Memorandum of Agreement Between the Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service Regarding Enhanced Coordination Under the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act

摘要

This Agreement is designed (1) to improve coordination of the agencies' compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for actions authorized, funded, or carried out by EPA under sections 303(c) and 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), and (2) to provide clear and efficient mechanisms for improved interagency cooperation, thereby enhancing protection and promoting the recovery of threatened and endangered species and their supporting ecosystems, and reducing the need for future listing actions under the ESA. Throughout this Agreement, 'Service' or 'Services' shall refer to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and/or National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), as appropriate. In this Agreement 'States' refers to States, Territories and Commonwealths that qualify as States for the programs covered by this Agreement and 'Tribes' refers to Tribes that qualify for treatment in the same manner as States under section 518 of the CWA.