Department of Defense
MANUAL
NUMBER 4715.03
November 25, 2013
Incorporating Change 2, August 31, 2018
USD(A&S)
SUBJECT: Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) Implementation Manual
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5134.01 (Reference (a)) and
pursuant to DoD Instruction 4715.03 (Reference (b)), this manual:
a. Provides procedures to prepare, review, update, and implement INRMPs in compliance
with sections 670-670o of Title 16, United States Code (U.S.C.) (also known and referred to in
this manual as “the Sikes Act” (Reference (c))).
b. Incorporates and cancels Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and
Environment memorandum (Reference (d)) and Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health memorandums (References (e) and (f)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This manual:
a. Applies to:
(1) OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of Inspector General of the
Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other
organizational entities in the DoD (referred to collectively in this manual as the “DoD
Components”).
(2) All DoD operations, activities, real property, and property interests owned, leased,
permitted, and controlled in the United States, including near-shore areas and public lands
withdrawn from all forms of appropriation pursuant to public land laws and reserved for use by
the DoD, unless the law specifically places responsibilities on another organization.
b. Does not apply to:
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(1) Overseas operations and activities outside U.S. territories, possessions and
commonwealths
.
(2) Civil works projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and projects
that USACE performs for non-DoD entities.
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy in accordance with Reference (b) to implement and maintain
natural resources conservation programs to ensure access to land, air, and water resources for
realistic military training and testing while ensuring that the natural resources under the
Secretary of Defense’s stewardship and control are managed to support and be consistent with
the military mission.
4. RESPONSIBILITIES. In addition to the responsibilities in Reference (b), DoD Component
heads with land management responsibilities:
a. Integrate natural resources conservation program requirements with mission activities.
This includes preparing, maintaining, and implementing INRMPs in coordination with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), appropriate State fish and wildlife agencies, and National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries),
when relevant, as part of overall installation planning consistent with military training or test
mission requirements.
b. Develop policies requiring installations with significant natural resources to develop:
(1) INRMPs pursuant to section 670a(a) of the Sikes Act.
(2) Procedures for coordinating plans at the military installation level.
5. PROCEDURES. See Enclosures 2-8.
6. RELEASABILITY. Cleared for public release. This manual is available on the Directives
Division Website at http://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/.
7. SUMMARY OF CHANGE 2. This change reassigns the office of primary responsibility for
this manual the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment in accordance with
the July 13, 2018 Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum (Reference (g)).
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8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This manual is effective November 25, 2013.
Frank Kendall
Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
Enclosures
1. References
2. General INRMP Provisions
3. Coordination, Review, and Public Comment
4. Critical Habitat Exclusions, Special Management, and Implementation
5. INRMP Contents
6. Ecosystem-Based Management Principles and Guidelines
7. Authorities and Other Considerations
8. Planning for Climate Change Impacts to Natural Resources
Glossary
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ENCLOSURE 1: REFERENCES ...................................................................................................6
ENCLOSURE 2: GENERAL INRMP PROVISIONS ...................................................................8
SCOPE .......................................................................................................................................8
INRMP CONTENTS .................................................................................................................8
INRMP IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................10
AVAILABILITY OF INRMPS ...............................................................................................10
ENCLOSURE 3: COORDINATION, REVIEW, AND PUBLIC COMMENT ..........................12
SIKES ACT GENERAL COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS ..........................................12
SPECIFIC COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS .................................................................12
INRMP REVIEWS AND REVISIONS...................................................................................15
SOLICITING PUBLIC COMMENT ......................................................................................16
ENCLOSURE 4: CRITICAL HABITAT EXCLUSIONS, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT,
AND IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................18
CRITICAL HABITAT DESIGNATION AND SPECIAL MANAGEMENT CRITERIA ....18
IMPLEMENTATION TO AVOID CRITICAL HABITAT....................................................19
ENCLOSURE 5: INRMP CONTENTS .......................................................................................20
ENCLOSURE 6: ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND
GUIDELINES ..........................................................................................................................22
IMPORTANCE OF ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT…………………………………….. 22
SUPPORT TO MILITARY READINESS…………………………………………………. 22
IMPLEMENTING ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT……………………………. 22
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT……………………………………………………………... 24
ENCLOSURE 7: AUTHORITIES AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ....................................25
AUTHORIZING COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR LAND MANAGEMENT ON
DoD LANDS .....................................................................................................................25
INRMP SUPPORT AND OTHER AGENCIES......................................................................25
FUNDS AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES
PROVIDED THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT OR IAG ................................26
WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................26
ENCLOSURE 8: PLANNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS TO NATURAL
RESOURCES ..........................................................................................................................28
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INRMPS AND CLIMATE CHANGE .....................................................................................28
INFORMATION TO UPDATE INRMPS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE .................................28
ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS ........................................................................................................29
SPECIALIZED FORECASTING ............................................................................................29
IDENTIFYING AND ADAPTING TO EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ......................29
GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................................30
PART I: ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ................................................................30
PART II: DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................30
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ENCLOSURE 1
REFERENCES
(a) DoD Directive 5134.01, “Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and
Logistics,” December 9, 2005, as amended
(b) DoD Instruction 4715.03, “Natural Resources Conservation Program,” March 18, 2011
(c) Title 16, United States Code, also known and referred to in this manual as “the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA)”
(d) Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment Memorandum,
“Implementation of Sikes Act Improvement Act: Updated Guidance,” October 10, 2002
(hereby cancelled)
(e) Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environment, Safety and Occupational
Health Memorandum, “Implementation of Sikes Act Improvement Amendments:
Supplemental Guidance concerning INRMP Reviews,” November 1, 2004 (hereby
cancelled)
(f) Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environment, Safety and Occupational
Health Memorandum, “Implementation of Sikes Act Improvement Amendments:
Supplemental Guidance concerning Leased Lands,” May 17, 2005 (hereby cancelled)
(g) Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, “Establishment of the Office of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Office of the Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment,” July 13, 2018
(h) Title 33, United States Code
(i) Title 42, United States Code
(j) Memorandum of Understanding, “Between the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for a Cooperative
Integrated Natural Resources Management Program on Military Installations,” July 29,
2013
1
(k) Memorandum of Understanding, “Guidance for Coordination on Department of Defense
Sikes Act Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans,” June 8, 2001
2
(l) Section 318 of Public Law 108-136, “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2004,” November 24, 2003
(m) Section 313 of Public Law 110-417, “Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2009,” October 14, 2008
(n) Chapter 63 of Title 31, United States Code
(o) Part 21 of Title 32, Code of Federal Regulations
(p) Title 10, United States Code
(q) Title 31, United States Code
(r) Department of Defense Fire & Emergency Services Certification Program Lookup System,
http://www.dodffcert.com
(s) U.S. Global Climate Change Research Program, http://www.globalchange.gov
(t) Department of Defense Website, “Department of Defense FY2012 Climate Change
Adaptation Roadmap,”
1
http://www.denix.osd.mil/nr/upload/Sikes-Tripartite-MOU.pdf
2
http://www.fws.gov/habitatconservation/SAIA%202001%20Guidance%20FWS.pdf
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http://www.acq.osd.mil/ie/download/green_energy/dod_sustainability/2012/Appendix%20
A%20-%20DoD%20Climate%20Change%20Adaption%20Roadmap_20120918.pdf
(u) Department of Defense Website, “DoD Natural Resources Conservation Program Climate
Change Tools for Adapting Management Strategies,”
http://www.dodworkshops.org/files/ClimateChange/CC-Home.html
(v) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Website, “Conservation in a Changing Climate,”
http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange
(w) National Fish, Wildlife & Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy, “National Fish, Wildlife &
Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy Peer Review Summary,”
http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov
(x) Subpart 17.5, Federal Acquisition Regulation, “Interagency Acquisitions Under the
Economy Act, current edition
(y) Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “DoD Dictionary of Military and
Associated Terms,” current edition
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ENCLOSURE 2
GENERAL INRMP PROVISIONS
1. SCOPE
a. INRMPs address natural resources management on DoD lands and near-shore
environments, where appropriate, and at installations with jurisdiction and control, including
lands occupied by tenants or lessees or being used by others pursuant to a permit, license, right
of way, or any other form of permission. The DoD Component permitting authorities may
include provisions in leases, permits, or licenses requiring the grantee to perform natural
resources conservation duties as a condition of occupancy or use of the parcel. Installation
commanders still address natural resources management on any of these lands.
b. In accordance with Reference (b), installations conduct planning level surveys (PLSs) and
data analysis as the foundation for effective planning and decision-making. When feasible,
installations develop PLSs in accordance with applicable DoD Component requirements and
standards, and will maintain each PLS as geospatial data. New PLSs will be conducted if data,
information, or technologies change substantially enough that current PLSs are inaccurate.
2. INRMP CONTENTS. Pursuant to the Sikes Act, INRMPs include:
a. Mission Sustainability
(1) The goal of DoD environmental programs and policies is conserving the environment
for mission sustainability.
(2) Each DoD Component will ensure that its INRMPs will, to the extent appropriate,
applicable and consistent with the use of the installation, enable the preparedness of the Military
Services to provide for no net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the
military mission of the installation, pursuant to section 670a(b)(1)(I) of the Sikes Act.
(3) During the planning process, natural resources personnel consider appropriate
management goals, objectives, and timelines for implementing actions to protect or enhance
installation mission capabilities when determining INRMP resourcing priorities. Projects
developed to support INRMP goals and objectives incorporate sustainable practices, take
advantage of ecosystem management principles, where practicable.
(4) The DoD Component integrates mission requirements and priorities identified in the
INRMP in other environmental programs and policies, where applicable, to help ensure these
natural resources are maintained in the best ecological condition possible to fully support current
and future mission requirements. The DoD Component annually evaluates INRMP effectiveness
in preventing net loss, including accounting for instances where effective workarounds are
implemented by natural resources personnel to ensure no net loss of training areas.
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(5) There may be instances in which a net loss may be unavoidable to fulfill legal
requirements other than the Sikes Act, such as complying with a biological opinion pursuant to
the provisions of sections 1531-1544 of Reference (c) or protecting wetlands pursuant to section
1251 of Title 33, U.S.C., also known and referred to in this manual as “the Clean Water Act)
(Reference (h)). To the extent practicable, the installation will identify the loss of mission
capability in these instances in its INRMP, and will include a discussion of measures taken to
minimize the effects of any restrictions on training and testing.
b. Managing Threatened and Endangered Species. The INRMP incorporates inventory,
monitoring, and management of ESA listed species and agreed upon elements of specific ESA
consultations.
c. Implementation
(1) Natural resources personnel assess INRMP implementation for compliance with
various other federal laws, including but not limited to:
(a) Section 470-470x-6 of Reference (c), also known as “the National Historic
Preservation Act.”
(b) Section 470aa-470mm of Reference (c), also known as the Archaeological
Resources Protection Act.”
(c) Section 703-712 of Reference (c), also known as “the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act.”
(d) Section 1251 et seq. of Reference (h), also known as “the Clean Water Act.”
(e) Section 1361-1423h of Reference (c), also known as “the Marine Mammal
Protection Act.”
(f) Section 1451-1466 of Reference (c), also known as “the Coastal Zone
Management Act.”
(g) Section 1531-1544 of Reference (c), also known as “the Endangered Species
Act.”
(h) Section 1801-1884 of Reference (c), also known as “Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act.”
(i) Section 7401 et seq. of Reference (i), also known as “the Clean Air Act.”
(2) The process of evaluating compliance with these and other laws, as well as the
effects of implementing the INRMP, will be evaluated in accordance with sections 4321-4370h
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of Title 42, U.S.C., also known as “the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969” (Reference
(i)).
d. Accommodating Public Access. In addition to the general areas and conditions
appropriate for public access in Enclosure 3 of Reference (b), the INRMP:
(1) Identifies areas available to the general public for hunting, fishing, and trapping
programs, subject to access restrictions and safety requirements.
(2) Ensures compliance with section 1996 of Reference (i), also known as “the American
Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978,” so that American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native
Hawaiians will have reasonable access to DoD sites and resources that are of religious or cultural
importance (e.g., burial and sacred grounds) or where treaties allow.
(3) Describes outdoor recreation areas appropriate for handicap access pursuant to
section 670c of the Sikes Act.
(4) Identifies and plans for public and volunteer access to military lands for approved
purposes (e.g., National Public Lands Day, Earth Day), as appropriate. Further installation
safety and security reviews are required to carry out such activities.
3. INRMP IMPLEMENTATION. The DoD Components implement INRMPs by:
a. Actively requesting and using funds for natural resources management projects, activities
and other requirements in support of goals, and objectives identified in the INRMP.
b. Ensuring that sufficient numbers of professionally trained natural resources management
personnel are available to perform the tasks required by the INRMP.
c. Inviting annual feedback from the appropriate USFWS and State fish and wildlife agency
offices on the effectiveness of its INRMP.
d. Documenting specific INRMP action accomplishments undertaken each year.
e. Evaluating the effectiveness of past and current management activities and adapting those
activities as needed to implement future actions.
4. AVAILABILITY OF INRMPS
a. Installation personnel submit INRMPs for appropriate security review before making
them available to the public. Restricted information, such as classified imagery, budgetary
details and sensitive locations must be excised before posting.
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b. The DoD Components make draft INRMPs available electronically to USFWS and the
appropriate State fish and wildlife agency to expedite review and comments.
c. The DoD Components make final INRMPs available electronically to the general public
through the installation’s website or other appropriate outlets.
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ENCLOSURE 3
COORDINATION, REVIEW, AND PUBLIC COMMENT
1. SIKES ACT GENERAL COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS
a. The DoD Component involves the USFWS and appropriate State fish and wildlife agency
in preparing, implementing, and reviewing the INRMP annually to ensure it is current, and to
generate metrics to measure and track progress.
b. The DoD, USFWS, and the State review the INRMP for technical adequacy of the content
and to secure mutual agreement from all signatories. If USFWS or a State fish and wildlife
agency objects to an INRMP based on elements not within the scope of the agency’s authority,
the DoD Component may finalize the INRMP. Mutual agreement is attained when the INRMP
is signed by the:
(1) USFWS regional director or his or her designee.
(2) Appropriate State fish and wildlife agency director or his or her designee.
(3) Military Service representative.
c. Installations will engage with other federal (e.g., NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Forest Service,
Bureau of Land Management) and State agencies, when necessary.
d. Installations will consult with federally recognized Indian tribes, Alaska native entities,
and Native Hawaiian organizations where tribal treaty rights, sacred sites, burial sites, or other
rights to natural and cultural resources may be affected.
2. SPECIFIC COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS
a. Minimum Requirements
(1) To ensure effective coordination, USFWS and the State fish and wildlife agency
should be engaged in INRMP scoping, design, preparation, and periodic review.
(2) DoD Components will ensure that natural resources managers engage installation
stakeholders (e.g., operations and training, public works, planners) in developing, reviewing and
updating the INRMP to ensure goals, objectives, and actions are in line with mission
requirements, and to identify potential project conflicts or opportunities for cooperative program
implementation.
(3) DoD Components will ensure that installation representatives will, at a minimum,
communicate annually with USFWS and State fish and wildlife agency personnel regarding
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INRMP implementation progress, potential areas of improvement, and expected projects for the
coming year.
b. Engaging Internal Stakeholders. Natural resources managers engage annually, at a
minimum, other installation stakeholders (e.g., operations and training, public works, planners)
in developing, reviewing, and revising the INRMP to:
(1) Ensure goals, objectives, and actions are consistent with mission requirements, and
the installation strategic plan, real property master plan, and range complex master plan.
(2) Identify potential project conflicts or opportunities for cooperative program
implementation.
(3) Establish specific goals and measurable objectives for all elements of the INRMP,
pursuant to section 670a(b) of the Sikes Act.
(4) Establish installation-specific objectives and measure progress toward achieving
those objectives, as appropriate.
c. Engaging USFWS and the State
(1) Process for Engagement. Installations will engage USFWS and the State fish and
wildlife agency in scoping, designing, preparing, and reviewing periodically the INRMP. The
natural resources manager initially contacts the USFWS field office when developing and
reviewing INRMPs. Consistent with the Sikes Act Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding
(Reference (j)), a field office reviews the INRMP and provides preliminary agreement
concerning the conservation, protection, and management of fish, wildlife, and plant resources.
If an installation needs help contacting a field office, natural resources managers may contact the
USFWS Regional Sikes Act Coordinator. The installation natural resources manager facilitates
INRMP coordination and ensures adequate documentation of the coordination process by:
(a) Notifying the appropriate USFWS and State fish and wildlife offices of its intent
at least 60 calendar days before delivering an updated INRMP for review and coordination.
(b) Sending the draft INRMP to the USFWS field office and State fish and wildlife
agency office and other federal agencies, when appropriate, for review and comment.
(c) Requesting written acknowledgement that the draft INRMP was received within
15 days of receipt. Written acknowledgement may be in electronic format.
(d) Requesting written comments from the USFWS field office and the State fish and
wildlife office within 45 days, and requesting that the offices furnish copies of their written
comments to the USFWS Regional Sikes Act Coordinator’s office and the State fish and wildlife
agency director’s office.
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(e) Considering all comments received, and sending a final draft INRMP to the
USFWS regional office or delegated field office and the State fish and wildlife agency office
with a letter documenting how the installation addressed their comments within 90 days.
(f) Requesting that the regional USFWS and State fish and wildlife agency directors
provide consolidated written comments from all appropriate offices and divisions within 60 days
of receiving the final draft INRMP, unless the participants mutually agree on a longer review
period. This concludes the review process.
(2) Cooperative Preparation
(a) The final INRMP will reflect mutual agreement of the USFWS and State fish and
wildlife agency representatives concerning the conservation of the natural resources under their
respective legal authorities, consistent with the Department of the Interior’s memorandum of
understanding (Reference (k)).
(b) The natural resources manager coordinates with NOAA Fisheries when the
INRMP will benefit from their participation and review.
(3) Section 7 Consultation. If formal consultation pursuant to the ESA is required, the
time-frames for that process will apply. The DoD Component requests the appropriate office to
provide notification of the review timeline within 15 days of receiving the draft INRMP.
(4) Final Comments. Except for the special situations described in paragraph 2.c. (3), if
after a period of 120 days the appropriate USFWS and State offices do not provide final
comments, an installation may request expedited review of its previously submitted INRMP.
The installation submits a written request to USFWS and to the appropriate State fish and
wildlife agency via the Military Service chain of command. Representatives from these offices
will meet within 30 days of the request to resolve any outstanding coordination issues.
Otherwise, the installation may view the INRMP as final and approved for implementation
purposes until outstanding coordination issues are resolved.
(5) Communication. Installation representatives, at a minimum, communicate annually
with USFWS and State fish and wildlife agency personnel on progress implementing the
INRMP, potential areas of improvement, and expected projects for the coming year.
d. Integrating Other Plans, Programs, and Policies
(1) Installation natural resources managers prepare INRMPs in coordination with all
applicable regulatory permits and requirements, and relevant planning documents including but
not limited to: installation master plans, range complex master plans, training plans, integrated
cultural resources management plans (ICRMPs), integrated pest management plans,
encroachment management plans, installation restoration plans, wildland fire plans, installation
information management systems, and applicable regulatory permits, requirements, and
mitigations. The INRMP briefly summarizes the key interrelationships with other plans,
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references where plans may be obtained, and describes where detailed information can be found.
INRMPs are not a comprehensive compilation of information on all these related topics.
(2) Natural resources personnel coordinate INRMPs with natural resources
conservation–related plans and programs on and adjacent to the installation to foster
collaborative efforts, and ensure that priorities align with military mission and resource
management requirements.
(3) Key plans or portions thereof can be included, if appropriate and desired, as
INRMP appendices or links.
3. INRMP REVIEWS AND REVISIONS
a. Sikes Act Formal Review Requirements. The DoD Components, USFWS, and
appropriate State fish and wildlife agency review the INRMP every 5 years to determine whether
it is implemented pursuant to the Sikes Act, and contributes to the conservation and
rehabilitation of natural resources on military installations. A 5-year review is final once the
relevant installation(s), the USFWS, and appropriate State fish and wildlife management
agencies have signed the document or provided signed record of coordination. The DoD
Components:
(1) Ensure the USFWS and appropriate State fish and wildlife agencies review each
INRMP on a regular basis, but not less often than every 5 years. NOAA Fisheries is included in
the 5-year review if it participated in the INRMP development, if listed species are included in
its jurisdiction or the near-shore environment is involved, or if the INRMP will benefit from its
participation and review.
(2) Conduct a review for operation and effect to determine whether the installation is
implementing the existing INRMP to:
(a) Meet Sikes Act requirements.
(b) Contribute to the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources on military
installations.
(3) Update or revise INRMPs as necessary based on the results of these reviews.
b. DoD Annual Review. In accordance with Enclosure 3 of Reference (b), the DoD
Components review INRMPs annually in cooperation with the other internal and external parties
to the INRMP. DoD annually reviews the INRMP goals and objectives, establishes a realistic
schedule for undertaking proposed actions, determines adjustments needed to keep INRMPs
current, and generates annual assessments of the Natural Resource Conservation Metrics in
accordance with Enclosure 5 of Reference (b).
(1) The DoD Components may use the documented annual reviews when developing the
reports required by section 670a(f) of the Sikes Act, as well as expedite or, in appropriate cases,
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substitute for the more formal 5-year reviews, provided these reviews comprehensively address
all items that have changed significantly since the last review, and the DoD Component
documents the parties’ mutual agreement.
(2) External tri-partite stakeholders (i.e., USFWS, State) may be invited to participate in
these reviews.
c. Revising an INRMP. During the review process, the DoD Components, USFWS, and
appropriate State fish and wildlife agencies should determine whether an existing INRMP needs
formal revision.
(1) Circumstances that may suggest that a revision is necessary include:
(a) The current INRMP no longer provides adequately for the conservation and
rehabilitation of the natural resources on the base;
(b) The installation mission or physical features have changed significantly; or
(c) There are substantial natural resources effects anticipated from base realignment
and closure, such as: a new species listing, new construction, new training, changes to training
type or tempo, or other factors that were not addressed in the existing INRMP.
(2) The parties to the INRMP shall, in consultation with one another, determine whether
an INRMP should be revised.
d. Updating an INRMP. An INRMP may be simply updated to accommodate changes to the
information contained in the INRMP that do not require substantial changes in the way natural
resources on the base are to be managed. The DoD will provide a means to easily identify all
such updates when forwarding the INRMP to the other parties for review (e.g., by providing a
summary iterating all changes or by providing the updated INRMP in a track changes format).
4. SOLICITING PUBLIC COMMENT
a. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Review. Although not expressly required by
the Sikes Act, installations should offer members of the public an opportunity to comment on an
INRMP revision, as appropriate. In addition, if the proposed revisions reflect changes in the
natural resources management actions described in the existing INRMP, NEPA review must, in
most cases, be performed before the new INRMP may be adopted. Installations should afford
the appropriate USFWS and State fish and wildlife management offices the opportunity to
review all public comments received on any revised INRMP.
b. INRMP Reviews, Updates, and Revisions
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(1) Review, No Change. Installations are not required to invite the public to review or to
comment on the decision to continue implementing an existing INRMP that has not been updated
or revised.
(2) Update. If only minor changes to an existing INRMP are required, and these changes
are not expected to require natural resources management practices materially different from
those described in the existing INRMP, the installation is not required to perform additional
NEPA analysis or provide an additional opportunity for public comment. If an applicable
Categorical Exclusion exists, it should be cited.
(3) Revision. If significant revisions are proposed to be made to an INRMP that may
result in environmental effects not previously analyzed (e.g., changes to the natural resource
management practices that will be implemented), the installation must conduct a new or
supplemental environmental impact analysis of the proposed action under NEPA, and make the
INRMP and the environmental document available for public review and comment, as
appropriate.
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ENCLOSURE 4
CRITICAL HABITAT EXCLUSIONS, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT, AND
IMPLEMENTATION
1. CRITICAL HABITAT DESIGNATION AND SPECIAL MANAGEMENT CRITERIA
a. ESA
(1) Critical Habitat Designation Restrictions. Pursuant to section 4(a)(3)(B)(i) of ESA,
the Secretaries of the Departments of Interior and Commerce are prohibited from designating as
critical habitat any lands or other geographical areas owned or controlled by the DoD, or
designated for its use, that are subject to an INRMP prepared pursuant to section 670a of the
Sikes Act. This restriction applies if either Secretary determines in writing that a given INRMP
provides a benefit to the species for which critical habitat is proposed for designation pursuant to
section 318 of Public Law 108-136 (Reference (l)).
(2) Threatened and Endangered Species and Critical Habitat. Pursuant to section 7 of
ESA, the DoD consults with the USFWS, and NOAA Fisheries when threatened or endangered
species or designated critical habitats are in question, to ensure no DoD action will likely
jeopardize the continued existence of listed species, or destroy or adversely modify designated
critical habitats. An Incidental Take Statement acquired in accordance with section 7(b)(4) of
the ESA is necessary for DoD action proponents to be exempt from the take prohibitions
described in section 9 of the ESA.
b. USFWS Special Management Criteria. The USFWS uses three criteria to determine if an
INRMP provides adequate special management or protection to obviate the need for critical
habitat designation:
(1) The INRMP provides a conservation benefit to the listed species. The cumulative
benefits of the management activities identified in the INRMP for its duration maintains or
provides for an increase in a species’ population or the enhancement or restoration of its habitat
within the area included in the INRMP (i.e., those areas essential to the conservation of the
species). A conservation benefit may result from reducing habitat fragmentation, maintaining or
increasing populations, insuring against catastrophic events, enhancing and restoring habitats,
buffering protected areas, or testing and implementing new conservation strategies.
(2) The INRMP provides certainty that relevant agreed-on actions will be implemented.
Persons implementing the INRMP can accomplish its goals and objectives, have adequate
funding to implement agreed upon activities, have implementation authority, and have obtained
all the necessary authorizations or approvals. The INRMP includes an implementation schedule,
including completion dates, for the conservation effort.
(3) The INRMP provides certainty that the conservation effort will be effective. USFWS
considers these criteria when determining the effectiveness of the conservation effort:
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(a) Biological goals, which are broad guiding principles for the program, and
objectives, which are measurable targets for achieving the goals.
(b) Quantifiable, scientifically valid parameters that demonstrate achieving
objectives and standards measuring progress.
(c) Provisions for monitoring and, where appropriate, adaptive management.
(d) Provisions for reporting progress on implementation based on compliance with
the implementation schedule and effectiveness based on evaluation of quantifiable parameters of
the conservation effort.
(e) A period of time sufficient to implement the actions and achieve the benefits of
its goals and objectives.
c. Exclusion. Pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of the ESA, the Secretary of the Interior may
exclude a military installation or portion of an installation from critical habitat if, after
considering the economic impact and the impact on national security, the Secretary determines
that the benefits of exclusion outweigh the benefits of inclusion. An installation provides the
necessary and relevant information explaining the national security implications of critical
habitat designation on the military installation.
2. IMPLEMENTATION TO AVOID CRITICAL HABITAT. To take advantage of the ESA
4(a)(3)(B)(i) exemption and avoid USFWS or NOAA Fisheries designation of critical habitat on
DoD installations, each installation implements its INRMP by executing appropriate projects and
activities in accordance with specific timeframes identified in the INRMP. The DoD
Components prioritize projects with the assistance from the USFWS, appropriate State fish and
wildlife agencies, and NOAA Fisheries if applicable. The DoD Components may provide this
information after review and validation of the priorities and estimated costs of the requirements.
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ENCLOSURE 5
INRMP CONTENTS
General INRMP contents address how natural resources management goals support no net loss in
military mission capability for military installation lands while enhancing training and testing
capabilities to the maximum extent practicable. Natural resources personnel will coordinate
INRMPs with other installation plans and include this information, as applicable:
a. Summary of general information about the installation’s mission and history, including
the ecological history of the landscape.
b. Summary of how the installation’s natural resources support the military mission.
c. Identification of all legal requirements pertinent to natural resources management.
d. Identification of the installation’s natural resources, including but not limited to
vegetation communities, topography, soils, climate patterns, water resources, wildlife, federal
and State listed species, other sensitive species, and context within the regional ecosystem.
e. Description of any sensitive areas that federal regulation or installation requirement
restricts, such as critical habitats, essential fish habitats, wildland fire, or special management
areas.
f. Description of natural resources programs specific to the installation, such as forestry,
agricultural outlease, and hunting and fishing.
g. Description of land management partnerships affecting military training and natural
resources management on the installation, such as the DoD Readiness and Environmental
Protection Integration Program, agreements with other federal or State agencies, or
nongovernmental organizations.
h. Procedural recommendations for managing the installation’s natural resources in ways
that are compatible with the installation mission, satisfy legal requirements, and that ensure long-
term stewardship is not compromised by agricultural out-lease, timber sales, or energy
development.
i. Natural resources management priorities that ensure compliance with legal requirements
and ongoing stewardship responsibilities, as well as goals and objectives that are clear and
practical and that the DoD Components can assess for adaptive management.
j. Management procedures for the ongoing identification, maintenance, and enhancement of
natural resources.
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k. Recommendations for managing the installation’s Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazards,
if applicable.
l. Establishment of requirements, goals, and objectives reflected in budget documents and
decision-making processes, and addressed in conservation self-assessments.
m. Analysis of natural resources, ecosystems, and areas of critical or special concern from
both technical and policy perspectives.
n. Consideration of access for the public (e.g., disabled Americans, disabled sportsmen,
American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians) and comprehensive outdoor recreation and
planning.
o. Assessment of regional context, challenges and opportunities with respect to managing
natural resources on the installation (e.g., effects of climate change, landscape scale partnerships,
ecosystem services, opportunities for conservation or mitigation banking, compatible use buffer
programs, in lieu of fee banking).
p. Identification of the critical management requirements necessary for maintaining
ecosystem health and integrity to ensure the sustainability of the land for current and future
military missions and to ensure effective stewardship of public land.
q. Identification of critical natural resources related encroachment areas and prioritization of
adaptive management objectives relative to natural resources related impacts on the installation
mission.
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ENCLOSURE 6
ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES
1. IMPORTANCE OF ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT. The DoD Components use ecosystem
management on their military lands to support present and future training and testing
requirements while preserving, improving, and enhancing ecosystem integrity. Over the long
term, this approach maintains and improves the sustainability and biological diversity of
terrestrial and aquatic, including marine, ecosystems while supporting sustainable economies,
human use, and the environments required for realistic military training operation. The DoD
Components consider and use a full and evolving array of ecosystem-based management tools as
appropriate.
2. SUPPORT TO MILITARY READINESS. To support military operations, the DoD
Component:
a. Uses ecosystem-based management and responsibilities in accordance with existing
natural resources conservation management authorities to provide realistic and sustainable
training and testing environments (e.g., adaptive management, vulnerability assessment).
b. Integrates ecosystem-based management with mission readiness in the context of a
shrinking DoD land base and budget.
c. Performs operational, testing, training, and maintenance activities in coordination with
natural resources conservation actions.
d. Integrates ecosystem conservation considerations into marine operations and planning.
e. Confirms biodiversity conservation contributes to overall ecosystem integrity and
sustainability.
f. Uses regional approaches in cooperation with other DoD Components, other federal
agencies, and with adjoining property owners to coordinate cooperative and partnership-based
actions and support, not diminish, military operations and training lands capacity.
3. IMPLEMENTING ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT. The DoD Component
incorporates ecosystem-based management by:
a. Maintaining and improving the sustainability and native biodiversity of ecosystems. The
DoD Component conducts installation programs and activities to identify, maintain, and restore
the composition, structure, and function of natural communities that comprise ecosystems to
ensure their long-term sustainability and biodiversity at landscape and other relevant ecological
scales to the maximum extent that mission needs allow.
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b. Considering ecological units and timeframes. The DoD Component considers the effects
of installation programs and actions at spatial and temporal ecological scales that are relevant to
natural processes. A larger geographic view and more appropriate ecological timeframes assist
in the analysis of cumulative effects on ecosystems that may not be apparent with smaller and
shorter scales. Regional ecosystem-based management efforts are generally more appropriate
than either national or installation-specific efforts.
c. Supporting sustainable human activities. Consistent with mission requirements, the DoD
Component actions support multiple use (e.g., outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, forest timber
products, agricultural outleasing) and sustainable development by meeting the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
d. Developing a vision of ecosystem health. All interested parties (e.g., federal, State, tribal,
and local governments; nongovernmental organizations; private organizations; public)
collaborate in developing a shared vision of what constitutes desirable future ecosystem
conditions for the region of concern. The appropriate parties should factor existing social and
economic conditions into the vision, as well as methods by which all parties may contribute to
the achievement of desirable ecosystem goals.
e. Developing priorities and reconciling conflicts. The DoD Components, along with
stakeholders, prioritize the ecosystem-based management objectives and the methods for
meeting those objectives, in accordance with long-term mission planning goals. Identifying local
installation objectives and urban development trends can help identify opportunities and
determine compatibility with ecosystem objectives.
f. Developing coordinated approaches to work toward ecosystem health. To develop the
collaborative approach necessary for successful ecosystem-based management, installations:
(1) Involve the military operational community early in the planning process to
accomplish ecosystem-based management consistent with the military mission.
(2) Develop a detailed ecosystem-based management implementation strategy for
installation lands and other programs based on the vision developed in paragraph 3d of this
enclosure and those principles and guidelines.
(3) Meet regularly with regional stakeholders (i.e., State, tribal, and local governments;
nongovernmental entities; private landowners; public) to discuss issues and to work toward
common goals.
(4) Incorporate ecosystem-based management goals into strategic, financial, and
program planning and design budgets to meet the goals and objectives of the ecosystem-based
management implementation strategy.
(5) Prevent undesirable duplication of effort, minimize inconsistencies, and create
efficiencies in programs affecting ecosystems.
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g. Relying on the best science and data available. Ecosystem-based management is centered
on scientific understanding of ecosystem composition, structure, and function. It requires more
and better research and data collection, as well as better coordination and use of existing data and
technologies. Information should be accessible, consistent, and proportionate. Established
standards should be used for the collection, taxonomy, distribution, exchange, update, and format
of ecological, socioeconomic, cartographic, and managerial data.
h. Using goals and objectives to monitor and evaluate outcomes. Implementation strategies
include specific and measurable objectives and criteria to evaluate activities in the ecosystem.
Efficiencies gained through cooperation and streamlining should be included in those objectives.
i. Using adaptive management. Installations develop flexible management practices to
accommodate the evolving scientific understanding of ecosystems and adjust as necessary based
on, at a minimum, annual reviews. Installations also accommodate training and test mission
changes and coordinate resultant impacts on existing ecosystem management to preserve both
training/test and conservation processes and objectives.
j. Implementing through installation plans and programs. Installations work with their
stakeholders to identify an ecosystem's desired future conditions and incorporate implementing
activities, as appropriate, in installation INRMPs, ICRMPs, and other planning and budgeting
documents.
4. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT. The DoD Components include these systematic procedures
in an adaptive management approach:
a. Identify and assess military mission operating and facility requirements.
b. Analyze and assess risk to natural resources.
c. Complete needs assessment surveys.
d. Monitor and prepare the needs assessment results.
e. Update natural resources inventories to ensure information is current.
f. Reanalyze and reassess risk to natural resources.
g. Adjust the overall program, as necessary.
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ENCLOSURE 7
AUTHORITIES AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
1. AUTHORIZING COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR LAND MANAGEMENT ON DoD
LANDS. This authorization is intended to facilitate the acquisition of natural resources
management services on military installations, to include monitoring and the transfer of funds for
services provided.
a. The Secretary of a Military Department may enter into cooperative agreements with State
and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals. He or she may enter
into interagency agreements (IAGs) with other federal department and agency heads to maintain
and improve natural resources on or to benefit natural and historical research on military
installations pursuant to section 670c-1(a) of the Sikes Act.
b. The Secretary of a Military Department may enter into cooperative agreements or IAGs
for off-installation lands if the cooperative agreement could relieve or eliminate current or
anticipated challenges that could restrict, impede, or otherwise interfere with, directly or
indirectly, current or anticipated military activities pursuant to section 313 of Public Law 110-
417 (Reference (m)).
c. These cooperative agreements or IAGs are not considered, nor treated as, cooperative
agreements to which chapter 63 of Title 31, U.S.C. (Reference (n)) applies. The DoD Grants and
Cooperative Agreement regulations in part 21 of Title 32, Code of Federal Regulations
(Reference (o)) do apply to Sikes Act cooperative agreements.
d. The Secretary of Defense may negotiate and enter into cooperative agreements with
public and private agencies, organizations, institutions, individuals, and other entities to carry out
the DoD Legacy Resource Management Program consistent with section 2694 of Title 10,
U.S.C. (Reference (p)).
e. The DoD may order goods and services from another federal agency in accordance with
section 1536 of Title 31 U.S.C., also known as the Economy Act. (Reference (q)). DoD funds
may not be used to augment the resources of other federal agencies (e.g., USFWS, NOAA
Fisheries) or State agencies to conduct actions that are their statutory responsibility.
f. The DoD may partner with non-federal governments or private organizations to establish
buffers around installations or to develop habitat enhancement programs that benefit the
military’s no net loss to training needs pursuant to section 2684a of Reference (p).
2. INRMP SUPPORT AND OTHER AGENCIES
a. DoD installations may prioritize for funding contracts and cooperative agreements for
implementation and enforcement services with federal and State agencies responsible for
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conservation and management of fish and wildlife pursuant to section 670a(d)(2) of the Sikes
Act.
b. The DoD may use funds to obtain information and technical assistance from federal and
State agencies to prepare or implement INRMPs by:
(1) Conducting biological inventories.
(2) Monitoring and assessing management results.
(3) Recommending management prescriptions to meet identified goals.
(4) Obtaining maps, surveys, and other technical information.
c. Consistent with section 670c-1 of the Sikes Act, the DoD may use funds or transfer funds
to the entities specified in paragraph 1a of this enclosure by a cooperative or interagency
agreement to:
(1) Prepare for and participate in meetings with INRMP signatories to discuss INRMP
status and whether they need to update or revise the INRMP.
(2) Prepare the INRMP and any updates or revisions to the INRMP, including requisite
studies and surveys.
(3) Execute projects identified in the INRMP concerning conservation, protection, and
management of fish and wildlife resources.
(4) Develop or evaluate buffer area proposals and other natural resource or habitat
identification, modifications, or restoration activities related to Sikes Act responsibilities.
3. FUNDS AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED
THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT OR IAG. The DoD Component develops
policies delegating the authority to enter into cooperative agreements or IAGs. All such
agreements will state that the DoD Component will carry out its obligations contingent on
available funding and to the extent the installation’s approved INRMP authorizes the proposed
actions.
4. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT
a. The DoD Components that are subject to wildfire hazards and utilize prescribed burns as a
land management tool, develop and implement an integrated Wildland Fire Management Plan
and incorporate it into the INRMP.
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b. DoD wildland fire fighters should register their certifications in the DoD Fire and
Emergency Services Certification Program website (Reference (r)), found at
http://www.dodffcert.com.
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ENCLOSURE 8
PLANNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS TO NATURAL RESOURCES
1. INRMPS AND CLIMATE CHANGE. The DoD Components address potential impacts to
changing climate conditions in INRMPs using these and other tools and resources:
a. For national, regional, and international climate information, see the U.S. Global Change
Research Program website (Reference (s)), found at http://www.globalchange.gov.
b. “DoD FY2012 Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap” (Reference (t)), found at
http://bit.ly/13cs9Z2.
c. “DoD Natural Resources Conservation Program Climate Change Tools for Adapting
Management Strategies” (Reference (u)), found at
http://www.dodworkshops.org/files/ClimateChange/CC-Home.html.
d. Department of the Interior, USFWS website, “Conservation in a Changing Climate”
(Reference (v)), found at http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange.
e. “National Fish, Wildlife & Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy” (Reference (w)), found at
http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov.
2. INFORMATION TO UPDATE INRMPS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. Natural resources
personnel use this information when updating an INRMP for climate change considerations:
a. Historical regional trends and projections of future climate or sea level rise relevant to the
region.
b. Information developed for other purposes (e.g., facilities risk assessments) that natural
resources personnel can use to assess climate change impacts or adaptation strategies.
c. A discussion of sustainability in the context of climate change in the management
strategies section. This discussion should support, at a minimum, the development and updating
of vulnerability assessments. These must be identified in the INRMP and the implementation
table to ensure allocation of funding.
d. Information from regional collaboration to develop vulnerability assessments and
adaptation strategies.
e. Collaboration with DoD mission leads for comprehensive incorporation of training and
test vulnerabilities related to climate change.
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3. ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS. The ecosystem effects of climate change will likely be
incremental and challenging to distinguish and assess. DoD’s analysis to assess potential
impacts should be predictive in nature, relying on models to plan for probable complex and
indirect changes that are likely to happen in the future. The DoD Components will require an
adaptive process of developing, validating, and improving forecast models to develop new and
improve existing natural resources management strategies to address global climate change
impacts to protected species and species of concern.
4. SPECIALIZED FORECASTING. Steps in this area of specialized forecasting can include
modification of already existing analyses that the DoD Components perform in planning for
climate change impacts to natural resources, including:
a. Conducting a vulnerability assessment of natural resources of interest and how those
vulnerabilities may impact installation mission.
b. Developing common regional goals.
c. Addressing already existing climate variability to identify trends.
d. Adding climate change to the threats analysis prepared as part of the INRMP process.
e. Where authorized by statute, participating in regional efforts to adapt to or mitigate for
climate change, including monitoring impacts and identifying migratory pathways to support
species movement and habitat shift by use of existing borderlands, mitigation banks, and
conservation buffers.
f. Updating best management practices to address the risks posed by climate change to
unique landscapes, ecosystems, and habitats.
g. Using regional conservation partnerships and alliances to share information and
collaborate across jurisdictions.
5. IDENTIFYING AND ADAPTING TO EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. Natural
resources personnel proactively identify the likely effects of climate change to adapt and
maintain cost effective programs and meet legal requirements to manage natural resources by
collaborating with natural resources agencies and the public.
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GLOSSARY
PART I. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
DoDI
DoD instruction
ESA
Endangered Species Act
IAG
interagency agreement
ICRMP
integrated cultural resources management plan
INRMP
integrated natural resources management plan
NEPA
National Environmental Policy Act
NOAA Fisheries
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine
Fisheries Service
PLS
planning level surveys
USACE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S.C.
United States Code
USFWS
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
PART II. DEFINITIONS
Unless otherwise noted, these terms and their definitions are for the purpose of this manual.
Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazards. Potential risk or threat of striking a bird or other animal
with military fixed or rotary winged aircraft.
climate change. Any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a
result of human activity.
cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is an agreement, in accordance with section
103a of the Sikes Act, between a Military Department and a State, local government,
nongovernmental organization, or individual to provide for the maintenance or improvement of
natural resources on, or to benefit natural and historic research on, a DoD installation.
critical habitat. Defined in section 3(5)(A) of the ESA.
INRMP. Defined in Reference (b).
installation. Defined in Reference (b).
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IAG. An agreement, in accordance with section 670c-1(b) of the Sikes Act, between a Military
Department and another federal department or agency to provide for the maintenance or
improvement of natural resources on, or to benefit natural and historic research on, a DoD
installation. IAGs may provide for the acquisition of goods and services from another federal
agency in accordance with the subpart 17.5 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (Reference
(x)) and Reference (q).
Military Service. Defined in the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (Reference
(y)).
mitigation banking. Defined in Reference (b).
near-shore areas. Defined in Reference (b).
review for operation and effect. A comprehensive, joint review by the parties to the INRMP,
conducted no less often than every 5 years, to determine whether the plan needs an update or
revision to continue to adequately address Sikes Act purposes and requirements.
significant natural resources. Defined in Reference (b).
sustainability. The ability to meet current DoD mission and stewardship needs without
comprising its ability to meet future needs.