FHBP - Meausure M Committee


measure m - environmental oversight committee The Environmental Oversight Committee (EOC) was formed to oversee the comprehensive environmental mitigation program. The program is funded by 5% of the freeway program. The EOC makes recommendations to the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors regarding the allocation of revenues for programmatic mitigation and monitors the implementation of the Master Agreement. The EOC recommendations are sent to the Transportation 2020 Committee, then the full OCTA Board. The EOC consists of a 12 member Committee appointed by the full OCTA board. Representing the environmental coalition that supported Measure M is Green Vision Team Coordinator Melanie Schlotterbeck. She serves as the Committee's Vice Chair under Chair (and County Supervisor) Pat Bates. Working Groups Almost immediately after the EOC was formed, the Committee created two Working Groups. The first to focus on the Master Agreement which sets the stage for the entire program, the second to determine the actual habitat impacts from the 13 freeway projects. The Master Agreement Working Group was charged with developing recommendations for a draft framework for the Master Agreement between OCTA and the Resources Agencies to implement the M2 freeway mitigation program. The EOC approved the Master Agreement and Planning Agreement at its July 2009 meeting. The Resource Agencies and OCTA agree that the environmental mitigation program will consist of OCTA developing a Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Communities Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP). The HCP/NCCP will include a conservation strategy to fully mitigate adverse effects to sensitive species and habitat as a result of construction of the freeway improvement projects. OCTA will receive advance credit for acquisition and/or restoration of sensitive species and their habitats even on projects that are not yet permitted by the Resource Agencies. In other words, OCTA can mitigate now for freeway projects not scheduled to begin until much later in the Measure’s 30 year time frame. The second subcommittee is the Habitat Impacts Working Group. This Working Group was charged with developing recommendations for a draft framework for the Master Agreement between OCTA and the Resources Agencies to implement the M2 freeway mitigation program. The initial step in inventorying the impacts is to figure out first where the freeway projects will occur and second what (if any) natural lands they are adjacent to. Mitigation Criteria Over the summer of 2008, the Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Vice Chair Schlotterbeck developed the draft mitigation criteria that would guide this mitigation process. The mitigation funding includes three components: acquisition, restoration and management. The criteria were approved in September 2008 by the EOC, 2020 Committee and full OCTA board. OCTA, through a recommendation from the EOC, adopted the Green Vision Map as the initial inventory for acquisition and restoration opportunities. Renewed Measure M will build upon this inventory. We have a tool through Renewed Measure M to play an important role in strategically preserving important natural lands.
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Tecate Cypress The Environmental Oversight Committee (EOC) was formed to oversee the comprehensive environmental mitigation program. The program is funded by 5% of the freeway program. The EOC makes recommendations to the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors regarding the allocation of revenues for programmatic mitigation and monitors the implementation of the Master Agreement. The EOC recommendations are sent to the Transportation 2020 Committee, then the full OCTA Board.

The EOC consists of a 12 member Committee appointed by the full OCTA board. Representing the environmental coalition that supported Measure M is Green Vision Team Coordinator Melanie Schlotterbeck. She serves as the Committee's Vice Chair under Chair (and County Supervisor) Pat Bates.

Working Groups
Almost immediately after the EOC was formed, the Committee created two Working Groups. The first to focus on the Master Agreement which sets the stage for the entire program, the second to determine the actual habitat impacts from the 13 freeway projects.

The Master Agreement Working Group was charged with developing recommendations for a draft framework for the Master Agreement between OCTA and the Resources Agencies to implement the M2 freeway mitigation program. The EOC approved the Master Agreement and Planning Agreement at its July 2009 meeting.

Cougar The Resource Agencies and OCTA agree that the environmental mitigation program will consist of OCTA developing a Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Communities Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP). The HCP/NCCP will include a conservation strategy to fully mitigate adverse effects to sensitive species and habitat as a result of construction of the freeway improvement projects.

OCTA will receive advance credit for acquisition and/or restoration of sensitive species and their habitats even on projects that are not yet permitted by the Resource Agencies. In other words, OCTA can mitigate now for freeway projects not scheduled to begin until much later in the Measure’s 30 year time frame.

The second subcommittee is the Habitat Impacts Working Group. This Working Group was charged with developing recommendations for a draft framework for the Master Agreement between OCTA and the Resources Agencies to implement the M2 freeway mitigation program. The initial step in inventorying the impacts is to figure out first where the freeway projects will occur and second what (if any) natural lands they are adjacent to.

Mitigation Criteria
Over the summer of 2008, the Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Vice Chair Schlotterbeck developed the draft mitigation criteria that would guide this mitigation process. The mitigation funding includes three components: acquisition, restoration and management. The criteria were approved in September 2008 by the EOC, 2020 Committee and full OCTA board.

OCTA, through a recommendation from the EOC, adopted the Green Vision Map as the initial inventory for acquisition and restoration opportunities. Renewed Measure M will build upon this inventory.

We have a tool through Renewed Measure M to play an important role in strategically preserving important natural lands.

Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks
P.O. Box 9256 ▪ Newport Beach, CA 92658 ▪ fhbp@fhbp.org