ECORP provided environmental permitting and mitigation planning support for the South Sacramento Corridor transportation project in south Sacramento County, California. This joint Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) and Sacramento Regional Transit District (SRTD) project involved extending Light Rail Transit (LRT) service from the existing Meadowview Station for approximately 4.3 miles to Cosumnes River College. The project included the construction of a bridge over Morrison Creek, pedestrian bridges over Deer Lake Drive and Valley Green Drive, and four LRT stations and associated facilities (e.g., concrete platforms, passenger amenities, parking lots, and landscaping).
Public Transportation Corridor Environmental Permitting
The project corridor encompassed a highly diverse environment containing numerous protected species and habitats. ECORP supported this project under a contract with the SRTD and as a subcontractor to Parsons Engineering and later Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc.
ECORP secured necessary state and federal permits under the federal Clean Water Act Sections 404 and 401, Endangered Species Act Section 7, and California Fish and Game Code Section 1602 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In support of the environmental permitting process, ECORP conducted rare plant and arborist surveys, burrowing owl surveys, elderberry surveys, a habitat assessment for the giant garter snake, and prepared the Biological Assessment for the Section 7 Consultation. ECORP also completed cultural resource studies in compliance with the Caltrans Section 106 Programmatic Agreement (PA) including a Historic Property Survey Report (HPSR), Archaeological Survey Report (ASR), and a Historic Resources Evaluation Report (HRER). The HPSR required a records search with the California Historical Resources Information System (CHRIS) and a search of the Sacred Lands File with the Native American Heritage Commission along with Tribal outreach. ECORP assisted with implementing the mitigation measures pertaining to habitat for the giant garter snake, valley elderberry longhorn beetle, and federally listed vernal pool brachiopods.
Construction Monitoring
The most recent work on the Project involved construction monitoring as a subcontractor to Psomas. ECORP was retained to provide giant garter snake and western pond turtle monitoring services to assist SRTD and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) with the replacement of several power lines adjacent to Morrison and Union House creeks.
The public transportation corridor environmental permitting work necessitated access through Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional-San) lands, and ECORP coordinated biologist access procedures with Regional-San (Bufferlands) staff. It was determined during construction that there would be some unanticipated minor temporary impacts to some wetlands. ECORP subsequently helped coordinate the issuance of a modified Nationwide permit from the USACE as well as giant garter snake mitigation provisions from USFWS within approximately one (1) week, allowing the Project to remain on schedule.
Environmental Consulting Services Provided:
- CEQA and NEPA Documentation and Processing Services
- Biological Resources Management Services
- Cultural Resources Studies (HPSR, ASR, HRER)
- Threatened, Endangered, and Special-Status Species Surveys
- Botanical Services
- Wetlands and Waters Assessment and Delineation
- Habitat Restoration, Conservation, and Land Management Services
- Construction Monitoring Services
