Report 2012-120 Recommendation 1 Responses
Report 2012-120: State Water Resources Control Board: It Should Ensure a More Consistent Administration of the Water Quality Certification Program (Release Date: June 2013)
Recommendation #1 To: Water Resources Control Board
To ensure that regional water boards, as well as the state water board itself, follow a more consistent process when reviewing water quality applications and issuing certifications, and to comply with state and federal requirements, the state water board should remind regional water boards of required application processing time frames and notifications.
1-Year Agency Response
The Office of Chief counsel issued an updated memo on the permit streamlining act (submitted with the 60-day report). Staff completed a review of the 401 Business Rules to ensure consistency with the memo (business rules submitted with the 6-month report).
In the 6-month report we indicated that we would prepare an FAQ document for posting on the program website. After reviewing questions received on permit streamlining we have determined that a FAQ document is not appropriate at this time. Instead, we have posted the Office of Chief Counsel memo on permit streamlining to the Resources for Applicants section of the public facing program website.
In addition, we have developed and posted to the program intranet website a draft certification template to improve certification consistency.
- Completion Date: June 2014
- Response Date: June 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
"COMPLETE
The Office of Chief Counsel previously issued an updated memo on the permit streamlining act (refer to 60 day report for more information). Staff has completed a review of the 401 Business Rules and determined they are consistent with the updated memo.
UNDERWAY
Staff is preparing an FAQ document for applicants that will provide answers to common questions on the information in the Permit Streamlining Act memo. Staff is also developing a certification template to improve certification consistency."
- Estimated Completion Date: 12/31/13
- Response Date: December 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
COMPLETE
Oral Direction was provided at the 401 Program Coordinating Committee, water quality attorney staff meetings and Management Coordinating Committee. In addition, the Office of Chief Counsel issued an updated memo on the Permit Streamlining Act, one of the main laws dictating our permitting time limits.
UNDERWAY
The direction in the memo will be incorporated into our posted 401 Program business rules
- Estimated Completion Date: 12/31/13
- Response Date: August 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
The state water board's Office of Chief Counsel issued a memo dated May 1, 2013 to the Regional Water Quality Control Boards identifying required application processing time frames and required notifications. However, the state water board acknowledged that it intends to take additional action to fully implement the recommendation.
All Recommendations in 2012-120
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.