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f: ,.... .t;..~ EDMUND G. BROY.N JR.I;' :.,j .~:. GO".'ER:I"'Fl

,~,e MATTHew ROORIOUEZseCRETARY FOREN ,IRCN"":ENTAL Pr,.JTECTION

State Water Resources Control Board

APR 1 9 2012

Colonel William J. Leady, P.E.District CommanderU.S. Army Engineer District, SacramentoCorps of Engineers1325 J StreetSacramento, CA 95814-2922

Dear Colonel Leady:

CLEAN WATER ACT SECTION 401 WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION OF 2012NATIONWIDE PERMITS

The previous U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Nationwide Permits (NWPs) becameeffective on March 19,2007, and expired on March 18,2012.

In your letter of February 23,2011, the State Water Resources Control Board (State WaterBoard) was informed of the notification in the Federal Register regarding proposed NWPs for2012. (76 Fed. Reg. 9174-01 (Feb. 16,2011 ).) The State Water Board subsequently receivednotice of the final NWPs on February 21,2012. (77 Fed. Reg. 10184-01 (Feb. 21, 2012).) Thisnotice served as the Corps' complete application for a water quality certification (certification).In your letter of February 29, 2012, you requested that the State Water Board review the newlyissued NWPs and determine whether to certify, certify with conditions, or deny certificationpursuant to Clean Water Act section 401 (33 U.S.C. § 1341).

In addition to the Corps' notice in the Federal Register, the State Water Board also postednotice of the Corps' application for certification of the NWPs on our 401 Program web page at:http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water issues/programs/ cwa401/notices.shtml onFebruary 27,2012, for a 45 day noticing period which ended on April 12, 2012.

State Water Board staff reviewed the newly issued NWPs, considered comments received, anddetermined whether to certify, certify with conditions, or deny certification for each of the NWPs.Califomia's certification decision is required within 60 days, according to the notice in theFederal Register; Le., by Monday, April 23, 2012.

For this action, the State Water Board is Lead Agency for the purposes of compliance with theCalifornia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and is required to analyze the environmentalimpacts and make a determination for each NWP. In considering this task and the timeframe

CHARLES R. HOPPIN, CHAIRMAN I THOM.S HCW"RD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

1001 I Stn:3t. Sacramento, C>.95814 I I.tailing Addr"ss: P.O. Box 100. Sacramento, CA 95812-0100 I "NYI.w3terboards.ca.gov

o REOYOLEO PAPEA

Colonel William J. Leady -2- APR 1 9 2012

allowed, the State Water Board elects to issue certifications for those NWPs covering activitiesthat are categorically exempt from CEQA at this time.

As authorized by the State Water Board, I am issuing a certification for 13 of the 50 NWPs onthis basis. The enclosed certification identifies those NWPs and the associated conditions. Irequest that you notify the State Water Board if any of these conditions do not comport with yourregulations in title 33, seCtions 325.4 and 330.4 of the Code of Federal Regulations. In addition,the Corps has the right to petition the State Water Board for reconsideration of this certificationin accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 23, section 3867 et seq.

If you would like to discuss these matters further, please contact Ken Harris, Assistant DeputyDirector, Division of Water Quality, at (916) 341-5500 (kharris@waterboards.ca.gov), or VickyWhitney, Deputy Director, Division of Water Quality, at (916) 341-5568(vwhitney@waterboards.ca.gov).

Sincerely,

~~Thomas HowardExecutive Director

Enclosures (1): Water Quality Certification Order

cc: see next page

Colonel William J. Leady -3-APR 1 9 2012

cc: Ms. Jane HicksChief, Regulatory BranchSan Francisco DistrictUS Army Corps of Engineers1455 Market StreetSan Francisco, CA 94103-1398

Mr. Dave CastanonChief, Regulatory BranchLos Angeles District, Ventura Field OfficeU.S. Army Corps of EngineersDepartment of the Army2151 Alessandro Drive, Suite 110·Ventura, CA 93001

Mr. Wade EakleRegulatory Program ManagerSouth Pacific DivisionUS Army Corps of EngineersSan Francisco, CA1455 Market StreetSan Francisco, CA 94103-1398

Ms. Lisa M. GibsonSenior Project ManagerRegulatory Division, California Delta BranchU.S. Army Corps of Engineers1325 J Street, Room 1350Sacramento, CA 95814-2922

Mr. Jason A. BrushChief, Wetlands Regulatory Office (WTR-8)U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,Region 975 Hawthorne StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105

Ms. Miriam Barcellona IngenitoDeputy Secretary for Environmental PolicyCalifornia Environmental Protection Agency1001 I Street, 25th FloorSacramento, CA 95814

cc: Continued (see next page)

Mr. Chris PotterWetland CoordinatorNatural Resources Agency1416 Ninth StreetSacramento, CA 95814

Mr. Larry WeekChief, Watershed Restoration BranchDepartment of Fish and Game1416 Ninth Street, 12th FloorSacramento, CA 95814

Ms. Jane HicksChief, Regulatory SectionSan Francisco DistrictU.S. Army Corps of Engineers333 Market StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105-2197

Ms. Diane K. NodaField SupervisorU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service2493 Portola Roadl Suite BVentura, CA 93003

Ms. Susan MooreField SupervisorU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605Sacramento, CA 95825-1846

Mr. Jim BartelField SupervisorU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service6010 Hidden Valley RdCarlsbad, CA 92011

Ms. April EvansES SecretaryCalifornia/Nevada Operations OfficeU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service2800 Cottage Way, RM W2606Sacramento, CA 95825-1846

Colonel William J. Leady

cc: Continued

-4-APR 1 9 2012

cc: Mr. Chris YatesAssistant Regional AdministratorProtected ResourcesNOAA National Marine Fisheries Service501 West Ocean Blvd. Suo 4200Long Beach, CA 90802-4213

Ms. Catherine E. KuhlmanExecutive OfficerNorth Coast RegionalWater Quality Control Board5550 Skylane Blvd., Suite ASanta Rosa, CA 95403

Mr. Bruce H. WolfeExecutive OfficerSan Francisco Bay RegionalWater Quality Control Board1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400Oakland, CA 94612

Mr. Roger BriggsExecutive OfficerCentral Coast RegionalWater Quality Control Board895 Aerovista Place, Suite 101San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Mr. Sam UngerExecutive OfficerLos Angeles RegionalWater Quality Control Board320 W. 4th Street, Suite 200Los Angeles, CA 90013

Ms. Pamela CreedonExecutive OfficerCentral Valley RegionalWater Quality Control Board11020 Sun Center Drive, Suite 200Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

Mr. Harold J. SingerExecutive OfficerLahontan RegionalWater Quality Control Board2501 Lake Tahoe Blvd.South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Mr. Robert E. PerdueExecutive OfficerColorado Basin RegionalWater Quality Control Board73-720 Fred Waring Dr., Suite 100Palm Desert, CA 92260

Mr. Kurt BerchtoldExecutive OfficerSanta Ana RegionalWater Quality Control Board3737 Main Street, Suite 500Riverside, CA 92501-3339

Mr. David W. GibsonExecutive OfficerWater Quality Control Board9174 Sky Park Court, Suite 100San Diego, CA 92123