Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Neighboring Landowner Permit 2089.23-001
Summary
SCH Number
2024040780
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Inland Deserts Region 6
(CDFW)
Document Title
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Neighboring Landowner Permit 2089.23-001
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/18/2024
Document Description
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued a Neighboring Landowner Permit to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 2089.23 in the California State Safe Harbor Agreement Program Act (CSSHAPA). Issuance of a Neighboring Landowner Permit complements and supports the CDFW Consistency Determination also issued pursuant to the CSSHAPA for a federal Safe Harbor Agreement for Owens pupfish on the adjacent property. The activities expected with the issuance of the Neighboring Landowner Permit include potential, but unlikely, take of Owens pupfish. Safe Harbor Agreements encourage landowners to voluntarily manage their land to conserve listed, declining, or vulnerable species on non-federal land. The added benefit of a neighboring landowner permit to listed, declining or vulnerable species is that neighbors avoid additional regulatory burdens associated with listed, declining or vulnerable species that may spread onto their land and, thus, more land and habitat may become involved in the species’ conservation effort.
Contact Information
Name
Nicholas Buckmaster
Agency Name
CA DFW
Job Title
Sr. Environmental Scientist (Supervisor)
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Inyo
Regions
Northern California
Zip
93514
Waterways
along the Giraud Ditch and China Slough
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15307
Reasons for Exemption
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has approved a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) that includes issuing a Neighboring Landowner Permit to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) under the California State Safe Harbor Agreement Program Act (CSSHAPA) related to the potential, but unlikely, take of Owens pupfish that may possibly emigrate to LADWP’s jurisdiction from an adjacent property (collectively, the Project). Generally, the purpose of the CSSHAPA is to establish a program that will encourage landowners to manage their lands voluntarily to benefit endangered, threatened, or candidate species, or declining or vulnerable species, and not be subject to additional regulatory restrictions as a result of their conservation efforts. To further the purpose of the CSSHAPA, the law includes a Neighboring Landowner provision that enables take coverage to be conferred to a property adjacent to land enrolled in a Safe Harbor Agreement or Consistency Determination. A property adjacent to LADWP’s jurisdiction is enrolled in a federal Safe Harbor Agreement for Owens pupfish for which CDFW approved a Consistency Determination and the issuance of a Neighboring Landowner Permit enables LADWP to receive take coverage for Owens pupfish without the need for LADWP to undertake the management activities set forth in the federal Safe Harbor Agreement and the Consistency Determination. The Project involves the potential, but unlikely, take of Owens pupfish in the improbable event Owens pupfish emigrate from the adjacent property. CDFW approved the Project relying on the Class 7 Categorical Exemption. (CEQA Guidelines, § 15307.).
County Clerk
Inyo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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