HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-032RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT OF THE FEDERAL CLEAN WATER ACT WITH
ADVOCATION FOR REVISIONS TO THE SECTION 404 PERMIT PROGRAM BY
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF BUTTE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
WHEREAS, the County of Butte is a strong proponent of the federal Clean Water Act
(the Act}; and
WHEREAS, counties, local flood control agencies and similar government agencies in
California and throughout the Country are required to obtain Section 404 Permits from the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers {Corps} to perform maintenance and construction activities within
flood channels, basins and levees identified as within federal regulatory jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, this maintenance and construction is critical to ensuring the proper function
of the County's flood control systems and the ability of the County to provide necessary public
improvements and carry out necessary operations and maintenance of these facilities is
dependent on the Section 404 Permit Program operating efficiently; and
WHEREAS, the Corps'~Section 404 Permit Program is significantly backlogged in
processing construction and maintenance permits, resulting in delays to important projects and
increasing the exposure of impacted communities to the risk of loss of life, significant property
damage and financial loss; and
WHEREAS, the Section 404 Permit Program currently prevents public works agencies
from performing their construction and maintenance responsibilities in a timely and responsive .
manner, and also mandates repetitive and costly mitigation requirements for routine maintenance
activities, while at the same time placing undue liability on those agencies; and
WHEREAS, a typical permit process in the County of Butte takes over a year to obtain a
Section 404 Permit. An example is the Lower Wyandotte/Monte Vista Ave Proposal that took
l3 months and was subject to the condition that $9,450 was required to mitigate 0.063-acres of
seasonal emergent wetlands, and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Butte County Board of
Supervisors does hereby declare its strong support for the federal Clean Water Act, and further
advocates necessary revisions to the Section 404 Permit Program that will enhance and expedite
public woxlGS agencies mission to execute their responsibilities in a timely and cost effective
rr~anner.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Butte,
State of California, this 3`d day of March, 2009 by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Dolan, Kirk, Lambert, Yamaguchi, Chair Connelly
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
NOT VOTING: None
Bill Connelly, Chair, B e County
Board of Supervisors
ATTEST: