MOA bring to the consultation and planning process? Detailed Outline Page 3 Exercise: Barriers and Benefits Instructions In your small discussion groups, discuss and write down in the table below: Barriers to implementing the MOA concepts. Ways to overcome these barriers. Benefits to overcoming these barriers. Select one person to capture your ideas on paper and one person to be your group spokesperson. Brainstorm Your Barriers Here r\ Barrier Ways to Overcome Barrier Benefits Barrier 1. Continue on back as needed IV - Barriers and Benefits Exercise Barrier Way to Overcome Barrier Benefits Barrier 2. Barrier 3. IV - Barriers and Benefits Exercise Booklist and Reviews Beyond the Bottom Line: How to do More with Less In Nonprofit and Public Organizations by Martin W. Sandier, Deborah A. Hudson, James Champy, Hardcover - 256 pages(May 1998) Oxford Univ Press; ISBN: 0195116127 Synopsis: The authors provide detailed descriptions of nonprofits and public agencies that are meeting the challenge of doing more with less, and setting standards of efficiency and service that few business organizations can meet. The authors studied hundreds of nonprofit and public agencies around the country to find organizations like these that are meeting the challenges of shrinking resources and growing demand. Focusing on the thirty "best of breed" organizations, they developed a roster of attitudes and skills that distinguishes these top performers. In addition, they have distilled hundreds of practical techniques and strategies - transferable to any organization in any sector - that put these organizations at the head of their class. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by James 0. Collins, Jerry 1. Porras, Paperback - 368 pages (January 1997), Harper business; ISBN: 0887307396; Other Editions: Hardcover,