State of California – Natural Resources Agency GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CHARLTON H. BONHAM, Director Director’s Office
Post Office Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
www.wildlife.ca.gov
Conserving California’s Wildlife Since 1870
May 4, 2022
Makana Nova, Senior Planner
Planning Division
Community Development Department
City of Newport Beach
100 Civic Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
California Environmental Quality Act Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects, Big Canyon Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resiliency Project – Phase 3 (Request No. 21080.56-2022-003-R5)
Dear Ms. Nova:
I am pleased to inform you as the Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) that I concur with the Lead Agency determination by the City of Newport Beach that the Big Canyon Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resiliency Project – Phase 3 (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 CDFW Director is based on CDFW’s independent review of the City of Newport Beach’s request for concurrence, which CDFW received on March 24, 2022. In my opinion, informed by the best available science and described in the separate CDFW Concurrence, the 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 the City of Newport Beach.
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,
Charlton H. Bonham
Director
Attachment A
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Makana Nova, Senior Planner
City of Newport Beach
May 4, 2022
ec: Valerie Termini
Chief Deputy Director
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Wendy Bogdan
General Counsel
Office of the General Counsel
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Julie Vance
Acting Deputy Director
Ecosystem Conservation Division
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Ed Pert
Regional Manager
South Coast Region (Region 5)
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Christian Romberger
Senior Environmental Scientist
South Coast Region (Region 5)
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Brad Henderson
Environmental Program Manager
Watershed Restoration Grants Branch
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Alys Arenas
Restoration Manager
Newport Bay Conservancy
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