Restoration Project Planning and Review

Department of Fish and Game, Office of Spill Prevention and Response

DC&E assisted the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) in managing the implementation of grants to create new recreational uses in Avila Beach. Avila Beach is a popular seaside destination in San Luis Obispo County that was heavily affected by remediation of an oil spill that required the demolition of most of the town's central business district. The grant program intended to help rebuild Avila Beach's natural resources, recreational amenities, and tourism base by funding new uses proposed by community members. In the first phase of the project, DC&E completed a Feasibility Study for five grant-winning projects that ranged from restoration of an existing lighthouse to construction of a new hands-on marine science facility for children. The Feasibility Study evaluated the ability of the sponsors to oversee their projects; the accuracy of the cost estimates they provided; applicable permits, right-of-way acquisition, and other regulatory constraints; likely levels of CEQA and/or NEPA compliance required for each project, and steps needed to implement them. In the final phase of the project, DC&E assisted OSPR and the grant recipients with contract preparation and construction administration.