Representative Projects
KLM Pipeline Repair Project, Alameda County, California. M&A conducted surveys for the Federally listed threatened California red-legged frog in Mountain House Creek, eastern Alameda County. M&A assisted with preparation of a Biological Assessment and Mitigation Monitoring Plan for California red-legged frog as necessary for a formal consultation between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted pursuant to Section 7 of the Federal Endangered Species Act. M&A negotiated with the landowner to acquire a Grant of Easement over a portio
n of Mountain House Creek on that landowner's property. M&A drafted Grant of Easement documentation with Chevron Pipe Line Company personnel to protect California red-legged frogs in perpetuity. M&A also assisted with the preparation of a riparian planting program to enhance the habitat within the mitigation parcel for California red-legged frogs. Client: ENTRIX, Inc. and Chevron Pipe Line Company.
Pacific Union Homes Mossdale Landing Development. Project consists of a 477-acre residential and mixed-use commercial development. The project is a component of the West Lathrop Specific Plan in the City of Lathrop, California. The project includes development of 16 neighborhoods with 1,690 dwelling units, 653,399 square feet of village and service commercial uses, parks, two K-8 schools, a fire station, and open space. M&A prepared the biology section of the EIR for this project. Also prepared permit packages and obtained permits from California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Prepared a biological assessment for impacts to the state and federal listed endangered riparian brush rabbit. Also, obtained incidental take authority from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for impacts to this rabbit. Assisted with acquisition of riparian brush rabbit mitigation land, and with development of a conservation easement deed and mitigation land management plan.
San Joaquin County Council of Governments (SJCOG). M&A worked on numerous projects as an On Call biological contractor working with the SJCOG to implement the San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan (SJMSCP).
Shea Homes LaVigne Development, City of American Canyon, California. M&A acquired necessary environmental permits for the construction of 250 residential units on a 156-acre property located in the City of American Canyon, California. M&A developed mitigation plans for wetlands that are regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. M&A also developed a mitigation plan for the Federal listed California red-legged frog that included the construction of approximately 2.5 acres of wetlands that would benefit this frog species. The 2.5 acres included 1,600 feet of new stream channel with 11 associated side pools. Since the California red-legged frog is a Federal listed species, M&A had to negotiate the wetlands mitigation plan with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prior to such time the Corps could issue a permit for the project. M&A also obtained a permit from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (Section 401 permit), and obtained a California Department of Fish and Game streambed alteration agreement issued pursuant to Section 1603 of Fish and Game Code. Client: Shea Homes, San Jose, CA.
Tracy Sand and Gravel Project, San Joaquin County, California. Worked with applicant to secure environmental permits for the proposed Tracy Sand and Gravel excavation site located in San Joaquin County. Conducted all necessary special-status species surveys. Negotiated with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Game to use the San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan (SJMSCP). Worked with the San Joaquin Council of Governments as necessary to use the SJMSCP. Acquired necessary permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and California Regional Water Quality Control Board. Developed a wetlands mitigation plan. Conducted all necessary post compliance special-status species surveys. Client: Granite Construction Company, Stockton, California.
Charles Krug’s York Creek Winery, St. Helena, California. Breeding Bird Census. In order to control the spread of Pierce’s Disease, the Peter Mondavi Family applied for and received a streambed alteration agreement (SBAA) from California Department of Fish and Game to remove native riparian vegetation along three creek channels at their York Creek Winery. One of the SBAA conditions was that a biologist conduct a breeding bird census along the creek channels for three years: one year prior to vegetation removal and two years subsequent to removal, to observe the effect of vegetation removal on breeding birds. M&A conducted these breeding bird surveys, participating in dawn surveys for a three month period during the spring of 2000, 2001, and 2002. Annual reports presenting the field methodology, results, and statistical analysis of the data was prepared and submitted to California Department of Fish and Game after each survey year. Client: Charles Krug Winery, Peter Mondavi Family.
Equilon Pipeline, Fresno, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties, CA. Conducted focused surveys for the California red-legged frog, the California tiger salamander, San Joaquin kit fox, burrowing owl, and rare plants along segments of Equilon’s gas pipeline proposed for repair. Also prepared biological constraints analyses for each proposed pipeline repair location. Assisted RAM Environmental, Inc. in the preparation of permit applications for the portions of the pipeline repair that crossed stream channels and wetlands. Assisted in the preparation of wetlands mitigation and avoidance plans, and coffer dam design for the stream channel crossings. Client: RAM Environmental, Inc., Bakersfield, CA.
Gillrie Residential Development, Alameda County, California. Prepared the biological resources section (vegetation and wildlife) of an Environmental Impact Report for a proposed 60 unit housing development on 77 acres in an unincorporated area of Castro Valley. M&A described existing plant communities and wildlife habitats on the 77-acre project site, identified potential impacts to biological resources from the proposed project, and recommended suitable mitigation measures to offset these impacts. M&A biologists also conducted rare plant surveys on the project site following California Department of Fish and Game’s survey guidelines. Additionally, M&A conducted a wetlands assessment on the project site that was confirmed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Client: Alameda County Planning Department.
Ghisletta Project, City of American Canyon, California. M&A acquired necessary environmental permits for a 165-acre project that included the development of approximately 430 residential homes, a public school, and a public park. M&A conducted a wetlands assessment on the project site that was confirmed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). M&A then prepared permit applications for the Corps that included a wetlands mitigation plan for impacts to stream channels and seasonal wetlands on the project site. M&A designed “pool” mitigation wetlands that led to the issuance of a permit for the project by the Corps pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. M&A also prepared a permit application for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and obtained a “waiver of water quality” from this agency for the project pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. Finally, M&A applied for and received a streambed alteration agreement from California Department of Fish and Game pursuant to Section 1603 of the Fish and Game Code. Client: Mr. Joe Ghisletta
Bennett Consolidated Commercial Development, Sonoma County, California. Assisted with preparation of a biology section for incorporation into two separate Environmental Impact Reports. Responsible for project site wetland assessment and development of mitigation plans for impacts to 2.5 acres of vernal pools and endangered plant species. Prepared Biological Assessment for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Section 7 Consultation. Prepared a U.S. Corps of Engineers Individual Permit Application including alternatives analysis and wetlands mitigation plan. Mitigation plan provided construction plans for 2.5 acres of vernal pool wetlands. Client: Bennett Consolidated, San Ramon, California.
TMD-Brown Development, Sonoma County, California. Developed mitigation plans for impacts to 4.1 acres of vernal pools and endangered plant species. Obtained all necessary regulatory permits for impacts to wetlands and State and Federal listed endangered plant species. Assisted with preparation of a Biological Assessment for Formal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Section 7 Consultation. Designed and built approximately 4.1 acres of offsite vernal pools and monitored their performance for five years. Mitigation Agreements were prepared for California Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Client: TMD-Brown Joint Venture.
Stonechase Housing Development, Livermore, California. Conducted two years of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocol surveys for federally listed fairy shrimp (Branchinecta spp.) and tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi) on this 1,300-acre site proposed for development. Also conducted two years of surveys for the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense), a Federal candidate species for listing as threatened or endangered, in accordance with draft survey protocol guidelines under development by California Department of Fish and Game since 1995. Surveys for the fairy shrimp and tadpole shrimp involved dip-netting approximately 120 seasonal water bodies (i.e., seasonal wetlands) on the proposed development site to determine the presence of these species, analyzing water chemistry (i.e., salinity, alkalinity, pH), and mapping all wetland locations on an aerial photograph. Surveys for the California tiger salamander involved conducting nocturnal burrow surveys and setting up approximately 7,665 linear feet of drift-fence and 306 pitfall traps to trap adult salamanders migrating to and from their breeding pools. Dip-netting surveys for larval salamanders were also conducted during two consecutive spring seasons. Both the vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi) and the California tiger salamander were identified on the site. A formal report was prepared for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at completion of all surveys. Client: Zander Associates.
Oak Manor Housing Development, Alameda County, California. Prepared biology section of an Environmental Impact Report for a proposed 14-acre housing development near Pleasanton, California. Completed a resource analysis of the project site which addressed the possible occurrence of rare and endangered species. The resource analysis also discussed project related impacts to biological resources, and included mitigation and monitoring plans to offset impacts to these resources. M&A also conducted surveys for special-status plant species on the site. Client: Alameda County Planning Department, Alameda County, California.
Frank B. Marks & Son Sand and Aggregate Facility, Stanislaus County, California. M&A acquired necessary environmental permits for this ongoing instream aggregate mining/processing facility. Initially a verification for use of Nationwide Permit 26 was acquired for the project from the U.S. army Corps of Engineers. After that verification (permit) expired, M&A then prepared an Individual Permit application for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Also, applied for and received “waste discharge requirements” and a “certification of water quality” from the , California Regional Water Quality Control Board for the project pursuant to Sections 401 and 402 of the Clean Water Act. Finally, M&A also negotiated and acquired a Streambed Alteration Agreement from California Department of Fish and Game for this aggregate facility. Client: Frank B. Marks & Son, Newman, California.