BIOLOGICAL RESOUrCES
Strategic Solutions to Complex Environmental Challenges
Integrated biological consulting services and regulatory compliance strategies supporting projects from initial due diligence through implementation and beyond, including mitigation, monitoring, restoration, and long-term resource management.
- Due Diligence and Constraints Analyses
- Biological Resource Assessments
- Focused Biological Surveys
- Aquatic Resource Delineations
- Environmental Permitting
- Regulatory Compliance
- Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring
You can trust the expertise of EPD skilled professionals.
Questions about Biological Services?
Contact Person
Shawn Gatchel-Hernandez
Director of Biological Services
Email Address
sgatchel@epdsolutions.com
Phone Number
951-334-6219
Planning
& Analysis
Biological Due Diligence/Constraints Analyses: Early-phase biological constraints analysis to inform site acquisition and development feasibility.
Biological Resource Assessments: Baseline surveys and evaluations of biological resources, habitats, and ecological conditions within a specified area of interest.
Vegetation Mapping & Habitat Classification: Mapping and classification of plant communities and habitat types.
NCCP/HCP Compliance: Surveys, reporting, and compliance under regional natural community conservation plans/habitat conservation plans.
CEQA/NEPA Biological Documentation: Preparation of biological technical reports and sections for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance documents.
Regulatory
Permitting
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permits
California Endangered Species Act (CESA): Incidental Take Permits
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) Consultations, Permitting, and Compliance, including Section 7 Consultation
California Department of Fish and Wildlife: California Fish and Game Code Section 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreements and Section 2081 Incidental Take Permits; California Endangered Species Act Consultations, Permitting, and Compliance
Regional Water Quality Control Boards: CWA Section 401 Water Quality Certifications and/or Waste Discharge Requirements
California Coastal Commission: California Coastal Act Compliance, Coastal Development Permits
Regulatory Permitting Strategies
MiTIGATION
& Conservation
Mitigation Planning: Development of mitigation strategies to avoid, minimize, or compensate for biological resources impacts.
Habitat Mitigation & Monitoring Plans: Design of mitigation and monitoring programs to compensate for impacts to biological resources.
Long-term Management Plans: Preparation of plans for the monitoring, maintenance, and management of conservation lands in perpetuity.
Mitigation Bank Development: Assistance with the identification of suitable mitigation lands and guidance through the mitigation bank establishment process.
Technical
& Specialized
Botanical Surveys: Assessments to identify, inventory, and map sensitive plant species and natural communities.
Focused Special-Status Species Surveys: Protocol or focused surveys for listed, threatened, or sensitive wildlife species.
Wetland and Aquatic Resource Delineations: Identification and delineation of wetlands and aquatic resources subject to federal, State, and local regulatory requirements.
Functional Assessments (e.g., CRAM): Evaluations of wetland functions and values.
Restoration Monitoring
& Management
Habitat Restoration Monitoring: Biological monitoring during habitat restoration and revegetation construction efforts.
Restoration Monitoring Studies and Assessments: Habitat and vegetation studies and assessments to ensure the success of restoration and revegetation.
Habitat Restoration Compliance Reporting: Documentation of the progress and success of ecological and habitat restoration efforts.
Highlighted Case Studies for Biological Services
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are biological field and resource services?
Biological resource services are environmental consulting services that evaluate, document, and strategize mitigation for impacts to protected plant, wildlife, and habitat resources on a project site. These services support landowners, developers, and public agencies in meeting federal, State, and regional environmental regulations — including the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), the California Endangered Species Act, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Clean Water Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, California Fish and Game regulations, and regional and local regulations and policies. EPD’s biological services span the full project lifecycle: early planning and feasibility, biological resource evaluations, mitigation design, regulatory permitting, construction monitoring, and long-term habitat management.
What regions does EPD serve?
EPD provides biological consulting services across California, with deep regional experience in the southern California counties of Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and San Diego. Our team has extensive expertise with the Western Riverside County MSHCP, the Coachella Valley MSHCP, County of Orange Central and Coastal Subregion NCCP, San Diego MHCP, San Diego MSCP,and other regional habitat conservation plans, as well as with the federal and State agencies that regulate biological resources impacts statewide.
When should I bring in a biologist on my project?
As early as possible — ideally during site acquisition or feasibility. Early biological due diligence flags constraints (listed species habitat, jurisdictional waters, protected trees, etc.) before they become schedule or budget problems. Waiting until permitting or construction often forces costly redesigns, missed seasonal survey windows, or permit delays of nine months or longer. A short due diligence letter report at the front end is the single most cost-effective biological investment on most projects.
What's the difference between biological due diligence and a full biological assessment?
Biological due diligence is a screening-level study combining a literature review and a one-day site reconnaissance to identify potential biological constraints. It produces a letter report and is appropriate for site acquisition or early feasibility. A General Biological Resources Assessment (GBA) is a CEQA-grade study with a comprehensive field investigation, full plant and wildlife species documentation, mapped vegetation communities, jurisdictional features, impact analysis, and mitigation recommendations. The GBA is what most projects need to clear environmental review.
How long does a typical biological study take?
Timelines depend on the study type and seasonal constraints:
- Biological due diligence: 2-3 weeks
- General Biological Resources Assessment: 4-6 weeks
- Jurisdictional delineation: 4-6 weeks
- Focused species surveys: Constrained by protocol survey windows (see seasonal calendar)
- Regulatory permits (404/401/1602): 9–12 months from submittal, sometimes longer
Survey windows are the most common scheduling constraint. Burrowing owl breeding-season surveys must finish by July 15. Coastal California gnatcatcher breeding-season protocol requires six surveys across March 15–June 30. Fairy shrimp wet-season surveys can stretch 90–120 days. Plan backwards from your construction date.
What is a Biological Resources Assessment?
A Biological Resources Assessment, sometimes called a General Biological Assessment or GBA, is a baseline biological study documenting the existing conditions of a project site. It combines a literature review (CNDDB, CNPS Inventory, USFWS lists, USDA soil data, historical aerial imagery) with a systematic field investigation. The deliverable is a Biological Resources Technical Report covering vegetation communities, plant and wildlife species observed, special-status species potential, jurisdictional waters, wildlife movement corridors, project impacts, and mitigation recommendations. The report is sufficient to support a CEQA consistency determination.
What is the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB)?
The CNDDB is California’s official inventory of rare and endangered species and natural communities, maintained by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Biologists query the CNDDB during the literature review phase of any biological study to identify documented occurrences of special-status species near the project site. CNDDB results help define which focused surveys will be required.
What are special-status species?
Special-status species are plants and animals afforded legal protection or recognition by federal or State agencies. The category includes species listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, species listed under the California Endangered Species Act, California Species of Special Concern, California Fully Protected species, and plants ranked 1B or 2B by the California Native Plant Society. Projects with potential to affect special-status species typically require focused surveys, agency consultation, and mitigation.
What is vegetation mapping and habitat classification?
Vegetation mapping and habitat classification involve identifying, mapping, and documenting plant communities and habitat types within a project area. Biologists conduct field surveys to characterize existing vegetation, evaluate habitat quality, identify sensitive biological resources, and determine the presence of special-status species habitat. This information supports environmental review, regulatory permitting, impact assessments, and project planning by providing a clear understanding of existing site conditions and potential biological constraints. Vegetation mapping and habitat classification are often required as part of CEQA, NEPA, and agency permitting processes.
What is habitat suitability modeling?
Habitat suitability modeling is a predictive analysis that evaluates the likelihood a species could occur on a site based on vegetation, soils, hydrology, elevation, and proximity to known occurrences. It is used to prioritize where focused surveys are needed, support project planning when a full focused survey isn’t feasible, and inform mitigation design.
What permits do I need for impacts to streams or wetlands in California?
Projects that impact jurisdictional waters in California typically require three permits:
- Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for impacts to waters of the United States
- Section 401 Water Quality Certification or Waste Discharge Requirements from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) for impacts to waters of the State
- Section 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for impacts to streams, lakes, and associated riparian habitat
The triggering analysis is the Jurisdictional Delineation. Combined permit processing typically takes 9 to 12 months and can take longer when a mitigation strategy must be developed concurrently.
What is the Western Riverside County MSHCP?
The Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) is a regional habitat conservation plan covering approximately 1.26 million acres in western Riverside County. It provides comprehensive species and habitat protection for 146 species while streamlining state and federal endangered species permitting for participating jurisdictions. Projects within the MSHCP plan area typically require a Consistency Analysis demonstrating compliance with MSHCP goals, plus species-specific surveys (commonly burrowing owl and Narrow Endemic Plant Species) where the site falls within designated survey areas.
What is an MSHCP Consistency Analysis?
An MSHCP Consistency Analysis is a report demonstrating that a project complies with the goals, objectives, and requirements of the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. It is typically combined with a General Biological Assessment (GBA/MSHCP Consistency Analysis) and includes a literature review, field surveys with 50–100-foot transect spacing, GIS analysis, sensitive species discussion, wildlife corridor analysis, impact assessment, and a determination of consistency with MSHCP requirements.
What is a DBESP report?
A Determination of Biologically Equivalent or Superior Preservation (DBESP) is a report required under the Western Riverside County MSHCP when a project will impact occupied habitat for survey species and/or impacts to riparian/riverine and/or vernal pool resources. The DBESP maps and quantifies pre- and post-project resource functions and values, documents avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures, and supports a finding that the project alternative is biologically equivalent or superior to full avoidance. Preparing a DBESP requires close coordination with the City or County and with the wildlife agencies.
What does CEQA require for biological resources?
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires lead agencies to identify and disclose significant impacts on biological resources, including special-status species, sensitive natural communities, jurisdictional waters and wetlands, wildlife movement corridors, native trees, and consistency with adopted habitat conservation plans. Projects typically meet this requirement through a Biological Resources Technical Report or a Biological Resources section within a larger Initial Study, Mitigated Negative Declaration, or Environmental Impact Report.
What does the federal Endangered Species Act require?
The federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits the “take” of species listed as threatened or endangered. Take includes harming, harassing, or killing a listed species, or significantly modifying its habitat. Projects with federal involvement (federal funding, federal land, or a federal permit such as a Section 404 permit) trigger Section 7 consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Projects without federal involvement that may incidentally take a listed species may require a Section 10 incidental take permit and an associated Habitat Conservation Plan.
When are burrowing owl surveys required?
Burrowing owl surveys are required when (1) the project site is within the Western Riverside County MSHCP burrowing owl survey area, or (2) suitable burrowing owl habitat is present anywhere in California. Within the MSHCP, surveys follow the MSHCP Burrowing Owl Survey Instructions: a Step 1 habitat assessment, Step 2A burrow survey of the site and a 500-foot buffer if suitable habitat is present, escalating to a Step 2B four-visit focused survey if suitable burrows or owls are detected. Outside the MSHCP, surveys follow the CDFW 2012 Staff Report on Burrowing Owl Mitigation and require four breeding-season visits between February 15 and July 15.
What is a 30-day pre-construction burrowing owl survey?
A 30-day pre-construction burrowing owl survey is a final clearance survey conducted no more than 30 days before ground disturbance begins. The biologist walks the entire project site and a 500-foot buffer to confirm whether burrowing owls have moved onto the site since prior surveys. Results are documented in a letter report, with mitigation recommendations if owls are present.
When are coastal California gnatcatcher surveys required?
Coastal California gnatcatcher (CAGN) surveys are required when a project may impact suitable sage scrub habitat within the species’ range from southern Ventura County southward through Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties. Surveys follow the 2019 USFWS Coastal California Gnatcatcher Presence/Absence Survey Protocol. Breeding-season surveys (March 15–June 30) require six visits at least one week apart and provide 95% confidence in detection. Non-breeding-season surveys (July 1–March 14) require nine visits at least two weeks apart. Surveys must be conducted by a USFWS-permitted biologist, and reports must be submitted to USFWS within 45 days of the last survey.
When are desert tortoise surveys required?
Desert tortoise (Mojave population) surveys are required for projects within suitable habitat in the Mojave and Colorado Desert regions of California. Surveys follow the 2019 USFWS/CDFW Mojave Desert Tortoise Pre-Project Field Survey Protocol: 100% pedestrian coverage by two biologists with transects no more than 30 feet apart, plus selectively placed belt transects 200, 400, and 600 meters from the project boundary where prime habitat is observed. The deliverable is a stand-alone report with a photo log, vegetation map, tortoise/burrow/sign maps, and impact assessment, prepared for USFWS and CDFW review.
What is a Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (HMMP)?
A Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) is a regulatory document required when applicant-sponsored on-site or off-site habitat mitigation is needed to offset project impacts. The HMMP describes the mitigation site and proposed habitat, vegetation point-intercept baseline
data, monitoring methodology and frequency, performance standards, remedial measures if standards are not met, mitigation costs and financial assurances, and a process for proposing plan modifications. HMMPs are typically required as conditions of State and federal wildlife agency permits.
What is construction biological monitoring?
Construction biological monitoring is on-site oversight by a qualified biologist during ground-disturbing activities to ensure compliance with biological mitigation measures and permit conditions. The biological monitor verifies that exclusion fencing, buffer zones, and seasonal restrictions are observed; conducts daily clearance sweeps; documents incidental wildlife encounters; and has authority to halt work if a protected species is at risk. Biological monitoring is commonly required by USFWS biological opinions, CDFW Incidental Take Permits, and Section 1602 agreements.
What is a Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP)?
A Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP) is a mandatory training program for all on-site construction personnel — including the project owner’s staff, contractors, and subcontractors — covering protected biological resources that may be encountered on site. A typical WEAP addresses listed species potentially present (such as burrowing owl, desert tortoise, or coastal California gnatcatcher), nesting bird protections, sensitive plants, agency-required avoidance and minimization measures, and reporting protocols if a protected species is encountered. WEAP delivery is required prior to any worker beginning on-site activities.
How do I request a proposal from EPD?
Project scoping calls are the most efficient way to begin. EPD provides tailored fee proposals based on project location, site complexity, regulatory drivers, and scheduling constraints. Use the Request a Consultation form, or contact EPD directly by phone or email to discuss your project.