District Funding Support to the Living Coast Discovery Center’s Endangered Ridgway’s Rail Propagation Project
Summary
SCH Number
2022050244
Public Agency
San Diego Unified Port District
Document Title
District Funding Support to the Living Coast Discovery Center’s Endangered Ridgway’s Rail Propagation Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/11/2022
Document Description
The proposed project would continue to provide funding support to the Living Coast Discovery Center’s Endangered Ridgway’s Rail Propagation Project, which has been active since 2000. In partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Hubbs SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW), the Living Coast Discovery Center (Applicant) has been conducting the propagation project to rear the endangered Ridgway’s Rail. The funding for the proposed project would support program activities such as: staff training to breed and raise Ridgway’s Rail chicks to adulthood; rail veterinary care and animal husbandry; maintain proofing pens for habitat acclimation for the rails; diet and nutrition care for adults, chicks, and juveniles; maintain artificial nesting platforms located in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Refuge; enhance current Ridgeway’s Rail educational exhibits; annual Ridgway’s Rail surveys; conduct periodic releases in Southern California salt marshes; as well as other similar services as needed to support the Endangered Ridgway’s Rail Propagation Project. District support of this program is consistent with the San Diego Bay Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP), which is a joint, guiding document for the natural resources management in the Bay, including District tidelands. As described in the INRMP the objective for the Ridgway’s Rail (formerly light-footed clapper rail) is to: “Protect the listed light-footed clapper rail population inhabiting San Diego Bay and seek to contribute to its recovery.”
Capture and breeding of federal and state listed endangered species is strictly managed by USFWS and CDFW and requires specific training and permits for both organizations and individual biological or medial staff to be approved to perform this work. The Applicant would be responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding construction demolition debris, hazards and hazardous materials, and stormwater.
Contact Information
Name
Lily Tsukayama
Agency Name
San Diego Unified Port District
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Chula Vista
Counties
San Diego
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
Living Coast Discovery Center, 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301; 15304; 15307
Reasons for Exemption
These are appropriate for the proposed project because it involves supporting the Living Coast Discovery Center and its partners, including regulatory agencies like the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, to protect a federally listed and state-listed endangered Ridgway’s Rail and would involve negligible or not expansion of use beyond that previously existing and would not involve the removal of mature, scenic trees. The District has determined none of the six exceptions to the use of a categorical exemption apply to this project (CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2).
County Clerk
San Diego
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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