How to run the USFWS species review (IPaC and Section 7)
General information, not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
Who grants it: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services field office for the county; the federal permitting agency (often the Corps) leads any consultation.
When it applies: Every project should pull an IPaC species list. Formal Section 7 consultation applies only when a federal agency funds, permits or authorizes the project; the Endangered Species Act's take prohibition applies regardless. Wind projects also follow the voluntary wind energy guidelines.
What the application asks for, and where to find it
| The application asks for | Where you find it | How |
|---|---|---|
| Project area polygon | Your engineer | The site boundary as a shapefile or drawn in IPaC; the report's parcel outline (Texas) is a start. |
| Project description and type | You (the applicant) | Technology, MW, construction footprint. |
| Designated critical habitat near the site | This site: the land report | The land report row "Critical habitat" (USFWS), with the map link. |
| Listed species in the county | The agency's website | IPaC returns the official list for the polygon. |
| Survey results (if required) | Your engineer | A biologist runs habitat assessments or presence/absence surveys when IPaC lists species with suitable habitat. |
| Federal nexus: which permit or funding | You (the applicant) | A Corps permit, a federal loan or federal land brings Section 7; state the agency and permit number. |
What the "where you find it" column means
- This site: the land report
- Run the spot on the land report; the value is on the page named, with its agency source.
- Appraisal district (tax assessor)
- The county appraisal district record: property ID, legal description, acreage, owner of record, agricultural valuation. The report's Lease page links it; the Permits page lists the district's phone.
- The landowner
- Only the owner can supply it: signed authorization, deed reference, existing leases, access, their contact details.
- Your engineer
- From your civil or electrical engineer: site plan, disturbed acreage, drainage, the electrical one-line, nameplate and inverter data, structure heights.
- Surveyor or title company
- Boundary survey, legal description for recording, easements of record, title commitment.
- The agency's website
- The agency publishes it: forms, fee schedules, community numbers, district offices, portal accounts.
- You (the applicant)
- Your entity details: legal name, address, signatory, contacts, FEIN, insurance.
How to file it
- Open IPaC, define the project area, and generate the official species list and the "determination keys" it offers.
- If a species with habitat on site is listed, have a qualified biologist assess habitat and, where needed, survey in season.
- With a federal permit, the lead agency consults under Section 7; supply the biological assessment it asks for.
- For wind, follow the land-based wind energy guidelines tiers and keep the record.
The pages you will use
Official pages cited
How-to guidance from the agency pages linked above, not legal advice; forms, fees and offices change, so confirm with the office before filing. The land report fills in the site facts; the rest comes from the sources named in each row.
Related questions
General information from the sources linked above, not legal, tax, or financial advice.
Sources and helpful links
- IPaC ipac.ecosphere.fws.gov
- Section 7 fws.gov
- land-based wind energy guidelines fws.gov
More official contacts and resources: Helpful links.