The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service are proposing amendments to the consultation regulations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. These changes pertain to land management plans by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The proposed revisions aim to make it clear that when new information emerges which could affect species or habitats in ways not previously considered, reinitiating consultation won't always be necessary, as long as a separate action-specific consultation is conducted for any related actions. The goal is to improve the efficiency and consistency of interagency cooperation procedures.
Simple Explanation
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service want to change some rules to help them work better with other groups like the U.S. Forest Service. They say if they find new stuff about how animals or habitats could be affected, they don’t always have to start all over again to see if everything's okay, as long as they check any new actions separately.