Ventura River Watershed Riparian Resilience Program

On January 13, 2026, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued Restoration Management Permit RMP-2025-0013-R5 to the Ventura County Resource Conservation District under Fish and Game Code section 1670 et seq. to implement the Ventura River Watershed Riparian Resilience Program. The project focuses on invasive plant species removal and active revegetation with native riparian vegetation across approximately 2,000 acres within the Ventura River Watershed in Ventura County, California, with the goal of enhancing habitat resilience and supporting the recovery of federally and state-listed species including southern California steelhead, least Bell’s vireo, and Crotch’s bumble bee. The permit serves as a regulatory authorization rather than a competitive procurement, and the project qualifies for a categorical exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act under Public Resources Code section 21080.56, requiring formal concurrence from the CDFW Director. The Ventura County Resource Conservation District is the implementing entity, with Jamie Whiteford designated as the Executive Director and point of contact, while Christian Romberger, Senior Environmental Scientist at CDFW’s South Coast Region, serves as the primary regulatory liaison. No contract value, pricing details, payment terms, invoicing methods, or formal contracting officer information are provided, as the instrument is a permit under state environmental law rather than a federally procured contract. There are no specified performance dates, delivery schedules, FOB terms, inspection protocols, or federal acquisition regulation clauses, and no representations, certifications, or socioeconomic designations are included, reflecting its nature as a regulatory compliance action rather than a competitive acquisition. The project remains governed by state habitat conservation authorities without the application of federal acquisition standards.