Saltwater Inc is seeking a Section 7 Information Consultant to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Regional Office (SERO), Protected Resources Division (PRD).
Background
The NMFS
SERO is responsible for the management, conservation, and protection of living
marine, estuarine, and anadromous species and their habitats found in the eight
coastal states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, as well as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. SERO PRD administers the Region’s responsibilities
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). There are 32 ESA-listed species in the
Southeast Region, including sea turtles, whales, fish, corals, and seagrass.
Twelve of these species have designated critical habitat in the Southeast.
The single largest task carried out by SERO PRD is administering Section 7 of the ESA, consulting with federal agencies to conserve listed species and critical habitat during project development and implementation. Section 7 consultation is required when an action authorized, funded, or carried out by a federal action agency may affect a listed species or designated critical habitat. Informal consultation can be completed if the action may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect, listed species and critical habitat. An action is not likely to adversely affect ESA resources when all effects to listed species or critical habitat are expected to be insignificant (not able to be meaningfully measured), discountable (extremely unlikely to occur), or wholly beneficial (strictly positive effects). Informal consultation is only initiated when NMFS has all of the information necessary to fully evaluate the action and its effects to ESA resources. Informal consultation is concluded when NMFS issues its Letter of Concurrence (LOC) to the action agency. If an action is likely to adversely affect listed species or critical habitat, formal consultation is required.
Location: Work will
be conducted offsite (i.e. telework), and travel is expected.
Salary and Benefit: This is a full-time position. Salary commensurate with experience.
Comprehensive benefits package.
Duties
· Attend a kick-off
meeting in St. Petersburg, FL
o Meet the PRD Project
Lead
o
Review available Section 7 resources (templates, checklists, guidance,
examples, and information sources) provided by the PRD Project Lead
o
Discuss SERO’s informal Section 7 process with the PRD Project Lead
and ask clarifying questions
· When an informal
Section 7 consultation request is received, the Contractor shall review the
request package for completeness
o
The Contractor shall be assigned 27 consultation requests over the
period of performance.
o
The contractor shall determine completeness of consultation request
packages using the Section 7 resources provided by the PRD Project Lead and any
other relevant information sources that may be relevant to the consultation
o
If the consultation
request package is deemed complete, notify the PRD Project Lead that
consultation is initiated
· Draft a Request for
Additional Information (RAI) if the consultation request is deemed incomplete,
asking for only the information necessary to initiate consultation
o
The Contractor shall draft an RAI and submit it to the federal action
agency via email informing them that the consultation request package is
incomplete
o
The Contractor shall include standard language in their RAI that if
the federal action agency has not responded within 45 days, the consultation
request will be withdrawn by NMFS
o
The Contractor shall send a reminder to the federal action agency that
their 45-day response deadline is approaching, if necessary
o
The Contractor shall alert the PRD Project Lead that the consultation
request should be withdrawn, if necessary
o
The Contractor shall copy the PRD Project Lead on all correspondence
with the federal action agency
o
The Contractor shall document all phone calls with a federal action
agency by sending a follow-up email to the federal action agency, copying the
PRD Project Lead. The Contractor shall provide the PRD Project Lead with a
phone log that includes the project identifying number, the date of the phone
call, who they talked to, and the general topic(s) discussed
· Review the federal
action agency’s RAI response
o
The Contractor shall determine whether the federal action agency’s
response contains the remaining information needed to initiate consultation
o
The Contractor shall draft additional RAI's, if necessary, repeating
Task 3 above
o
Once all requested information is received from the federal action
agency, alert the PRD Project Lead that consultation is initiated
·
Confirm the action
agency’s effect determination
o
The Contractor shall determine whether the federal action agency’s
effect determination is accurate.
o
If the determination is not Likely to Adversely Affect (LAA), the
Contractor shall alert the PRD Project Lead, that the consultation is LAA. The
consultation will be returned to the PRD Project Lead for reassignment to
NMFS/SERO/PRD Staff.
·
Draft 22 LOCs and submit for review (based on the
expected numbers of consultations not withdrawn or determined to be LAA)
o
The Contractor shall draft LOCs using
§
the available Section 7 resources provided by the PRD Project Lead
(templates, checklists, guidance, examples, and information sources)
§
information received from the federal action agency
§
any additional relevant information obtained by the Contractor
o
The Contractor shall submit any remaining correspondence and any
additional documentation used to complete the consultation, from the federal
action agency or obtained by the Contractor, to the PRD Project Lead when the
draft LOC is submitted for review
· Address PRD Project
Lead comments on draft LOCs
o
The PRD Project Lead will provide comments to the Contractor within 3
weeks of receipt of the draft LOC
o
The contractor shall address all comments provided on the draft LOC
and resubmit to the PRD Project Lead
o
The contractor shall contact the PRD Project Lead if clarification on
the comments is needed
o
The contractor shall respond to additional comments from the PRD
Project Lead, if necessary, repeating the steps above
· The contractor shall
close-out the consultation by sending any remaining correspondence and any
additional documentation used to complete the consultation, from the federal
action agency or obtained by the contractor, to the PRD Project Lead
·
The contractor shall delete all project files and
correspondence from the contractor’s computer upon project completion. The Contractor will
provide the PRD Project Lead with a deletion log that includes the project
identifying number, the files (file type and filename) deleted, and the date of
deletion.
Other Duties
· When assigned an informal Section 7 consultation request, review the
request package for completeness
· Draft a Request for Additional Information (RAI) if the consultation
request is deemed incomplete, asking for only the information necessary to
initiate consultation
· Review the federal action agency’s RAI response
· Confirm the action
agency’s effect determination
· Draft an LOC and submit for review
· Address PRD Project Lead comments on draft LOCs
·
Removal of all project files and
correspondence from the Contractor’s computer upon notification by the PRD
Project Lead of project completion, withdrawal, or return of a LAA
consultation.
· Monthly progress report to include, but not necessarily be limited to,
status of all consultations, issues encountered, interactions with action
agencies, recommendations, if applicable
Required Minimum Knowledge and Experience
·
Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in an environmental science
or associated discipline (e.g., biology, ecology, fisheries biology, marine
biology, natural resource management, conservation biology, landscape ecology,
or restoration ecology)
·
Demonstrated knowledge and experience with Section 7 consultations
requirements of the ESA
·
Demonstrated knowledge of SERO’s ESA-listed species and their habitats
·
Strong understanding of the coastal and marine ecology of the Gulf of
Mexico, South Atlantic, and U.S. Caribbean
·
Critical thinking and the ability to assess potential impacts to ESA
resources associated with coastal and marine activities (e.g., dredging,
construction, restoration, military operations)
·
Proficient with common databases and office productivity programs,
such as Word, Excel, Gmail, Google docs, and Endnote
·
Strong organizational skills with ability to work independently and
comply with project deadlines
·
Strong communication skills and the ability to work well with others,
including a diverse array of federal action agencies
·
Strong professional writing skills and the ability to express both
biological and regulatory concepts in plain language
If you are interested in
being considered for this position, please send a cover letter and resume
to: Stacey Hansen @ stacey.hansen@saltwaterinc.com
Only
qualified applicants that meet minimum experience or background requirements
stated above need apply. When applying for this position you
will be asked to upload your resume at the end of this online application.
Applicants should submit a resume that includes the following: