Northern Long Eared Bat

The NLEB and some other hibernating bat species, have experienced recent rapid population declines. The bats are dying because of a disease called White-nose Syndrome. NLEB hibernate during the winter months in small groups in caves and mines with constant temperatures, high humidity, and no air currents. White-nose Syndrome infects bats during hibernation and is caused by a fungus. Bats with White-nose Syndrome use up energy stores essential for surviving the winter, which results in strange behavior. In some cases bats have been observed to leave their hibernacula too early and perish. Scientists have found 90 to 100 percent declines in bat populations at some hibernacula in the northeast during winter surveys.

Under the federal Endangered Species Act the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has listed the northern long-eared bat as a threatened species. Threatened species are animals and plants that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. The goal of the Endangered Species Act is to recover and conserve species that are in danger until the species has recovered and no longer requires the protection of the law. Though the species decline is attributed to White-nose Syndrome, now that the bat is listed as threatened, all actions that may affect the bat need to be considered and reviewed. Along with the listing the USFWS has developed a 4(d) rule.

If a proposed action will have no effect, the USFWS does not have to be notified. Projects entirely outside the range of the NLEB, or projects with no suitable habitat within the project area (high-density urban areas or non-forested areas) will result in “no effect”. Projects with No Effect include activities conducted completely within existing road/rail surface and do not involve percussive or other activities that increase noise above existing traffic/background levels (blasting and use of pile drivers, rock drills, or hoe rams), maintenance, alteration, or demolition of bridges/structures if the results of a bridge assessment indicates no signs of bats, and activities that do not involve construction, such as bridge assessments, property inspections, development of planning and technical studies, property sales, property easements, and equipment purchases. For these projects document the determination of No Effect.