TD1953883 Desert Front Circle 12kV Covered Conductor Project (California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 1927-ITP-2025-054- 06 (ITP))

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued Incidental Take Permit No. 1927-ITP-2025-054-06 to Southern California Edison authorizing the replacement of a single deteriorated wood utility pole on the Desert Front Circle 12kV distribution line in unincorporated San Bernardino County near Wrightwood. The project involves installing a new wood pole with a 12-gauge steel caisson within one foot of the existing pole, using a truck-mounted auger and tracked backhoe for excavation within a 0.028-acre area. The work includes overland vehicle travel, equipment staging, and the replacement of bare conductors with covered conductors to reduce wildfire ignition risks in a Tier 3 fire-threat zone. The project will result in the incidental take of four protected western Joshua trees, which is permitted under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act and the California Endangered Species Act. The activity is justified under a CEQA statutory emergency exemption for wildfire risk mitigation, allowing immediate implementation without full environmental review. All work is confined to a specific geographic location centered on utility pole 2263703E, with coordinates approximately 34.376462° N, -117.609095° W. The permitting authority is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Inland Deserts Region, with Andrew Chambers serving as the primary point of contact for environmental compliance and oversight. Southern California Edison is the project implementer, with Hazem Gabr named as the principal manager. There is no publicly disclosed contract value, payment terms, invoicing method, or federal contracting clauses, as this is a state environmental permit rather than a traditional procurement contract. The project’s approval is contingent on strict adherence to permit conditions and mitigation measures for protected species, with inspection and acceptance occurring at the project site by CDFW. No federal acquisition regulations apply, and the documentation lacks standard contract elements such as pricing, delivery schedules, evaluation factors, or special requirements typically found in federal solicitations. Performance is expected to begin following permit issuance, with no formal timeframe specified beyond the solicitation posting date of January 30, 2026, and a proposal submission deadline of January 29, 2027.