Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), federal agencies must consult with the US Fish and Wildlife Service or NOAA Fisheries to ensure that any action they authorize, fund, or carry out is not likely to jeopardize any listed species or destroy or adversely modify their critical habitat.
If the agency determines that the action is likely to adversely affect the species or its critical habitat, they must develop and implement reasonable and prudent alternatives to avoid jeopardizing the species or destroying or adversely modifying their critical habitat.