State of California – Natural Resources Agency GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE VALERIE TERMINI, Acting Director P.O. Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
wildlife.ca.gov
Conserving California’s Wildlife Since 1870
February 6, 2026
Daniel Maldonado
Assistant Water Resources Director
City of Bakersfield
1000 Buena Vista Road
Bakersfield, CA 93311
California Environmental Quality Act Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects – Lower Kern River Restoration Project (Request No. 21080.56-2026-092-R4) Dear Daniel Maldonado:
I am pleased to inform you as the Acting Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) that I concur with the lead agency determination by the City of Bakersfield that the Lower Kern River Restoration Project qualifies as a statutorily exempt restoration project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). (Pub. Resources Code, § 21080.56, subd. (e).) My concurrence as the Acting CDFW Director is based on CDFW’s independent review of the City of Bakersfield’s request for concurrence, which CDFW received on January 22, 2026. In my opinion, informed by the best available science and described in the separate CDFW concurrence, the Lower Kern River Restoration Project meets all the qualifying criteria in Public Resources Code section 21080.56, subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive.
This concurrence signifies the continued commitment by CDFW and its partners in advancing the “Cutting the Green Tape” initiative, which is a collaborative effort to increase the pace and scale of restoration projects in California in a way that protects the environment and results in long-term net benefits to climate resiliency, biodiversity, and sensitive species recovery. CDFW stands ready to continue this effort in coordination with City of Bakersfield.
City of Bakersfield
February 6, 2026
CDFW’s concurrence will be posted on our website as provided by Public Resources Code section 21080.56. If you have any related questions, please contact Brad Henderson, Cutting the Green Tape Program Manager, at (530) 351-5948, or by email at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Valerie Termini, Acting Director
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
ec: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Steven Ingram
Assistant Chief Counsel
Office of the General Counsel
Brian Hennes
Attorney III
Office of the General Counsel
Josh Grover
Deputy Director
Ecosystem Conservation Division
Brad Henderson
Environmental Program Manager
Watershed Restoration Grants Branch
Julie A. Vance
Regional Manager
Central Region
Sarah Paulson
Environmental Program Manager
Central Region
Kelley Aubushon
Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor)
Central Region
City of Bakersfield
February 6, 2026
Megan Rooney
Environmental Scientist
Central Region
City of Bakersfield
Matthew Collum
[email protected]
Kristina Budak
[email protected]
Solomon Sackett
[email protected]
River Partners
Anna Talken
[email protected]
Taraneh Emam
[email protected]