California Valley Solar Ranch Permitting and Species Mitigation
Project Summary
Integral staff piloted permitting, species and habitat mitigation, and monitoring and compliance support for the California Valley Solar Ranch, a nearly 1,600-acre solar facility providing 250 megawatts of renewable energy to Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s grid.
Location: San Louis Obispo County, California
Key Personnel
Brian Boroski, Ph.D. Managing Principal, Business Director – Ecological Science and Design
Amy Sparks, J.D. Senior Consulting Ecologist, Practice Director – Wildlife Botany and Permitting
Challenge
The resource-rich, nearly 1,600-acre site presented dozens of diverse and interconnected permit requirements tied to biological resources, with multiple special-status species present across the property. Permitting required coordination across Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, USFWS, and CDFW, all while minimizing impacts through facility layout without compromising energy production goals.
Our Role
Integral staff worked with the development team to site arrays and roadways to avoid most impacts to special-status species, planned and obtained all permits required under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and coordinated with USFWS and CDFW on approvals related to state- and federally-listed species. Wetlands were delineated to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers standards, and restoration experts developed detailed habitat restoration plans and construction documents for approximately 2,000 acres of grasslands and shrub lands to mitigate the impacts that remained.
What We Delivered & Results
The mitigation plan helped preserve and enhance nearly 10,000 acres of on-site and nearby habitats, supported by more than 200 interwoven biological compliance requirements crafted and implemented throughout construction, with ongoing coordination among agencies, stakeholders, and contractors.