Swimming through a regulatory process: Potential for geographical analyses to improve the study of how proposed development projects affect endangered Atlantic Sturgeon

Keywords: Habitat impacts, regulatory, fisheries, federal, planning process, biological opinion
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Sunday
Session Start / End Time: 2/27/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/27/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 62

Abstract

As geospatial technology improves, opportunities expand for improving planning processes. Federal agencies, such as the Army Corps of Engineers, are required to consult with NOAA Fisheries to ensure that their federal actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of listed endangered or threatened species, such as Atlantic Sturgeon, or destroy or adversely modify their designated critical habitat under NOAA Fisheries jurisdiction. If an action is likely to adversely affect these species and/or their designated critical habitat, then the federal agency must request initiation of formal consultation. In response, the NMFS will write a biological opinion that lays out the NOAA Fisheries’ rationale for its opinion as to whether the Federal action is likely to result in jeopardy or adverse modification. However, many consultations, including biological opinions, do not include intensive GIS analyses, but rely on project details, contextual information, and literature reviews to understand potential effects. Geographical analyses can provide valuable information to this process. In this presentation, we will present some of our findings on using GIS analyses to summarize, visualize, compare, and quantify baseline habitats and action area impacts as a potential future opportunity for this federal process. We will include lessons learned in terms of how incorporating geographical analyses can improve the process, including understanding overlaps, minimizing conflicts, quantifying impacts, and increasing transparency for stakeholders within the federal process. Incorporating spatial knowledge into the process will allow us to better understand the socio-ecological interactions of our world within the consultation process.