Title
a. Receive a presentation from the Fort Ord Reuse Authority’ environmental consultants
regarding the Public Draft Fort Ord Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (Draft HCP) and
Public Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIS/EIR);
b. Receive status update from County staff regarding the Draft HCP and Draft EIS/EIR and the
Draft Joint Powers Authority Agreement; and
c. Provide direction to staff.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Fort Ord Committee
a. Receive a presentation from the Fort Ord Reuse Authority’ environmental consultants
regarding the Public Draft Fort Ord Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (Draft HCP) and
Public Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIS/EIR);
b. Receive status update from County staff regarding the Draft HCP and Draft EIS/EIR and the
Draft Joint Powers Authority Agreement; and
c. Provide direction to staff.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) has made available for a 45-day public comment period the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR/EIS) for the Draft Fort Ord Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The public draft documents and information is available at https://www.fora.org/habitat.html. Public comment is due December 16, 2019 at 5 p.m. Additionally, a Draft Joint Powers Authority Agreement is forthcoming from FORA for the formation of the Habitat Cooperative to implement the HCP.
The Draft EIS/EIR analyzes the potential environmental effects of the adoption and implementation of the Draft HCP and the issuance of Federal and State ITPs, as well as a reasonable range of alternatives. The Draft HCP provides measures to mitigate and avoid/minimize impacts to eight Federal and State listed species within a 28,000-acre Plan Area. This is a comprehensive, base-wide plan that would provide conservation and management of sensitive species and their habitat. The Draft HCP was prepared to support the application for the Federal Incidental Take Permit. FORA is requesting a permit term of 50 years to authorize take of covered species associated with the covered activities described in the Draft HCP.
There is a permittee meeting scheduled for November 20, 2019 to review the HCP, EIS/EIR, and JPA that Resource Management Agency (RMA) staff, County Counsel and the Assistant County Administrative Officer (ACAO) plan to attend. Staff will provide a status update to the Fort Ord Committee for discussion at its November 21, 2019 meeting.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Fort Ord Reuse Authority is the lead agency for the EIS/EIR and has lead the development of the HCP in cooperation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. FORA has also developed the Draft JPA Agreement for consideration by the permittees.
FINANCING:
There is no impact to General Fund to receive this report. Possible impacts to the County regarding HCP and establishing a JPA are unknow and pending more detailed analysis by staff of the public draft documents.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The Fort Ord HCP and establishment of a JPA supports the Board of Supervisor’s FY15-16 Strategic Initiative related to economic development and infrastructure, as it would facilitate state and federal take permits for development and road projects in the former Fort Ord.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
_X_ Economic Development
__ Administration
__ Health & Human Services
X_ Infrastructure
__ Public Safety
Prepared by: Melanie Beretti, Special Programs Manager (x5285)
Approved by: Nick Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer