What We Do

Endangered Species Program

Endangered species consultation and technical assistance

Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory: 

  • Screen projects through https://conservationexplorer.dcnr.pa.gov/
  • The Fish and Wildlife Service is a participant in this state-run conservation explorer tool
  • This site provides instant effect determinations, avoidance measures, or information requests that advance project review
  • Technical issues and questions regarding Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory should be sent to: RA-HERITAGEGIS@PA.GOV

* Finalizing the project under the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory does not initiate consultation

Project Review Submission and Consultation

After screening through Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory and receiving a potential conflict with USFWS, please follow these directions:

  1. Go to IPaC IPaC
    Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) is a project planning tool that streamlines the USFWS environmental review process

    Learn more about IPaC     -  https://ecos.fws.gov/ipac/ to create a species list of your project.  The species list will serve as a record of your project within the USFWS database.  Once your species list is created, you will receive a USFWS project number (e.g., 2022-0001) for future reference. 
  2. Applicants should email project information, including IPaC species list and USFWS project number, toir1_espenn@fws.govto initiate a review.

Please include the following items:

  1. Project narrative with a description of the overall project
  2. A map with the project boundary and/or a basic site plan
  3. SIGNED copy of a Final Project Environmental Review Receipt 
  4. Species list created through IPaC (https://ecos.fws.gov/ipac/) See #1 above for more information) 

Bald Eagle Screening

Navigate to Bald Eagle Guidelines 

Navigate to Bald Eagle Screening Form

Navigate to Bald Eagle Screening Tool

Project Review Times

We continue to process projects submitted for environmental review. The timeline established in Endangered Species Act regulations for response from receipt of necessary information is 60 days, though we strive to respond prior to that deadline.

Environmental Contaminants

Service biologists seek to identify contaminant threats to fish and wildlife resources and recommend actions to state and other federal agencies to eliminate those threats

Since 1984, the Pennsylvania Field Office has conducted dozens of investigations of potential contamination across the state.

See documents in our Library for additional information on Pennsylvania specific projects.

Hydropower

The Pennsylvania Field Office reviews non-federal hydroelectric projects that are licensed or exempted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under the Federal Power Act.

Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

Designed for use on privately owned (non-federal) lands, providing landowners with technical and financial assistance to restore fish and wildlife habitats.