Environmental Services for The Conservation Center for Wildlife Care

FCS prepared technical studies (cultural resources, biological resources, air quality, and noise) in support of The Lawrence Ellison Foundation (LEF) original application submittal in 2013 and also reviewed provided comments on the County’s 2014 EIR on behalf of the LEF. Following the unanimous approval of the project, FCS is now providing biological, regulatory, project management, and entitlement processing services to support the proposed Conservation Center for Wildlife Care Project in Santa Clara County. The LEF proposes to construct five buildings in the western portion of the project site and 50 wildlife enclosures scattered throughout the site. The project also proposes to construct access, parking, utilities and services, and landscaping improvements.

The proposed Conservation Center would be operated by the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA and would provide three primary programs: state-of-the-art rehabilitation of injured and orphaned native wildlife; captive propagation of small, rare (endangered, threatened, or imperiled) native species, working in collaboration with the USFWS and the CDFW; and education programs for children and families.

FCS developed a non-native species removal program, prepared an Invasive Species Management Plan, led compliance efforts with regard to potential special status species (California red-legged frog, western pond turtle, San Francisco dusky footed wood rat, and special-status bat species), prepared a Biological Assessment pursuant to Section 7 of the federal Endangered Species Act, led wetlands, waters of the U.S., and riparian habitat compliance, prepared State and federal permit applications, developed and presented a WEAP for construction personnel, assisted in the entitlement review and processing, and provided as-needed management and coordination services to assist the LEF in understanding and implementing the County’s conditions of approval.