From the State Water Resources Control Board:
Public Notice: A Notice of Preparation and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Scoping Meeting has been posted to the State Water Board’s webpage, and is available at https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/board_info/calendar/docs/2022/feb/notice_utilitygeneralorder.pdfh
Proposed General Order/Project: Waste Discharge Requirements and Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for discharges associated with Electric Utility Operations and Maintenance Activities Related to Wildfire Mitigation and Other Similar Activities (General Order). The goal of this General Order is to develop a streamlined permitting process that protects aquatic resources (e.g., wetlands, lakes, and stream channels) while utilities carry out wildfire mitigation related activities. In addition, the General Order proposes to cover such operations and maintenance activities even when they are not directly related to wildfire mitigation because those activities have the same potential effects on water quality and are also needed to ensure grid reliability.
Public Scoping Meeting: 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 18, 2022
State Water Board staff will hold a scoping meeting to receive input on the content and scope of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that will be prepared to assess the potential environmental effects of a proposed General Order.
Comment Period: Begins today (February 2, 2022) and ends at 12:00 p.m. on March 4, 2022
notice_utilitygeneralorder
