Training Restrictions on Army Lands Due to High Priority Endangered Species

Abstract

Abstract : The Endangered Species Act requires that Federal agencies conserve Threatened and Endangered Species (TES) and in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service, ensure their actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any TES or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. Guidance for TES management can produce restrictions that interfere with realistic combat training conducted on Army installations. The U.S. Army Environmental Requirements and Technology Assessments (AERTA) research is focused on seven of the highest priority TES. These species are: red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), black-capped vireo (Vireo atri-capillus), golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia), gray bat (Myotis grisescens), Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), and gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This document provides a current depiction of TES-related restrictions on Army installations that have populations of the seven priority TES and are, or have been, the focus of ERDC-CERL research efforts. Two important conclusions can be drawn from the information presented in this report: (1)TES restrict military training on installations to a quantifiable degree, and (2)over time, there is potential for many of these restrictions to be reduced.