Community members can attend Dec. 15 open house or view information online
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is seeking public feedback through Jan. 10 on a conservation plan that will examine habitat and identify measures to protect that habitat and species in Orange County.
The proposed Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan/Master Streambed Alteration Agreement streamlines the freeway improvement permitting process under state and federal endangered species acts and results in more efficient and effective use of freeway mitigation funding.
The purpose of the state and federal environmental review process is to
- Outline program and biological goals within the M2 freeway program, which includes 13 freeway projects
- Describe proposed actions and alternatives
- Study and evaluate potential environmental impacts resulting from the conservation plan implementation
- Identify potentially impacted species and mitigation for significant impacts
- Follow state and federal environmental laws
An environmental impact report/environmental impact statement will be prepared for the conservation plan. All comments received during the public comment period will be incorporated in the environmental documents.
A public meeting will be take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at OCTA Headquarters, 600 S. Main St. in Orange for the public to learn about the plan process and provide input. Information also will be available online at www.octa.net/eoc.