Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species
Management and protection of rare threatened and endangered species (RTE) and their habitats are not only concerning for environmental regulators but also for many stakeholders in the communities where infrastructure development projects are taking place. Big Pine Consultants (Big Pine) provides real-world solutions to align project goals with state and federal regulatory compliance, as well as community values by teaming with other leaders in habitat and wildlife ecology. If your project needs federal authorization, permit, or funding, chances are you will need some sort of documentation to address RTE species. Many states require documentation addressing RTE species as well before a state permit can be issued.
Big Pine’s team offers a range of services starting with RTE species consultations with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and numerous state agencies. We conduct desktop evaluations using GIS and some online agency specific resources to identify actions to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential impacts to RTE species or their habitat in order to create value for our clients and the communities they serve. We also complete, or coordinate with other consultants to complete, required field surveys to determine presence/absence of particular species in project areas. Big Pine is listed by the USFWS Pennsylvania Field Office to be able to conduct surveys for the northeastern bulrush (Scirpus ancistrochaetus).
Big Pine’s professional team has built their careers guiding clients through the RTE species compliance process under Section 7 and Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We conduct our studies following state and federal guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), as well as current industry best practices. Our strategy is rooted in beginning the compliance process early and providing support through project life cycle. We manage milestones and timetables to keep the project running smoothly, on schedule and under budget.
At Big Pine, our goal is not only to satisfy compliance commitments, but also to bring benefits to projects and communities by building winning relationships for clients, regulators and stakeholders.
