Implementation Guidance 33 



It is not intended by the Act or as part of the NWPCP that States would have 

 to inventory all wetlands as part of systematic acquisition planning. 

 Most States probably are aware of a number of wetland sites, meeting 

 NWPCP criteria for wetland scarcity, vulnerability, and function and 

 values, that could be identified as warranting consideration for 

 acquisition. This information plus State goals, objectives and/or 

 strategies for wetland protection/acquisition are the basic ingredients 

 needed to develop a SCORP wetlands component that demonstrates State 

 level wetland acquisition planning and consistency with the NWPCP. 



2. ROLE OF THE U^. FISH AND WHJJLIFE SERVICE 



The Service will assist in fulfilling the purposes of this NWPCP by 

 preparing Regional Wetlands Concept Plans that address the States 

 within each of the seven Service Regions (refer to outline shown in Table 

 3). This outline also could be used by a State for preparing a State 

 Wetlands Priority Plan. A Concept Plan will be prepared in coordination 

 with a State fish and wildlife agency, as well as other State and Federal 

 agencies (e.g.. State Water Quality Board, State Parks and Recreation 

 Department, Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine 

 Fisheries Service, National Park Service) having expertise regarding 

 wetland functions and values (including water resources, flood control, 

 and outdoor recreation), and will complement a State Wetlands Priority 

 Plan or other SCORP wetlands component prepared under section 303 of 

 the Act. In many situations, the two documents may be very similar 

 depending on the degree of coordination and overlapping interests of 

 Federal and State agencies. 



The Concept Plans will assure that national priorities for wetlands 

 acquisition are addressed within each State in compliance with the Act. 

 The Concept Plans will discuss and Hst the Nation's wetland resources 

 (specific sites and/or regions or systems) within each Service Region that 

 should be given priority consideration for acquisition as directed in 

 section 301 of the Act. 



To accomplish this task, the Regional Offices of the Service will 

 coordinate with the States at their request during their preparation of 

 SCORP wetlands components to assist in achieving consistency with the 

 NWPCP. Regions also will review the wetland resources in the States 

 within their Regions and following the outline in Table 3 will prepare 

 Concept Plans that address the criteria specified in the NWPCP and list 

 wetland sites that should be given priority consideration for Federal and 

 State acquisition. The Service will maintain close coordination with 

 appropriate State and Federal agencies, including the agency responsible 

 for fish and wildlife resources, to assist in identifying wetland issues and 



National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan 



