Biology and Wetlands



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				LSA Associates, Inc. offers unusual depth of experience in biological and wetlands consulting, plus broad technical expertise in wetland science, wildlife biology, botany, entomology, soil science, and native plant horticulture. LSA specializes in permitting for projects with impacts on wetlands and endangered species, and LSA has earned credibility and a reputation for professionalism with resource agencies. LSA provides high-quality, objective technical reports that focus on our clients’ needs—whether that means assessing the impacts of a project, developing feasible and cost-effective mitigation measures, or modifying a project to minimize impacts. LSA's projects range from housing developments, utility transmission lines, transportation projects, and General Plans to resource management plans, mitigation banks, and parks. LSA's studies can be tailored to the client’s needs and budget. Through each stage of a project, LSA scientists work on multidisciplinary teams with planners and engineers to develop plans that work for clients. Many clients ask LSA to provide “due diligence” evaluations for properties in escrow. LSA also helps clients plan to minimize impacts and streamline the permit process, avoiding costly delays. SERVICES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: Surveys for rare, threatened, and endangered species: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, fairy shrimp, other invertebrates, and plants (LSA holds state and federal permits required for surveys of many of these species.) Natural resource inventories, vegetation mapping, and habitat evaluations Analysis of biological opportunities and constraints at a reconnaissance level or in depth Assessing biological impacts and developing feasible mitigation measures (for Environmental Impact Reports and Environmental Impact Statements) Developing habitat restoration and mitigation plans Biological monitoring during construction and after completion of a mitigation or restoration plan Wetland permitting: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Section 10 and Section 404) and California Regional Water Quality Control Board (Section 401 certifications) Delineating (mapping) jurisdictional wetlands Analyzing alternatives under the Environmental Protection Agency's Section 404(b)(1) guidelines alternatives Endangered Species Act consultation, under state and federal law Habitat Conservation Plans Permitting for coastal development Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements Developing permitting strategies
				REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS:
				Jensen Lane Elementary School Environmental Impact Report Windsor Unified School District The Town of Windsor In 2010, LSA was selected to assist the School District with the environmental studies for the development of a 12-acre elementary school site.... continued
				Biological Services for the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span Project Parsons Brinckerhoff Alameda and San Francisco Counties, California Since 2002, LSA has been assisting Caltrans with the biological services for the East Span Project, as a subcontractor to Parsons Brinckerhoff.... continued
				Aliso and Wood Canyon Regional Park Resource Management Plan Orange County Harbors, Beaches and Parks City of Orange, California LSA led the team preparing an RMP and IS/MND for 4,000 acres of open space in Laguna Niguel... continued
				Southern California Edison On-Call Biological Services Southern California Edison Inyo, Tulare, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange Counties, California LSA has an on-call contract with Southern California Edison (SCE). The work includes biological assessments, sensitive-species surveys, deteriorated pole assessments, preparing reports, preconstruction nesting bird surveys, preconstruction plant surveys... continued
				Prima Deshecha Landfill Orange County Waste and Recycling Location: Orange County, California LSA is currently managing the On-Call Biological Services contract for the Orange County Waste and Recycling's South Region Landfills, primarily at Prima Deshecha Landfill... continued
				Frank R. Bowerman Landfill Orange County Waste and Recycling Orange, California After completion of LSA's first contract to provide archaeological and paleontological resource management services at the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill (FRB), LSA was awarded (through a competitive bid process) a second contract to continue monitoring and management services for the Landfill... continued
				Lower Walnut Creek Interim Protection Project CEQA Compliance and Permitting Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Contra Costa County, California LSA helped the District meet deadlines for CEQA compliance and permitting to ensure that the District could remove excess sediment and restore levees... continued
				San Francisco International Airport On-Call Environmental Services City and County of San Francisco City and County of San Francisco LSA has been providing as-needed wetlands and endangered species permitting and associated technical services to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on a continuous basis since 1995... continued
				Lichen Installation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art CMG Landscape Architecture San Francisco, California LSA developed a pilot research program to accelerate lichen growth on stone and concrete wall panels... continued
				Firestorm 2007 Emergency Response San Diego, California LSA was called upon by an electric utility company when the October 2007 Southern California Wildfires broke out... continued
				Triangle Rock Triangle Rock Products, Inc. Sacramento County, California LSA has been continuously involved in this Sacramento County aggregate mining project since 1994... continued
				Geysers Recharge Pipeline Monitoring City of Santa Rosa, Utilities Department Sonoma County, California LSA is providing environmental consulting services for botany, wildlife, and wetlands for this pipeline project... continued

				San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span Biological Monitoring Project Services Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. Alameda and San Francisco Counties LSA is part of a six-year team effort to provide biological monitoring during the construction of the east span of the Bay Bridge and the dismantling of the existing east span, as well as post construction monitoring of selected mitigation sites. Caltrans is the Lead Agency. As the task leader for bird monitoring, LSA is responsible for developing protocols and conducting the monitoring of various bird species, including shorebirds (high tide roosts), least terns, brown pelicans, double-crested cormorants, western gulls, peregrine falcons, and land birds that may nest on Yerba Buena Island. The western project limit is the eastern portal of the Yerba Buena Island tunnel, within the City and County of San Francisco; the eastern project limit is near the toll plaza, within the City of Oakland. The project study area includes San Francisco Bay waters adjacent to the existing bridge and north of the bridge, where the new east span is under construction.
				Antelope-Pardee 500 kV Transmission Line Project and Antelope Transmission Burns & McDonnel (Owner's Agent for Southern California Edison) Los Angeles and Kern Counties LSA conducted preconstruction floral and faunal surveys for a new 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line totaling approximately 80 linear miles. The three-segment line will pass through public, national forest, and private lands in Los Angeles and Kern Counties. LSA prepared technical reports consistent with the EIR/EIS mitigation requirements for CEQA and NEPA. Primary biological issues associated with the three segments include focused surveys for sensitive plants and animals such as short-joint beavertail, San Gabriel oak, California red-legged frog, arroyo toad, desert tortoise, burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, willow flycatcher, least Bell’s vireo, California gnatcatcher, and American badger. All biological data were collected using 2-5 meter accuracy GPS units. The GPS information was then quality-checked using geographic information system (GIS) mapping and aerial photography.
				City of San Diego On-Call Environmental Services City of San Diego San Diego, California LSA was contracted by the Water and Sewer Design Division (formerly Wastewater Facilities and Engineering) and Capital Project Department of the City of San Diego to provide environmental consulting services. The services requested and provided for multiple Water & Sewer Design projects included biological resources assessment and GPS/GIS mapping; interpretation of federal, State, and local environmental regulations; and construction monitoring. Additionally, LSA is currently teaming with City of San Diego staff and consultants to provide mapping, impacts analysis, and recommendations for compliance with City Guidelines. The project team assisted the City in developing standards for GIS data collection and vegetation mapping.
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