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This Month

SANDAG newsletter
provides information
on key projects & services
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SANDAG Service Bureau welcomes new team member
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Environmental Mitigation Memorandum delivers on TransNet promise rule
Bike to Work Day is May 16
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Six Diamond Award recipients shine at SANDAG ceremony rule
Regional economic prosperity strategy approved
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San Diego a leader in
innovative ex-offender
reentry servicesrule
Forums provide opportunity
to review regional fare strategies
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March Board Actions
available online
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   the rEgion
 

Environmental Mitigation MemorandumTransNet Environmental Mitigation Program
delivers on TransNet promise

To help implement the TransNet
Environmental Mitigation Program (EMP) andestablish future agency partnerships, SANDAG Directors recently approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between SANDAG, Caltrans, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Departmentof Fish and Game that outlines the roles and commitments of these organizations regarding EMP implementation. Adopted by the voters in November 2004 as part of the TransNet Extension Ordinance and Expenditure Plan, the $850 million TransNet EMP seeks proactive solutions for the advance mitigation of transportation projects to expedite project delivery with significant cost savings. It goes beyond traditional mitigation for transportation projects by including annual funding allocations for habitat acquisition, management, and monitoring activities to help implement regional habitat conservation plans.

“The Environmental Mitigation Program MOA provides these agencies with a joint opportunity to fund the early acquisition of land for future transportation projects – reducing future costs and accelerating project delivery,” said SANDAG Chair and Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Teresa Sessom.

In January 2008, the EMP allowed SANDAG to purchase 282 acres of land in Bonsall to help offset the biological impacts of future State Route (SR) 76 construction. This was the first habitat mitigation purchase made with TransNet Extension funds. Of the 282 acres, 14 of the most southern acres will be used during a portion of the SR 76 construction project, and 262 acres will be preserved in perpetuity as wildlife habitat. An additional 136 acres of wetland habitat also was recently acquired with EMP funds along the San Luis Rey River for mitigation associated with the expansion of SR 76.

“Working in partnership with Caltrans, we are delivering on the promise of
TransNet,” said SANDAG Executive Director Gary Gallegos. “And we are doing it efficiently – acquiring mitigation land early and banking it for future projects.”

SANDAG Directors voted to amend the TransNet Plan of Finance to reflect the signed MOA and the capacity for funding up to $440 million over ten years for mitigation of TransNet Early Action Program projects as well as projects included in the revenue constrained scenario of the Regional Transportation Plan. SANDAG also will work with local jurisdictions to develop a similar approach for local transportation projects evaluating early and longer-term mitigation needs.

Project Manager:
Keith Greer, Senior Regional Planner
kgr@sandag.org, (619) 699-7390