Environmental Compliance

The Environmental Compliance Section (ECS) provides staff support and documentation in complying with various federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. ECS staff provides environmental impact analysis, permitting, and mitigation planning and monitoring for the Agency's capital improvement program. In addition, staff also coordinates reviews of environmental documents for non-Water Agency projects throughout the Agency's service area in our role as a responsible agency under CEQA.

For capital improvement projects, staff conducts environmental review, permitting, land use planning, and mitigation monitoring services. Specifically, staff provides documentation for:

Environmental impact assessment in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
Agency's mitigation monitoring program;
Permitting with federal, state, and local agencies;
Formal and informal consultation with federal and state regulatory agencies regarding endangered species under the Federal and State Endangered Species Acts
Land use consistency with the County's General Plan; and
Compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Current Projects

CEQA Compliance

ECS staff prepare documentation in compliance with the CEQA and the Agency's Procedures for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act. The Agency has adopted objectives, criteria, and specific procedures consistent with CEQA for administering its responsibilities under CEQA. Under the CEQA and the Agency's Procedures for the Implementation of CEQA, the Agency is required to evaluate the environmental impacts of projects proposed under the Agency's Capital Improvement Projects. For these projects, environmental planners and scientists conduct resource surveys, evaluate environmental impacts of projects, and prepare environmental documentation in compliance with CEQA. The types of documents prepared by staff include Environmental Impact Reports, Initial Studies, Mitigated Negative Declarations, Notice of Determination, and Notices of Exemptions. Staff work in conjunction with Agency engineers and operations staff to design projects to avoid impacts, or reduce impacts to the greatest extent possible through changes in project design or through the development of mitigation measures to offset impacts. When mitigation is necessary to minimize impacts during construction and operation of a project, staff prepare mitigation plans and mitigation monitoring reports to be used during design, construction, and operations by Agency staff to monitor the implementation of mitigation measures and reduce and/or minimize project-related environmental impacts.

As part of the environmental review process, the staff supports the Agency's public involvement and outreach on capital improvement projects. Overall, Agency staff strive to achieve public outreach and input through various methods including mailings, public meetings, workshops, or through informal contact initiated by the public. The type of public outreach varies depending on the scope of the project. The Agency's main goal for public involvement is to educate the public about ongoing projects and obtain public input on projects. If you would like to learn more about CEQA, please visit the State's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) Website at www.opr.ca.gov

NEPA Compliance

ECS staff also prepare documentation in compliance with NEPA, the federal environmental impact assessment law equivalent to the state's CEQA, when required. The Agency is required to prepare NEPA documentation for projects that either have federal jurisdiction or approval, or for projects that the Agency has initiated a process to obtain federal funding.

Under NEPA, the Agency prepares documentation, generally an environmental assessment that provides the information necessary to obtain federal approval and/or funding. Similar to CEQA, the documentation prepared in compliance with NEPA provides public officials and federal regulatory staff with environmental impact assessment and analysis that identifies the potential environmental effects of a project, as well as mitigation that will be incorporated into the project to protect, restore, and preserve the existing environment. Many times when NEPA is required, ECS staff will prepare a joint CEQA/NEPA document that fulfills all requirements for both NEPA and CEQA. For more information about NEPA, please visit the Federal NEPANET website at http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/nepanet.htm.

Permitting

ECS staff is responsible for obtaining federal, state, and local permits as necessary. In particular, staff coordinate with federal and state regulators regarding potential impacts to wetlands, endangered species, streams, air quality, and land use. For permitting, ECS staff works with federal, state, and local regulators to obtain:

Section 404 permits in compliance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetlands regulatory program;
Section 401 Water Quality Certifications in compliance with the Regional Water Quality Control Board's wetlands permit program;
Streambed Alteration Agreements in compliance with California Department of Fish and Game's permit program (Fish and Game Code 1601);
Approval from federal and state regulators regarding potential impacts to endangered species under the federal and state Endangered Species Acts;
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act in compliance with the State Office Of Historic Preservation;
Documentation necessary to achieve General Plan Consistency, or General Plan Amendments in compliance with the Sonoma County General Plan (administered by the County Permit and Resource Management Department);
Sonoma County Code and County Local Coastal Plan in compliance with the County Permit and Resource Management Department;
Documentation for Air Quality permitting with the Northern Sonoma County and San Francisco Air Pollution Control Districts; and Other documentation as necessary to comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Endangered Species Act Compliance

ECS also provides environmental services related to the Agency's compliance with state and federal endangered species laws. This responsibility includes initiating and overseeing consultations with regulatory agencies under the state and federal Endangered Species Acts, preparing biological assessments and assisting with recovery planning efforts and watershed planning.

ECS provides Endangered Species Act compliance support for the Division and other Divisions including Maintenance, Operations and Permit Compliance, and Engineering and Resource Planning. ECS maintains close coordination with regulatory agencies during review and implementation of Agency primary responsibilities, which include water supply, flood control, and sanitation.

Currently ECS staff is coordinating several projects related to Endangered Species Act compliance in the region. These projects include an on going Section 7 Consultation for coho and chinook salmon, and steelhead in the Russian River, as well as working with NOAA Fisheries Service and California Department of Fish and Game and other institutions to assist in the preparation of a recovery plan for listed salmonids. ECS staff is also working with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, North Coast Region, to develop a Basin Plan protective of listed species.

Public Notices/ Meetings

Public participation is a fundamental component of the environmental review process. As part of the Agency's Procedures for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, procedures are in place to encourage and facilitate public participation. The Agency recognizes the fact that public comment on environmental documents provides a means by which private citizens can take part in the decision-making process. The Agency provides public notices and conducts public meetings in order to receive public input on environmental issues related to Agency activities.

Mitigation Monitoring

In addition to CEQA documents completed for Agency projects, the Agency also completes Mitigation Monitoring Plans (MMP). In accordance with the CEQA guidelines and the Agency's Procedures for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, mitigation measures are intended to avoid or reduce potential impacts associated with construction or operation of Agency projects. MMPs are intended to assist Agency staff in tracking mitigation measures to ensure their completion.

In addition to MMPs for individual Agency projects, the Agency also maintains a Mitigation Monitoring Inventory database and library to monitor and track Agency MMPs. A Jurisdiction–Wide Mitigation Monitoring Program Annual Report is also prepared to review the progress and effectiveness of the Agency's MMPs.

Document Review

As a responsible agency under CEQA, the Agency reviews environmental documents prepared by other federal, state or local agencies. The Agency reviews environmental documents for issues related to water agency activities. The Agency also reviews draft General Plans, tentative maps, development plans, permit applications, civil design plans and other development submitted to the Agency.

The Agency reviews the sufficiency of each document in identifying and analyzing the possible impacts on the environment as they pertain to Agency concerns and responsibilities. Responsibilities include compliance with the Agency's Flood Control Design Criteria, Design and Construction Standards for Sanitation Facilities and Sanitation Code and any activity that may affect the operation and maintenance of Agency facilities or other activities.

Contact

To learn more about the Agency's Environmental Compliance Section and the ongoing environmental review for capital improvement projects at the Agency, please contact William Keene at (707) 547-1922.