Ryan Orndorff, Program Director, DoD Natural Resources Program with a Guest Appearance by Gary Frazer, Assistant Director, Ecological Services Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The DoD Natural Resources (NR) Program policy presentation will provide an overview of the DoD NR Program’s current priorities, challenges, and initiatives. It will highlight recent accomplishments, provide an overview of the program based on the annual Environmental Review, discuss new opportunities, tolls, and training, and encourage outreach and engagement. Additionally, USFWS will provide a brief overview of the new Endangered Species Act consultation regulations, the status of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and USFWS and DoD’s Recovery and Sustainment Partnership.

1. Ryan Orndorff, Program Director
National Military Fish and Wildlife Association
Omaha, NE - March 10, 2020

2.  Organization
 Policies
 Oversight
 Initiatives
 Sister Programs
 Technical Support,
Resources, and Opportunities
 What’s Next

4.  USD(Acquisition and Sustainment) (USD(A&S))
 Ms. Ellen M. Lord
 ASD(Sustainment) (ASD(S))
 Nominee - Mr. William Jordan Gillis
 Acting ASD(S) & PDASD(Sustainment)
 Mr. Pete Potochney
 DASD(Environment) (DASD(Env))
 Ms. Maureen Sullivan
 DoD Natural Resources Program Director
 Mr. Ryan Orndorff

5.  National Defense Strategy Priorities
 Restore readiness
 Deter threats
 Enhance lethality
 Reform business practices
 ASD(S)
 Enhance materiel availability
 Resilient installations
 "Safe" place for members
 Highly effective staff supporting DoD

6. Vision - Enable the Defense Mission by Sustaining the Natural Resources
Required for Readiness Activities
Mission - Maximize and Enhance Mission Flexibility through Natural
Resources Stewardship
OSD Role:
 Assess, develop, and implement Natural Resources related legislation, policy, guidance,
procedures, and metrics
 Oversee Military Component NR programs, including budgets, expenditures and compliance with
legislative, regulatory, and policy requirements
 Ensure compliance with laws, Executive Orders (EOs), and DoD policies
 Provide tools for DoD natural resources managers (NRMs) such as training courses and outreach
materials
 Develop and maintain partnerships with external stakeholders, including non-governmental
organizations, state governments, and other federal agencies
 Promote awareness of the NR Program to the DoD community, Congress, and other interested
parties
 Chair the DoD Conservation Committee

7.  Comprised of designated representatives of DoD
Components’ NR programs and other OSD entities
 Recommends NR policy and program improvements to OSD
and Military Service senior leadership
 Addresses common interest NR issues that potentially affect
DoD Components and other DoD stakeholders
 Coordinates NR programs at national and regional levels
through DoD Components
 Reviews and modifies DoD NR Program metrics

8.  Prevent new species listings
 Reduce regulatory mission impacts
 Improve consultation process and outcomes
 Develop conservation strategies and approaches to
enhance mission flexibility
 Facilitate species recovery
 Improve internal and external collaboration
and coordination
 Align NR program activities and investments to
support mission
 Support resilient natural infrastructure

10.  Mission Support
 Issues with ESA Section 7 Consultations - delays, challenges with
technical expertise and best available science, understaffed Regulator
offices
 Encroachment/limitations on installations from listed species and their
mitigation
 ESA compliance drives funding, lessens availability for other conservation
needs
 Species recovery not well defined
 More resilient military installations can support mission needs, protect
natural resources, and ensure the safety of our personnel and families
 Program Support
 Inability to implement proactive NR management
 Potential for longer term compliance impacts
 NR staffing shortages
 Need for ongoing training for NR personnel

12.  Revised and streamlined DoDI to reflect WHS
requirements to focus on policies and responsibilities in
DoD Instructions
 Eliminated redundancies and shifted procedural information to
DoDM 4715.03
• DoDM 4715.03 update planned (2020/2021)
 Updated laws, policies, and Executive Orders
 Encourage and promote off-base conservation when doing
so enhances on-base mission flexibility and aligns with
stewardship/recovery goals
 Revised NR metrics
 Stakeholder review with DoD Components ending March 25,
2020 (Step 1a)

13. 1A
Draft the
Issuance
Coordinate
Internally
1B
STAGE 1: Development STAGE 2: Precoordination STAGE 3: Formal Coordination
STAGE 4: Presignature STAGE 5: Approval & Publication
D
R
A
F
T
P
U
B
L
I
S
H
Timeframe: 8 weeks Timeframe: 10 weeks Timeframe: 8 weeks
Timeframe: 12 weeks Timeframe: 3 weeks
2A
Precoordination
Review
2B
Precoordination
Revision
2C
Legal
Objection Review
2D
DD Form 106
Signature
3A
Coordinate
Via Portal
3B
Coordination
Review
4A
Presignature
Review
4B
Presignature
Revision
4C
Legal
Sufficiency Review
4D
Security Review
5A
Approval
5B
Publication

14.  DoD is a member of the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (signed MOU 2016)
 ASD(Sustainment) and DASD(Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support of Civil
Authorities) are DoD representatives
 DoDI 6055.06 - DoD Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Program published on
October 3, 2019
 Clarifies DoD Component roles and responsibilities
 Aligns the F&ES Program Objectives and Aggregate Response Time Standards
 Further develops the F&ES Human Capital Development plan
 DoD identified need to clarify wildland fire policy and roles for NRM and NR
Programs
 Clearly define program responsibilities
 Clarify requirements for specific equipment, training, etc.
 Clarify authorities and funding lines
 Coordinating with Military Components, Fire and Emergency Services, Range
Operations, P&R, DOT&E
 Working with Michelle Steinman (USAF Fire Center) - michelle.steinman.1@us.af.mil;
Anne Jewell (Army (HQDA ACSIM)) - anne.m.jewell3.civ@mail.mil

15.  ESA regulations - Gary Frazer, USFWS
 Regulations for Listing Species and Designating Critical Habitat - Effective
September 26, 2019
 Regulations for Interagency Cooperation - Effective October 28, 2019
 USFWS
 MBTA
• Proposed rule defining scope of MBTA – Comments due March 19, 2020
• Codifies 2017 Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Office Opinion M–37050
 National Workplans - https://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-
do/listing-workplan.html
 NMFS
 Revisions to Recovery Plan Preparation and Implementation
 John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act FY19
• Amended MMPA to allow for 7 year authorizations for military readiness activities
 USFWS – https://www.fws.gov/
 NOAA - https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/

16. Endangered Species Act
Revisions to the Implementing
Regulations
NMFWA Workshop, March 2020

17. Overview of Changes to
50 CFR 424
Listing, Delisting, or Reclassifying species
• Creates a regulatory framework for the phrase
“foreseeable future”
• Clarifies that the standard for listing and
delisting of species is the same
• Streamlines the factors considered in delisting
• Removes provision barring reference to
economic or other impacts in classification
decisions

18. Overview of Changes to
50 CFR 424
Criteria for Designating Critical Habitat
• Clarifies when a designation of critical habitat
may not be prudent
• Revises the process and standards for
designation of unoccupied critical habitat
• Revises the definition of physical or biological
features

19. Changes to 4(d) Rules
50 CFR Part 17 (FWS Only)
• Rescinded former regulations that automatically
applied prohibitions for endangered species to
threatened species, unless we issued a special rule
• Protections for species listed as threatened in the
future will be made on a case-by-case basis tailored
to what is necessary and advisable for that species
(i.e., via a species-specific 4(d) rule)
• Aligns the Fish and Wildlife Service with the National
Marine Fisheries Service practice

20. Revisions to 50 CFR 402
The revisions:
• Address alternative consultation
mechanisms
• Revise the definitions of “destruction or
adverse modification” and “effects of the
action” and add definition of
“environmental baseline”
• Establish deadline to conclude informal
consultation
• Address circumstances for reinitiation

21. Recovery and Sustainment
Partnership (RASP)
• Established June 2018 thru DOD/DOI MOU
• Accelerate species recovery and increase
mission flexibility
• 10 initial focal species, w/ Species Action
Plans
• Accomplishments to date
• Delisted – lesser long-nosed bat and black-
capped vireo
• Downlisted – nene; others in pipeline

22. Questions?
https://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/
regulation-revisions.html
Gary Frazer
USFWS
ph 202/208-4646
Gary_Frazer@fws.gov

24.  Program
 Program Objective Memorandum (POM) FY22-26
establishes 5 year trajectory for DoD programs
 Budget
 President’s Budget (PRESBUD) identifies program
requirements for the upcoming FY (FY21)
 Execute
 Annual Environmental Management Review
(EMR) evaluates health of the programs and
what we get for our money and effort

25. FY2018
Actual
FY2019
Actual
FY2020
Appropriated
FY2021
Request
BRAC* $351 $324 $374 $278
Cleanup-active $962 $951 $1,140 $857
Cleanup-FUDS $249 $249 $275 $216
Conservation $498 $471 $466 $477
Compliance $1,357 $1,417 $1,631 $1,594
Technology $225 $157 $181 $136
Pollution Prevention $63 $63 $68 $68
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
$Millions
$3,626
Environmental Programs
($ Millions)
$4,135
$3,705
Active
Cleanup
$857
23%
FUDS
$216
6%
BRAC
$278
8%Compliance
$1,594
44%
Conservation
$477
13%
Congressional Adds
FY2021 Request $3,626 Million
Technology
$136
4%
Subtotals may not add due to rounding
• Includes prior year funding and land sale revenue in FY2018 and FY2019 only
$3,632
Pollution
Prevention
$68
2%
$M FY2018 FY2019 FY2020
FUDS $40 $36 $59
Active Environmental Restoration $173 $148 $285
BRAC $54 $74 $120
Native American Lands Environment
Mitigation Program**
$0 $0 $0
Readiness and Environmental Protection
Integration (REPI)
$15 $10 $25
Technology $31 $28 $7
** DoD requested $12 M for NALEMP in FY2019, FY2020, and FY2021

26.  Environmental Management Review
(March 2020)
 Updated NR Data Call
 Revised Metrics
 Results from EMR
• Overall NR program health is good and improving
• Ongoing challenges especially listed species and
increasing requirements with constrained resources
Prairie Warbler, Fort Drum, NY.
Photo by Jeff Bolsinger

28. 0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19
NumberofINRMPs
Plans Required Plans Compliant Plans Operational Plans Noncompliant & Not Operational Plans Under Development

29. Focus Areas FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19
INRMP Implementation
Sikes Act Cooperation
(Partnership Effectiveness)
ODASD(Env)
removed this focus
area starting in
FY2019
Team Adequacy
Natural Resources Program
Support of the Installation
Mission
Listed Species & Critical
Habitat
Natural Resources
Management (Ecosystem
Integrity)
ODASD(Env)
removed this focus
area starting in
FY2019
Recreational Use & Access

30.  Congratulations to Fort Knox!
 Previous Winners
 2019: Fort McCoy
 2018: Camp Blanding
 2017: Fort Hood
 2016: BMGR East and West
 2015: Vandenberg Air Force Base
 2014: Orchard Training Area
 2013: Naval Base Coronado
 2012: U.S. Air Force Academy
 https://www.fws.gov/habitatconservation/Award_Form.pdf

31.  2019 Large Installation: Eglin Air Force Base
 Previous Winners
 2018: Hawaii Army National Guard (Small Installation)
 2018: Naval Base Ventura County (Individual/Team)
 2017: Camp Ripley (Large Installation)
 2016: Camp Dawson Army Training Site
(Small Installation)
 2016: Fort McCoy Natural Resources Branch
(Individual/Team)
 2015: Camp Blanding Joint Training Center
(Large Installation)
 2014: Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Small
Installation)
 2014: Eglin Air Force Base, Natural Resources
Team (Individual/Team)
2020 Award Winners will be
announced on Earth Day, April 22
Eglin AFB partnered with the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission
and the Longleaf Alliance to greatly
accelerate habitat restoration and
population expansion efforts for the
reticulated flatwoods salamander

32.  Managed 225
threatened and
endangered
species without
impacting Army
warfighting
readiness
 Red cockaded
woodpecker
down/de-listing
consideration
through DoD
Recovery and
Sustainment
Partnership
Initiative (RASP)

38.  Recovery and Sustainment Partnership (RASP) – recovering species to
sustain the mission
 Provide installations greater regulatory predictability and mission flexibility
under ESA
 RASP MOU signed with DOI – June 2018
• Facilitate decision making for species review and down/de-listing where
warranted through existing regulatory processes
• Identify and establish collaborative conservation initiatives to move species
toward recovery and/or preclude the need to list additional species
• Develop innovative regulatory approaches and tools for achieving ESA objectives
in a manner consistent with military mission needs and objectives.
 Ongoing Efforts:
• Species Action Plans for 20+ DoD mission priority species to achieve down/de-
listing/regulatory relief
• Developing policy efforts to address ESA implementation to achieve greater
military flexibility and conservation
 Determine pilot areas/installations/species to implement policy initiatives
• Fostering collaborative efforts – Collaborative Wildlife Protection and Recovery
Initiative

39.  SAPs developed collaboratively with Military
Department/Military Services (HQ, Commands, Installations)
and USFWS (HQ, Regional Offices, Field Offices)
 Identified near term (2-3 year) actions and milestones to
accomplish defined outcomes
 Requires engagement from both DoD and USFWS personnel
(and other partners) to accomplish
SAP in place
SAP under development/review

41.  Collaborative Wildlife Protection and Recovery Initiative
(pre-cursor to RASP)
 Pilot effort – least Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus)
 Interagency charter complete
41

42.  Working with Military Departments/Military Services to
define desired goals and approaches
 Policy Workshop with USFWS and DoD in February 2020
 Goals:
• Greater flexibility for installations
• More predictable and streamlined regulatory process
• Greater conservation outcomes for species and habitat
 Mechanisms
• Habitat/ecosystem-based approaches
• Defined-level of conservation via the INRMP
• Programmatic approach to providing regulatory predictability and
mission flexibility
 Working with USFWS to explore development of these concepts and
approaches through pilots

43. Defined Conservation
Mission
Habitat-based Approach
Multi-speciesBenefits
Conservation
Capacity
Landscape
Context

44.  Implementing 6 SAPs and developing SAPs for additional priority species
– SKR, WSP, Hawaiian Stilt, Guam Snails
 Identify priority actions, information needs and timelines for implementation
 Establish or promote existing collaborative partnerships to achieve
defined outcomes for priority species
 Coordinate resources, expertise, research and activities toward
supporting these collaborative conservation initiatives and engage
additional federal, state, academic and private partners
 Develop innovative regulatory approaches and tools that provide
greater mission flexibility and streamline consultation processes
while enhancing conservation outcomes for listed and “at-risk”
species
 Develop national policy options to facilitate adoption and
implementation of the innovative initiatives, approaches and tools

45.  Climate Adaptation for DoD NRMs (NWF)
Describes climate-related vulnerabilities and
risks
 Offers a six-step process to implementation
strategy
 Signed out by ASD(S) McMahon, June 3, 2019 and
on DENIX
 Project Status:
 Training Monday (March 9) at NMFWA
 Exploring additional training
opportunities in2020
 Developing a “Commander’s Guide”

47.  DoD Legacy Program Updates
 New process for Legacy projects - funding strategic
priorities/previously highly evaluated proposals
 FY 2020 projects
• 13 projects (NR, CR) - $1.8M funding
• Photo Ark, GCW, DT, and Guam sp. SAP projects, DoD Wildland Fire
Strategy
 Project Accomplishments:
• Supported development of Species Status Assessments (SSAs) for
species dependent on Longleaf pine ecosystem in Southeast U.S. in
partnership with USFWS, Texas A&M University, and others
 SSA for Southern hog-nosed snake (13 military installations) supported USFWS’
ESA listing not warranted decision
 SSA’s for Okaloosa Darter and RCW (11 military installations) supporting
potential ESA status change, which will reduce or eliminate regulatory burdens
• Developed technical guidance for Climate Adaptation for DoD NR
Managers with NWF
Noel Burkhead CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

48.  Improve NR Program integration with REPI
 Build strategies and pilots to leverage investments made
through the REPI Challenge (or other REPI projects)
 2019 REPI Challenge focus is supporting key capabilities outlined
in the National Defense Strategy
 $15M set-aside for one or more projects
 Intent is to continue this focus for
upcoming years
 REPI funds can be executed under
“REPI Agreements” (10 U.S.C. 2684a)
or “Sikes Act Agreements” (16 U.S.C.
670c-1)

50.  Navy is partnering with NFWF, USFWS, and State of Hawaii to implement off-
installation conservation actions to benefit federally listed seabirds through the
implementation of landscape level predator control/habitat enhancement
program at an important breeding site on a state owned forest reserve
 First Navy proposal using Sikes Act as primary authority, no property acquisition
component
 Partners collaborated to develop a concise 5-year implementation strategy with focused
objectives, schedule and performance metrics
 MOU with USFWS (March 2018) formalizes intent, establishes process/timeline
to mutually identify measures of success
 Acknowledges species response to management is somewhat uncertain but supported by
results from similar management efforts
 Provisions to evaluate success of management efforts after 5 years
 Acknowledges benefits provided to numerous native and federally listed species
 Partnership represents a significant opportunity to further the
objectives of the regional, landscape scale conservation initiatives
outlined multiple wildlife and recovery plans

51. REPI Salamander Partnership
Eglin AFB FL
96 TW
 RFS “circling the drain” - Eglin burden of sp. management
 Only 14 breeding sites in FL; 11 on Eglin AFB
 New RFS population discovered on state owned property (Escribano WMA)
 Eglin and REPI enabled management efforts to “enhance
mission readiness through reduction of regulatory burden as
RFS populations recover”
 REPI funding (5 year project) secured to fund off-installation recovery work -
Eglin/DoD to partner with FWC to increase mission flexibility
 Support offsite RFS management to reduce encroachment from future population
expansion
 Eglin committed to recovering RFS populations in two RFS recovery units;
• All other potential habitat recovery units supplementary, with no regulatory burden on military
mission, even if occupied
 Military mission retains access to 25,000 acres of potential RFS
habitat
 Model partnership (Eglin/FWC/USFWS) for conservation and recovery
of endangered species

52.  Armed Forces Pest Management Board
(www.acq.osd.mil/eie/afpmb/)
 POC = Doug Burkett
 DoDI 4150.07, DoD Pest Management Program – status under review
 National Invasive Species Council COP
 Visit their Technical Session: Innovations for Invasive Species and Pest
Management and the Invasive WG session on Wednesday afternoon
 Strategic Environmental Research and Development
Program (SERDP) (www.serdp.org)/Environmental Security
Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) (www.estcp.org)
 POC = Kurt Preston (Resource Conservation and Resilience)
 2020 Symposium will be Dec 1-3 in WDC; Registration opens in May
 Visit their Technical Session: DoD SERDP and ESTCP
Programs on Thursday afternoon to hear more

54.  Mission Statement: Providing expertise to better manage and conserve
birds and their habitats in ways that sustain and enhance military mission
objectives
 Business Plans – Revised DoD PIF Structure, completion soon
 DoD PIF 2019 Annual Report: under development
 Refining the Mission-sensitive Species List to focus on a narrower set
(15 spp.) of highest-priority species (significant impacts to mission if
federally listed)
 Developing draft recommendations for incorporating migratory birds
into NEPA environmental reviews
 Webinars and Avian Knowledge Network Training (held Monday)
 DoD Legacy Program Support
 Visit their DoD PIF session on Thursday morning to hear more
 http://www.denix.osd.mil/dodpif
National Program Coordinator = Dr. Rich Fischer
Technical Coordinator – Elizabeth Neipert

55.  Ensures that DoD has the operational and logistical flexibility necessary for
testing and training exercises
 Promote partnerships and collaborative efforts among the military community and external
stakeholders to develop win-win outcomes
 Reduce or eliminate population declines of both common and at-risk species
 Produce sound, science-based strategies and tools for the management of herpetofauna on military
lands
 Maintain communication with all Military Services
 2020 Projects
 Commander’s Guide to DoD PARC
 DoD At-risk Herpetofauna Priority List
 More Podcasts (next one on venomous snakes on military lands)
 More Best Management Practices documents for at-risk amphibian/reptile species
Visit the DoD PARC session on Thursday afternoon to hear more
National Program Rep. - Chris Petersen
National Technical Rep. - Rob Lovich

57.  NEW:
 Military Services voted to formalize CESU Regional
Representatives network
 NEED: CESU Regional Representatives
 Examining possible OSD funding for USACE staff to process DoD
CESU agreements
 FY2010-FY2019
 1,600 projects funded via CESU
 Cumulative value = $435M
 DoD estimated cost avoidance = $84M
 17 CESUs; fixed overhead rate of 17.5%; www.cesu.psu.edu

58. 0
50
100
150
200
250
FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19
Number of CESU Projects Funded by DoD from FY10 to FY19
# CESU Projects

59.  Earth Day (April 22 - always)
 Installations across the country participate
 www.earthday.org
 World Migratory Bird Day* (May 9 – USA and Canada)
 Directed by Environment for the Americas
 www.migratorybirdday.org
 Endangered Species Day (May 15)
 DoD NRP participates in DC based annual event
 www.endangered.org/campaigns/endangered-species-day
 National Public Lands Day (September 26)
 #NPLD, www.neefusa.org/npld
*formerly IMBD

60.  Nation’s largest, single day volunteer effort for public lands– September 26,
2020 - www.neefusa.org
 Since 1999: >300 projects, ~$2.4M (1.5:1 estimated ROI)
 Legacy funds $150K/yr (up to $9,500/site)
 2019 - 15 DoD projects; some executed in Spring 2020 due to funding delays
 2020:
• Park Rx 2020 – selections occurring now; execution in April
• NPLD - accepting proposals – June/July 2020; selection - August 2020;
execution - September 2020
• Park Rx 2021 – accepting proposals - December 2020 - January 2021; selection
- January 2021; execution - April 2021
 Project highlights from 2019
 Camp Mabry – Native Tree Walk; Wood Duck and Turtle Project
 MCB Camp Lejeune - Pollocks Point Wildlife Viewing Area Revitalization
 Makua Military Reservation - Kahanahaiki Ko'oko'olau Seed Orchard
 Hurlburt Field - Grace Brown Nature Trail Boardwalk
Repair and Trail Cleanup
 Camp Ripley - Tribal Cultural Exchange

61.  Natural Selections
 Sign up at NaturalSelections@bah.com
 CESUs (Winter 2020)
 Webinar Series
 https://www.denix.osd.mil/nr/resources/webinars/
 ECATTS – DoD personnel access
 PARC training videos
 ESA Implementation Course (CAC Access)
 https://authoring.denix.osd.mil/nr/resources/
program-information/tools-and-training/esa-
course/
 Twitter – @DoDNatRes (2,300+
followers)

64. DoD Natural Resources Activities
 Enable military mission readiness by
sustaining testing, training, and
operational flexibility
 Ensure compliance with all laws and
policies
 Conservation partners in a broader
landscape

65. Questions?
Ryan Orndorff
ryan.b.orndorff.civ@mail.mil