Over 15 Years of Service to the Sonoma County Airport

Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport Environmental Services | Sonoma County, CA

LSA has been providing environmental permitting and technical services for the Sonoma County Airport since 1999. LSA projects that have been completed or are on-going include:

Airport Planning. LSA conducted a land use and biological resources alternatives analysis for runway construction and expansion alternatives. Based on field surveys, archival research, database searches, and mapping, we prepared a land use and biological resources alternatives analysis that described the impacts associated with each runway alternative. The analysis was used by Airport and County decision-makers to choose an environmentally-sound runway alternative for compliance with FAA runway safety area (RSA) guidelines. LSA also conducted environmental studies in support of future runway extensions including a comprehensive airport-wide jurisdictional wetland delineation, special-status plant surveys, biological assessment, California tiger salamander site assessment, California freshwater shrimp surveys, and salmonid assessment.
Master Plan Approval and Implementation. LSA conducted biological studies, endangered species surveys, cultural resources investigations, and wetland delineation work in support of the Sonoma County Airport Master Plan Environmental Impact Report/‌Environmental Assessment. The cultural resources tasks included National Register architectural evaluations, tribal consultation, and archaeological excavation. LSA also prepared the biological, wetlands, and associated mitigation elements of the EIR/EA and a Section 404(b)(1) Alternatives Analysis for the Airport Master Plan. We procured all Federal, State, and local wetland permits for project implementation and worked with the County and FAA under the Section 7 Federal Endangered Species Act (FESA) consultation process. LSA is currently in the process of conducting biological monitoring during project construction and helping the County to implement all mitigation requirements.
Wildlife Hazard Assessment (WHA). LSA prepared a WHA for the Airport in compliance with FAA guidelines. The FAA subsequently approved the WHA, and we are now assisting airport staff with implementation of the WHA’s recordkeeping and management recommendations.

Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP). LSA has recently completed a WHMP for the airport based on the data in the WHA and updated information on deer and other wildlife species at the airport.
Wildlife Hazard Training. LSA conducted a wildlife hazard training for the airport operations staff. The training included an overview of State and Federal regulations regarding wildlife issues at airports, discussion of wildlife hazard attractants within the 10,000-square-foot airport separation area, habitat management techniques to reduce hazardous wildlife population on the airport, identification and natural history of bird and mammal species in the airport area, and methods to deter wildlife use at the airport.

Client
Charles M Schulz Sonoma County Airport

Services
Jurisdictional Wetland Delineation; Alternatives Analysis; Wildlife Hazard Management Services; Endangered Species/Special Status Plant Surveys; Biological Assessment; Cultural Resource Surveys; Regulatory Permitting; Construction Monitoring; Geographic Information Services