Naomi A. Schowalter
Consultant
M.S., Rangeland Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 2011
B.S., Conservation and Resource Studies, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 2008
USACE, Wetland Delineation, Sacramento, California, 2016
USACE, Wetland Ecology, Olympia, Washington, 2016
USACE, Introductory Regulatory, Sacramento, California, 2017
USACE, Regulatory Scope, Cultural Resources, and ESA, Sacramento, California, 2018
USACE, Regulatory Enforcement, Overland Park, Kansas, 2019
USACE, Advance Regulation and NEPA, Kansas City, Missouri, 2020
California Rapid Assessment Method Training, Pt. Richmond, California, 2016
Aquatic Resources Mitigation, Workshop, Camp Pendleton, California, 2017
2020 San Francisco USACE, Regulatory Division Employee of the Year
Naomi A. Schowalter Consultant (415) 458-6704 Brisbane, CA nschowalter@integral-corp.com
Ms. Naomi Schowalter has 11 years of experience in the environmental regulatory field. Prior to entering private consulting in 2021, she served as a natural resource specialist with the Bureau of Land Management, Bakersfield Field Office, and as a regulatory project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), San Francisco District. She specializes in completion of wetland delineation reports and other documentation required to obtain state and federal permits for impacts to aquatic resources and special status species. Ms. Schowalter is a detail-oriented project manager adept at identifying streamlining opportunities for efficient environmental permitting, project planning, preparation of permit applications, and interaction with local, state, and federal agencies.
Wetlands
Sonoma 1 Install Centerline Rumble Strip, Sonoma County, California For a project involving improvements to almost 59 miles of State Route 1 in Sonoma County, conducted fieldwork to identify wetlands and other aquatic resources in the project area and wrote an aquatic resources delineation report. Used a Juniper Systems Geode global navigation satellite system (GNSS) with sub-meter accuracy to map aquatic resources in the field. Imported GNSS data to ArcGIS Pro software to create figures for the report and analyze and display GIS data.
18545 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill, California For a project involving a 4-acre mixed-use development, independently conducted fieldwork to identify wetlands and other aquatic resources in the project area, wrote an aquatic resources delineation report, and obtained an approved jurisdictional determination from USACE. Used a Juniper Systems Geode GNSS with sub-meter accuracy to map aquatic resources in the field. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures for the report and display and analyze GIS data.
State Route 12 Major Pavement Rehabilitation Project, Solano County, California For a project involving repairs and improvements to 6.4 miles of highway, conducted fieldwork to identify wetlands and other aquatic resources in the project area, wrote an aquatic resources delineation report, and created an addendum to the report when the project footprint changed. Used a Juniper Systems Geode GNSS with sub-meter accuracy to map aquatic resources in the field. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures for the report and display and analyze GIS data.
5940 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz County, California For a project involving a 5-acre residential development, conducted fieldwork to identify wetlands and other aquatic resources in the project area and wrote an aquatic resources delineation report. Used a Juniper Systems Geode GNSS with sub-meter accuracy to map aquatic resources in the field. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures for the report and display and analyze GIS data.
Marin 1 Drainage System Restoration Project, Marin County, California For a project involving the rehabilitation of 50 culverts along 32 miles of highway, identified portions of the project footprint missing from the existing aquatic resource delineation report, conducted fieldwork to identify previously unmapped wetlands and other aquatic resources, and wrote an aquatic resources delineation report addendum. Used a Juniper Systems Geode GNSS with sub-meter accuracy to map aquatic resources in the field. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures for the report and display and analyze GIS data.
Regulatory Compliance
Lakeville-Ignacio IG01/004 Emergency Repairs, Sonoma County, California For a project involving emergency repairs to an electrical transmission tower in tidal marsh adjacent to the Petaluma River, obtained emergency authorizations from USACE, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board), and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and then wrote the required post-activity report documenting compliance with permit requirements.
Sienna Solar and Storage Project, San Bernadino County, California For a project involving an 1,855-acre utility-scale solar generation and energy storage facility, prepared a memorandum identifying regulatory constraints.
5940 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz County, California For a project involving a 5-acre residential development, prepared a report identifying biological constraints to development.
Buttonbush Solar Energy Project, Kern County, California For a project involving a 14,386-acre solar development project, prepared a memorandum identifying regulatory constraints.
Big Rock 2 Cluster Solar and Storage Project, Imperial County, California For a project involving a 1,849-acre solar development project, prepared a memorandum identifying regulatory constraints.
Ecological Restoration
State Route 1 and State Route 84 Structures and Scour Mitigation Project, San Mateo County, California For a project involving repairs to bridges along two highways, identified an offsite mitigation location on Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) lands, designed a mitigation project, drafted a mitigation and monitoring plan for onsite and offsite riparian restoration and enhancement activities, identified a permitting strategy for the mitigation project, and facilitated the development of a cooperative agreement between the California Department of Transportation and Midpen.
State Route 84 Storm Damage Rehabilitation Project, San Mateo County, California For a project involving the repair of an eroded creek bank along a highway shoulder, drafted a mitigation and monitoring plan for onsite aquatic resource restoration and enhancement activities.
Planning and Permitting
Boardwalk Access Program, San Francisco Bay Area, California For a project involving the replacement of existing electrical tower access boardwalks and installation of new boardwalks in tidal and nontidal aquatic resources across seven San Francisco Bay Area counties, wrote the USACE Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 and Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA) Section 10 nationwide permit preconstruction notification, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biological assessment, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) biological assessment, Magnuson-Steven Fishery Conservation and Management Act essential fish habitat assessment, U.S. Coast Guard advance approval concurrence request, Water Board application for CWA Section 401 water quality certification and Porter-Cologne Act waste discharge requirements, BCDC applications for administrative permits and a programmatic permit notification, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) notifications of streambed alterations. Also, supported consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
Potentia-Viridi Battery Energy Storage System Project, Alameda County, California For a project involving the installation of a 400-MW battery energy storage system, drafted an application for a Water Board CWA Section 401 water quality certification and Porter-Cologne Act waste discharge requirements. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
State Route 1 and State Route 84 Structures and Scour Mitigation Project, San Mateo County, California For a project involving repairs to bridges along two highways, corrected another consultant’s mapping of regulated aquatic features and drafted applications for a USACE Regional General Permit and CDFW Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreements. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
18545 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill, California For a project involving a 4-acre mixed-use development, drafted applications for a USACE Regional General Permit, coverage under the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan (a habitat conservation plan and natural community conservation plan), credits under the Santa Clara Valey Habitat Plan In-Lieu Fee Program, and a Water Board CWA Section 401 water quality certification and Porter-Cologne Act waste discharge requirements. Prepared an alternatives analysis in accordance with Water Board requirements. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
State Route 84 Storm Damage Rehabilitation Project, San Mateo County, California For a project involving the repair of an eroded creek bank along a highway shoulder, corrected another consultant’s mapping of regulated aquatic features and drafted applications for a USACE Regional General Permit, CDFW Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement, and Water Board CWA Section 401 water quality certification and Porter-Cologne Act waste discharge requirements. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
State Route 12 Major Pavement Rehabilitation Project, Solano County, California For a project involving repairs and improvements to 6.4 miles of highway, applied for and received coverage under a USACE Regional General Permit. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
Estates at Ross Ranch, Windsor, California For a project involving a 31-lot residential development, drafted applications for a CDFW Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement and Water Board waste discharge requirements, submitted a request for an Approved Jurisdictional Determination from USACE, and wrote an alternatives analysis in accordance with Water Board requirements. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
D-1537 L-137B MP 6.448 ECDA Dig Project, Arcata, California For a project involving repairs to a buried gas pipeline, prepared applications and received authorizations under a USACE Nationwide Permit, a Water Board General Certification of the Nationwide Permit, and a California Coastal Commission Coastal Development Permit. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
Dublin Fallon 580 Project, Dublin, California For a project involving a 196-acre mixed-use development, wrote a CWA 404(b)(1) alternatives analysis. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
East Harbor Angled Boring Project, San Francisco, California For a project involving the installation of nine angled borings adjacent to and under the San Francisco Bay, wrote the USACE nationwide permit pre-construction notification and the Water Board certification of the 2017 nationwide permits notice of intent. Received USACE nationwide permit verification letter and Water Board notice of applicability in less than 2 months.
Pittsburg-San Mateo Tower Maintenance Project, Alameda and San Mateo Counties, California For a project involving the repair of electrical transmission towers in the San Francisco Bay, wrote the biological assessment, CWA Section 404 and RHA Section 10 permit application, and CWA Section 401 and Porter-Cologne Act permit application. Used ArcGIS Pro software to create figures and display and analyze GIS data.
Digital 299 Broadband Project, Humboldt, Trinity, and Shasta Counties, California For a project involving the installation of a new telecommunications cable spanning three counties, updated the delineation report and waters of the U.S./state impact assessment following changes to the project alignment and proposed construction methods. Managed the geospatial data for the project using ArcGIS Pro and developed a riparian data set. Wrote the CWA 404(b)(1) alternatives analysis for the project. Provided the project team with regulatory strategy support.
Ignacio Mare Island Emergency Tower Replacement, Solano/Napa Counties, California As a regulatory project manager for USACE, San Francisco District, coordinated an emergency individual permit for the replacement of three deteriorated electric transmission towers located in protected tidal marshlands west of the lower Napa River. This permitting effort required emergency consultations with USFWS, NMFS, and state historic preservation officer, as well as the completion of an environmental assessment, public interest review, and CWA 404(b)(1) alternatives analysis in less than a month. Coordination with multiple state and federal agencies was required to finalize the permit action and manage compliance.
Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan In-Lieu Fee, Santa Clara County, California As a regulatory project manager for USACE, San Francisco District, headed the interagency review team tasked with creating an in-lieu fee program that dovetails with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan, a habitat conservation plan and natural community conservation plan. This effort involved coordinating agency review of documents, negotiating document changes acceptable to all agencies and the project sponsor, and working with USACE attorneys to achieve legally defensible outcomes.
City of Livermore Stream Maintenance Program, Livermore, California As a regulatory project manager for USACE, San Francisco District, developed a regional general permit for the City of Livermore’s stream maintenance program. This permit was used over multiple years to provide expedited permitting of dozens of maintenance projects involving streams and flood control facilities located throughout the city.
GIS Analysis
Sonoma 1 Install Centerline Rumble Strip, Sonoma County, California For a project involving improvements to almost 59 miles of State Route 1 in Sonoma County, conducted fieldwork to identify wetlands and other aquatic resources in the project area and wrote an aquatic resources delineation report. Used a Juniper Systems Geode global navigation satellite system (GNSS) with sub-meter accuracy to map aquatic resources in the field. Imported GNSS data to ArcGIS Pro software to create figures for the report and analyze and display GIS data.
State Route 84 Storm Damage Rehabilitation Project, San Mateo County, California For a project involving the repair of an eroded creek bank along a highway shoulder, imported CAD (.dwg) files to ArcGIS Pro to identify and map project impacts to San Gregorio Creek. Geospatial impact files generated in ArcGIS Pro were shared with other consultants to expedite the preparation of biological assessments.
