Multi-Sector General Permit Technical Guidance in the Greater Atlantic Region
Information on how to receive Endangered Species Act Section 7 technical guidance for the Environmental Protection Agency's 2021 Multi-Sector General Permit projects.
In order to complete the Environmental Protection Agency's E-NOI process for the 2021 Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP), you must identify the species and/or critical habitat(s) listed by NOAA Fisheries under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) occurring near the facility seeking coverage by the permit. This information below will assist you in determining which listed species and/or designated critical habitat are present near your site (i.e., the action area[1]).
Step 1: Search the ESA Section 7 Mapper for your facility location.
a.) Go to the ESA Section 7 Mapper.
b.) Go to the search box in the upper left-hand corner and enter the address or coordinates of the facility.
c.) Zoom in to the location of the facility (red arrow below or use the scroll wheel on your mouse) until you see the receiving waterbody where discharge from the facility will occur and select the drawing tool located just below the search box (blue arrow below).
d.) Select the point marker (red arrow below), then click on the highlighted area in the receiving waterbody closest to the facility location and click Get Details (blue arrow below) to get a report of ESA-listed species under NMFS' jurisdiction that may be present.
e.) A white box will appear with information about the species and critical habitat present. Select either the download or print icon (blue oval below) to obtain a report of pertinent information about species, life stages, seasonality, critical habitat, etc.
Step 2: Use the species tables to refine your location results, if applicable.
Our species tables provide additional, specific information about waterbodies where listed species have been observed, and the behaviors they exhibit in those areas.
If after following the preceding steps, you are still unable to obtain the necessary information, you may submit a request for technical assistance to nmfs.gar.esa.section7@noaa.gov. Please note that NMFS will have 30 days to respond to your request for information/technical assistance.
Questions?
For questions related to completing the EPA Appendix G – Notice of Intent form, contact Pat Shaw-Allen at pat.shaw-allen@noaa.gov.
[1] Action area is all areas to be affected directly or indirectly by the federal action and not merely the immediate area involved in the action (see 50 CFR 402). For this purpose, the action area is where stormwater from industrial activities discharge into receiving waters and the areas in the immediate vicinity of the point of discharge. (Example: Where stormwater from industrial activities discharges into a stream segment that is known to have listed aquatic species.)