Bio
Ms. Sumudu Welaratna is a wildlife biologist/ecologist with more than 25 years of experience in biological resource management in the San Francisco Bay Area and northern California. Her experience includes a wide range of habitat assessments and fieldwork, project planning, regulatory permitting, and project and program management. Much of her work has been focused on infrastructure and utility efforts. She also has a background in aquatic and marine resources. Ms. Welaratna assists clients with assessing sites to determine potential resources and then navigating environmental regulations and regulatory authorization strategies. She is experienced with permitting with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), state and regional water quality control boards, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). She seeks to balance the best outcomes for wildlife, environmental quality, and the public sphere with project needs, timelines, and budgets, and compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
Relevant Experience
Planning and Permitting
Lassen National Forest Hat-Creek Westwood Powerline NEPA Clearance, Multiple Counties, California — Prepared the biological evaluation, the management indicator species (MIS) evaluation, and migratory bird assessment documents for the project to obtain National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance for a 42-linear mile transmission line vegetation clearing project. Managed U.S. Forest Service standardized protocol surveys for American goshawk along the alignment, working closely with raptor and GIS specialists.
Mission Boulevard Bridge Replacement, Riverside County, California — Prepared the Santa Ana Sucker Protection Plan describing protection measures for work located within federally designated critical habitat for the federally threatened Santa Ana sucker. The project was located in the only known occupied reach of the Santa Ana River, overlapping a concurrent USACE project.
In Bay Nearshore Outfall Project, San Mateo County, California — Prepared the biological technical study for the replacement of a water pollution control plant outfall that flows directly into San Francisco Bay. Provided wetlands and waters assessment and habitat assessment, including analysis for the federally listed Ridgway’s rail, salt marsh harvest mouse, and green sturgeon, with measures to reduce impacts below regulatory permitting thresholds.
Third Street Bridge Rehabilitation, San Francisco, California — Provided the biological assessment for the rehabilitation of the Third Street Bridge over Mission Creek near the confluence with the San Francisco Bay. Provided analysis of potential hydroacoustic and turbidity impacts and prepared the natural environmental study and biological assessment for anadromous fish and marine mammals. The project timeline was compressed to meet the goal of completing the construction to accommodate access required for the newly built Chase Center.
Old Stage Road Bridge Replacement Project, Monterey County, California — Prepared a biological technical study and assisted with the aquatic resources delineation for submission to USACE. The project was completed with a compressed schedule to enable construction prior to the rainy season. Listed amphibians were considered and involved coordination with multiple permitting agencies including USFWS.
Oakland Coliseum Area Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report, Oakland, California — Prepared the draft environmental impact report biology chapter for the specific area plan for redevelopment of the Oakland Coliseum and the associated waterfront areas for a new sports, business, residential, and entertainment district. Provided analysis of natural resources that would be affected by proposed redevelopment activities, identifying biological issues and opportunities associated with Damon Slough and Elmhurst Creek, freshwater wetlands, and tidal sloughs connecting into San Leandro Bay. Potential species impacts included federally- and state-listed anadromous fish, marine mammals, longfin smelt, green sturgeon, salt marsh harvest mouse, California least tern, Ridgway’s rail, and other shorebirds.
Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Paint Project, Contra Costa and Marin Counties, California — Prepared natural environment study for restoration and painting activities with potential to impact listed fish, marine mammals and birds, in addition to marine habitats. Provided consultation with NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Group and to share engineering analysis of modeled anticipated airborne noise to estimate potential impacts to marine mammals. Strategized project phasing and avoidance and minimization measures to reduce impacts to streamline permitting processes to facilitate a continuous construction schedule.
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge East Span Seismic Safety Project, Oakland, California — As seconded staff, provided regulatory permitting and compliance services for 3 years. Provided consultation to amend, renew, and extend all project regulatory permits to include marine construction activities to dismantle the superstructure of the existing east span upon completion of the new bridge with seven state and federal regulatory agencies, including San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, National Marine Fisheries Service Fisheries and Marine Mammals Group, USFWS, CDFW, USACE, Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board), and U.S. Coast Guard. Permitting required analysis of pile driving in the marine environment and dismantling underwater components of the existing span and the proposal to demolish marine foundations by use of controlled underwater explosive charges. Worked with engineers to prepare hydroacoustic analyses and participated in multiple interagency meetings. Other services included providing permit compliance site inspections for stormwater and nesting birds.
Program Management
Vegetation Management Program, Bay Area, Central Valley and Northeastern California — Lead biologist managing this high-volume program of 50 to 150 Biological Constraints Review reports a month for tree cutting work. Managed a team of internal and subcontracting biologists and GIS specialists to produce technical reports while managing quality control and maintaining compliance with the evolving guidance. These deliverables are tailored to meet the requirements of five programmatic federal and state agency permits, two habitat conservation plans, and multiple special-use permits. Worked with a team to provide a strategic leadership unit to manage the program, managing staffing for the widely fluctuating and dynamic program. Commissioned a sophisticated database to manage the work with integrated calendar features to manage the high volume of deliverables and fieldwork support.
Project Management
Vegetation Management Program and On-Call Services, San Mateo County, California — Provided biological services and ongoing program for wildlife risk mitigation for a 5-mile-long transmission line that traverses through multiple agency and private lands in sensitive habitats. Prepared biological technical reports, approved by the Department of Energy, and revalidated every 3 years. Developed specific avoidance and minimization measures to reduce potential for impacts below thresholds for state and federal permitting and managed ongoing biological field support for approximately 3 months per year. In addition, managed on-call contracts ongoing for 8 years for general biological services, providing guidance for regulatory permitting needs for wetlands and wildlife related issues.
Utility Short Cycle and Vegetation Management Programs, Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne Counties, California — Provided part-time seconded senior biologist staff augmentation and reviewed materials prepared by consultants and conducted internal biological assessments for various project workstreams. Interfaced with project managers, other subject matter experts, and environmental field specialists. Provided guidance for biological resource protection and the implementation of avoidance measures during construction.
Reservoir Expansion Project, Santa Clara County, California — Provided environmental services support to owner. Reviewed draft environmental impact report for completeness and consistency, and provided independent technical review of impacts and proposed mitigation measures for biological resources. In preparation for the owner’s quality assurance program for environmental compliance, coordinated with the prime contractor’s staff, other subcontractors, and design team to plan implementation. Trained a crew of technical specialists to provide field support; project did not go to construction.
Habitat Assessment
On-Call Environmental Services, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California — Provided habitat assessment and planning services for transportation related projects including freeway repair, culvert replacements, bridge repair projects, and storm damage repair projects. Conducted site visits, habitat assessments, and background research; prepared natural environmental studies and biological assessments for submittal to USFWS, and Incidental Take Permit Applications and Section 1602 Lake and Streambed Alteration Notifications for submittal to CDFW.
Backhaul Project, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California — Prepared the natural environment study. During site assessment, identified potential impacts and worked with engineers to relocate portions of work to reduce potential impacts to wetlands and sensitive species to below thresholds for permitting and met aggressive construction schedule.
Restoration
Mission Creek Restoration, Alameda County, California — Prepared annual monitoring reports, and final report for project completion for the Mission Creek Restoration Project in compliance with the project permits with the CDFW and the Water Board. Provided multiple years of vegetation surveys and photo monitoring.
Education & Credentials
M.S., Environmental Studies, San Jose State University, San Jose, California, 2008
B.S., Environmental Biology and Management, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, 1998
Continuing Education
OSHA 10-Hour General Industry
First Aid/CPR/AED Certified
USACE San Francisco District Regulatory Transformation Workshop (2026)
Jepsen Herbarium Sky Island Flora of the White Mountains Workshop (2024)
NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve System: Building Risk Communication Skills (2019)
Professional Affiliations
Member of Bay Planning Coalition (Board member since 2023)