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BACKGROUND <br /> On June 18, 2019, City Council approved the Professional Services Agreement with <br /> WRA, Inc., to provide environmental review and initial permitting strategy guidance for <br /> maintenance performed on certain waterbodies within City limits to preserve their flood <br /> control and stormwater treatment capacities. Routine maintenance work includes <br /> removal of debris, sediment, and vegetation. The Utilities Division originally obtained <br /> permit coverage for such maintenance work through a Lake or Streambed Alteration <br /> Agreement with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), on June 22, <br /> 2009. The permit was extended on February 23, 2015, but expired on December 31, <br /> 2019. <br /> Upon initial Agreement authorization, WRA, Inc.'s evaluation of the regulatory permits <br /> necessary to conduct the routine maintenance activities for the protection of flood <br /> control and water conveyance of the identified study areas, outlined three regulatory <br /> agencies anticipated to require permit coverage for full regulatory compliance. These <br /> include U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE), Regional Water Quality Control Board <br /> (RWQCB), and CDFW. Due to the potential for maintenance work to affect special- <br /> status plant and/or wildlife species under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) or <br /> California Endangered Species Act (CESA), a Section 7 consultation with the U.S. Fish <br /> and Wildlife (USFW) will also be required as part of the current permit process. <br /> On January 21, 2020, City Council approved an amendment to the Agreement with <br /> WRA, Inc. to include additional identified study sites and the preparation of the <br /> regulatory permit application packages, as well as permit processing support by WRA, <br /> Inc. Thereafter, on September 1, 2020, City Council approved a second amendment to <br /> the Agreement for the inclusion of necessary reanalysis and revisions to the Biological <br /> Resources Assessment resulting from regulatory feedback received from the regulatory <br /> permitting agencies after an interagency coordination meeting. <br /> In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a Notice of <br /> Determination for the Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation <br /> Monitoring and Reporting Program for the SMP was filed with the Alameda County <br /> Clerk Office on October 9, 2020. <br /> DISCUSSION <br /> The current work underway by WRA, Inc. includes permit processing support for two <br /> submitted permit application packages awaiting review from the CDFW and the USACE, <br /> as well as the coordination of a draft application review by the RWQCB. This request for <br /> a third amendment to the Agreement includes additional funding of$17,400 which <br /> includes a 20 percent contingency to develop a Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan <br /> as requested by the RWQCB and to continue with ongoing permit processing support. <br /> Once the Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan has been completed, WRA, Inc. will <br /> complete the Section 401 permit application addressing additional RWQCB comments <br /> and submit this package to the RWQCB. To accommodate for the undetermined <br /> timeframe involved in full regulatory agency permit application review and permit <br /> process, staff is proposing a six-month extension of the Agreement through December <br /> 31, 2021. <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br />