Larry Klein
Mayor
Omar Din
Vice Mayor
Russ Melton
Councilmember
Alysa Cisneros
Councilmember
Richard Mehlinger
Councilmember
Murali Srinivasan
Councilmember
Linda Sell
Councilmember
January 5, 2024
A
my Hutzel
California State Coastal Conservancy
1515 Clay St. 10th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
R
E: Letter of Support for CREST Bay Area Proposal – Valley Water Calabazas/San Tomas Aquino Creek-Marsh Connection Project D
ear Ms. Hutzel:
O
n behalf of the City of Sunnyvale, we support the California State Coastal Conservancy’s CREST Bay Area Proposal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Resilience Regional Challenge Program. The CREST Bay Area Proposal seeks federal grant funding for several shoreline restoration projects on San Francisco Bay, including the Valley Water Calabazas/San Tomas Aquino Creek-Marsh Connection (Creeks Reconnection Project), the first creek-tidal marsh connection project in Lower South San Francisco Bay.
T
he Creeks Reconnection Project will restore up to 1,800 acres of tidal marsh habitat in former salt production ponds and provide resilient flood protection against sea level rise. Restored marsh will absorb storm surges and protect critical wildlife habitat and shoreline infrastructure from erosion and inundation, while benefiting endangered species such as salt marsh harvest mouse and California Ridgeway’s rail. The project will also benefit the nearby disadvantaged community of Alviso. Additionally, the project will expand public shoreline access and contribute toward providing greater recreational opportunities to disadvantaged communities and the greater community.
T
he Creeks Reconnection Project is consistent with many existing regional programs and plans and is built upon strong regional partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels. The project objectives are also well aligned with Sunnyvale’s policy goals.
Current City of Sunnyvale policy places a high priority on protecting people and property from flooding and planning for sea level rise. The City also supports protection of local creeks and the Bay, including protection of sensitive areas. We Attachment 1
Amy Hutzel, California State Coastal Conservancy
January 5, 2024
believe this project advances these goals and the City looks forward to being an active stakeholder and potential partner in the project.
The Project also supports planned restoration goals outlined the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tidal Marsh Recovery Plan. The project vision was developed as part of the San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s Healthy Watersheds, Resilient Baylands initiative and will promote sediment management strategies contained in the San Francisco Estuary Institute’s “Sediment for Survival” report.
For all the reasons listed above, we strongly support the Bay Area CREST application and urge NOAA to provide grant funds for this critical shoreline transformation proposal. Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Ramana Chinnakotla, Director of Environmental Services
([email protected]), if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Larry Klein
Mayor
cc: City Council
Kent Steffens, City Manager
Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Ramana Chinnakotla, Director, Environmental Services Department
Attachment 1