Promoting stewardship

PG&E’s Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) provide a comprehensive framework for conserving sensitive habitats for protected species. The 30-year permits are issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and allow PG&E to more efficiently comply with the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). They also allow us to carry out landscape restoration during ongoing operations and maintenance projects. Because HCPs provide for permanent conservation of large areas of habitat, they’re important examples of PG&E’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

PG&E’s first habitat conservation plan was the San Joaquin Valley O&M HCP, implemented in 2008. It spans nine counties in the central valley: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno, Kings, Kern, Mariposa, Madera and Tulare. In 2017, PG&E began implementation of the Bay Area O&M HCP, which covers the nine counties that surround San Francisco Bay: Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco.

PG&E Existing and Proposed HCPs

Developed in collaboration with state and federal resource agencies, PG&E’s O&M HCPs allow PG&E to more effectively:

• Protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats.
• Streamline permitting for operations and maintenance activities.
• Avoid project delays and reduce costs associated with environmental permitting and mitigation.
• Achieve compliance with species protection laws.
• Partner with local stakeholders in support of habitat and species conservation efforts.
• Preserve open space and scenic landscapes.