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Endangered Species Act and Essential Fish Habitat

If a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) project has a federal nexus (the project receives federal funding, a federal permit, or occurs on federal land), work must comply with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery and Conservation Act (EFH). Use the webpages linked below to determine if your work has the potential to affect protected species and how to comply with the applicable laws.

If your project may affect a species or protected habitat, but does not have a federal nexus, contact the Fish & Wildlife Program Manager.

WSDOT staff, find out when and how to coordinate with liaisons at the US Fish & Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service for ESA and EFH consultations.

Find out how to comply with the ESA and EFH. Determine what documentation you will need for your project.

Find out if there are listed species and designated critical habitat in the project area. Find news about recent changes in ESA listings from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and NOAA Fisheries (NMFS).

Use this guidance when preparing a Biological Assessment (BA) for WSDOT.

Use this information to supplement Chapter 13: Effect Determination Guidance of the BA preparation manual.

Use this information, in addition to Chapter 7: Construction Noise Impact Assessment of the BA preparation manual, to assess noise impacts to marine mammals, marbled murrelets, and fish.

Use this information with Chapter 17: Stormwater Impact Assessment of the BA preparation manual. In addition, find information on programmatic stormwater monitoring and the indirect effects stormwater runoff analytical method.

Use the flow charts and information on this page to determine when reinitiation or information update is needed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 consultation with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Find guidance on how to comply with the ESA and EFH during and following WSDOT emergency actions.

Find how to qualify as a BA author for the WSDOT.

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