A Comparative Example for Eagle Local Area Population Cumulative Effects Analysis Based on the USFWS Proposed Revisions

At the Wind Wildlife Research Meeting X, I presented a poster “Cumulative Effects Analysis Considerations for Eagle Take Permits and NEPA” which demonstrated the process for Local Area Population (LAP) Bald Eagle take... [ view full abstract ]

At the Wind Wildlife Research Meeting X, I presented a poster “Cumulative Effects Analysis Considerations for Eagle Take Permits and NEPA” which demonstrated the process for Local Area Population (LAP) Bald Eagle take benchmarking and cumulative effects analysis for an example project in Minnesota (Bald Eagle Management Unit 3). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS or Service) proposed revisions to the regulations for permits for incidental eagle take (April 2016) includes some changes to the LAP calculations and cumulative effects analysis as well as updated eagle population estimates, natal dispersal distances, and administrative flyways as eagle management units. This presentation will revisit the example project under the 2009 Eagle Permit Rule (USFWS 2009) as compared to the new proposed revisions and updated population numbers. The proposed incorporation of the LAP 5% limit on authorized take into the regulations is an important component of the USFWS proposed revisions. Implications for eagle incidental take permits and NEPA analyses will be reviewed.