The Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects will speed up project timelines and cut down on paperwork to implement much-needed restoration across California.
OAKLAND, CA, December 28, 2022. The Basso/La Grange Reach Floodplain and Spawning Habitat Restoration Project is one of the first in California, and the first in Stanislaus County, to qualify as statutorily exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP). The SERP is just one of the many innovative tools developed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) as part of its “Cutting the Green Tape” Initiative. The statutory exemption is solely for projects that "conserve, restore, protect, or enhance, and assist in the recovery of California fish and wildlife, and habitat upon which they depend or that restore or provide habitat for California native fish and wildlife". The project is one of only 12 projects that have been determined to be exempt under the SERP, and underwent a rigorous review process. FlowWest crafted the exemption documents and worked closely with CDFW to ensure the submittal materials included everything the CDFW Director needed to find the project statutorily exempt. FlowWest is providing the full suite of planning and floodplain design services for the project.
The project is being led by the Tuolumne River Trust, Tuolumne River Conservancy, Turlock Irrigation District, Modesto Irrigation District, and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The project would enhance the Basso/La Grange Reach of the Tuolumne River to assist in the recovery of California native fish and wildlife. Project elements would primarily benefit Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) via the restoration of in-channel, riparian, and floodplain habitat. Additionally, the Project will reverse historical geomorphic damage by restoring the abandoned floodplain, expanding wetland habitat, and performing revegetation within riparian and upland systems.
The SERP removes the need for unnecessary CEQA approvals and analysis that were originally designed for projects that harmed the environment. The exemption streamlines the process, reducing the schedule by several months and removing unnecessary steps in the process for approval.
The SERP is a useful tool for all projects that are solely restoration-focused. Going forward, this exemption could save anywhere from 3 months to 1.5 years for project timelines. This is a substantial benefit for speeding up restoration work.
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