By Brian Freiermuth, WRA Senior Wildlife Biologist and Project Manager On December 28, 2021, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced through the Federal Register that it is proposing to list 4 of 6 defined Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) of Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (FYLF; Rana boylii) under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The … Continue Reading »
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New CEQA Statutory Exemption for Habitat Restoration Projects
By Erik Schmidt, Regulatory Specialist Law Provides for Initial 3-year Period with CDFW Oversight California continues to break new ground in efforts to accelerate critical habitat and ecosystem restoration projects with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP). The exemption is a key part of the California Natural Resources Agency’s … Continue Reading »
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vacates Some AJDs Processed Under 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule
By Bianca Clarke Agricultural reservoir impounding ephemeral waters not considered Waters of the U.S. under 2020 NWPR but may be under the pre-2015 regulatory regime. The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued an order on August 30, 2021 to vacate the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR, commonly referred to as the … Continue Reading »
Western Joshua Tree’s CESA Review Period Is Near Its End: What Have We Learned And What Should We Expect?
By Tyler Hanson On September 22, 2020 the California Fish and Game Commission voted to consider the petition to list western Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) as threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), and subsequently listed it as a candidate species the following October. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW’s) report … Continue Reading »
Reducing Risks When Applying for Environmental Permits
By Myla Ablog, WRA Aquatic Resources Permitting Specialist Do you have a complex project? Are you concerned about navigating through the environmental permitting process? Would you like to reduce risks to your project schedule? One potential way to address these concerns is to attend a pre-application Interagency Meeting. Depending on the region in which your … Continue Reading »
Corte Madera Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration and Public Access Complete
By Ariella Simke, Freelance Science Writer, and Ingrid Morken, WRA Landscape Architect In collaboration with The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (District), WRA, Inc. designed four acres of restored tidal marsh located within the District’s 72-acre property adjacent to the Corte Madera Ecological Reserve. The project reached a significant milestone on December 10, … Continue Reading »
Alameda’s Encinal Beach Provides Restored Dune Habitat and Recreation Enhancements
By Ariella Simke, Freelance Science Writer in collaboration with Leslie Lazarotti, Ellie Knecht, and Russell Prange Poking out from the coastline, Encinal Beach in Alameda is bringing awareness of sensitive coastal habitats to Bay Area visitors. The park is a local favorite, providing recreational opportunities and public beach access, and serving as one of the … Continue Reading »
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Reissues Several Nationwide Permits
By Myla Ablog, WRA Aquatic Resources Permitting Specialist On January 13, 2021, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the reissuance of 12 existing nationwide permits (NWPs) and the addition of four new NWPs. In addition, NWP general conditions and modified definitions were reissued for those 12 … Continue Reading »
Acoustic Device Advancement Encourages a Wide Variety of Monitoring Improvements
By Shawn Carroll If a bird chirps in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? WRA is about to find out! In late 2020, WRA avian biologists Shawn Carroll and Nick Wagner kicked off an exciting pilot project by successfully deploying five AudioMoth devices in coastal sage … Continue Reading »
Monarch Butterfly Endangered Species Listing
By Rob Schell, WRA Senior Wildlife Biologist How does a wildlife biologist keep themselves occupied during nine months of working from home? Well for one, I have been listing backyard species, as you do. Something that I insist that all my staff do for every project site they visit, is also something that I have … Continue Reading »