Much Ado About Nothing

The Federal Wetlands Program in California

Executive Summary

Wetlands, and federal efforts to protect them, have become the source of considerable controversy in recent years. Many opponents of the current wetlands regulatory system have made exaggerated claims about the effects of the federal wetlands permitting program on private landowners. Among those claims are that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetlands program (authorized under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act) simply places all wetlands off limits to development; that the wetlands program affects an enormous acreage of land throughout the country; and that small private landowners bear the brunt of the burden of wetlands permitting.

These claims should not be taken at face value. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has undertaken a review of data publicly available from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine the actual extent to which the Clean Water Act's Section 404 program has impinged on property owners in California. EWG's analysis found the following:

  • The vast majority of all applications for wetlands permits are granted. Of the 3,762 permit applications in California represented in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data from 1988 through 1994, only 215 permits (5.7 percent) were denied. See Figure 1, Figure 2. Of those 215 permits, 112 were associated with a single project by the California Department of Water Resource, denied by the Corps in 1993. This project, described in Corps data as a "trenched water crossing," would have affected at least 13 creeks and other water bodies, and by itself constituted 52 percent of all permit denials over the 7-year period studied. Outside of this project, only 103 permit applications were denied in California over the period examined, or fewer than 15 denials each year.
  • Most wetlands permits denied were submitted by corporations or public entities, not private individuals. Of the 215 wetlands permits denied in California between 1988 and 1994, at least 196 permits (91.1 percent) were submitted either by corporations or by public entities such as state or federal agencies, city governments and water districts (Table 1.) Similarly, of the 384 wetlands permit applications withdrawn in California over the same period, at least 320 (83.3 percent) were submitted by corporations or public entities (Table 2.) No more than 19 permit denials and 64 permit withdrawals could be attributed to private individuals over the 7-year period studied.
  • Most California counties had no wetlands permit denials. California has 58 counties. Of the 215 permit denials represented in the Corps data, 193 denials (89.8 percent) were located in just four of those counties: San Luis Obispo County (84 denials), Los Angeles County (49 denials), Santa Barbara County (46 denials) and Ventura County (14 denials). A total of 41 counties had no permit denials over the 7-year period studied (Table 3.) Ten other counties had just 1 or 2 permits denied over the 7 years.
  • Many California counties had little or no wetlands permitting activity of any kind. In 6 counties--Alpine, Amador, Calavers, Kings, Tuolumne and Yuba--one or more general permits were issued, but no individual permits were issued, denied or withdrawn over the 7 years studied--indicating that, in all likelihood, no one in those 6 counties had ever applied for a wetlands permit. Twenty-two other counties had between 1 and 5 individual permit applications total over 7 years. The majority of permitting activity took place in just a handful of California counties.

About EWG's Wetlands Permitting Database

In September 1994, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a computerized database on wetlands permits issued, denied and withdrawn under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Data were available for 27 of the 36 Corps district and division offices administering the Section 404 program in the conterminous United States, including all three Corps district offices located in California--the San Francisco district, the Los Angeles district and the Sacramento district.

In November, pursuant to EWG's FOIA request, Corps staff downloaded selected data elements to a computer in Sacramento, and transferred these data to a digital tape that was sent to EWG for analysis. EWG received a total of 297 separate data files, occupying more than 100 megabytes of computer storage. EWG condensed these into 11 related files, and began several months of analysis to determine the geographic location and other information about each permit application.

The EWG Wetlands Permitting Database contains a record of each permit maintained in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulatory database that was the subject of some final action (issuance, denial, or withdrawal) between 1988 and November 1994. For the most part, data for individual permits are accurate and complete for those years. Data for general permits, however, are incomplete for two reasons. First, most Corps district offices, including the three districts in California, do not maintain complete computerized records of general permits issued before the district's computer systems became functional. General permit data before November 1989 in the Sacramento district, before March 1994 in the Los Angeles district, and before April 1994 in the San Francisco district are therefore incomplete. A second limitation in EWG's records of general permits stems from the fact that the Corps itself is notified of only a portion of all activities authorized by general permits. For example, the Corps estimates that it confirmed 55,000 activities under general permits nationwide in FY 1994, but that 25,000 additional general permit activities were undertaken without the Corps' knowledge. In fiscal year 1993, the Corps verified that roughly 45,000 activities were authorized under general permits, and estimated that an additional 35,000 activities were undertaken without the Corps' knowledge (Personal communication, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, April 14, 1995). EWG's permitting database does not account for activities authorized under general permits, which the Corps itself has not verified.

Because of these limitations, it is likely that EWG's data underestimate the number of activities authorized to discharge fill into wetlands. Consequently, wetlands permit denials, and individual permit issuances and withdrawals, represent a far smaller proportion of total permit activity than EWG has estimated.

How to Interpret the Environmental Working Group's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetlands Permitting Summaries

EWG's wetlands permitting data allows for county-by-county analysis of the number of wetlands permits issued, withdrawn, and denied each year, from 1988 through November of 1994. EWG has divided permitting data into several categories.

  • General permits constitute the large majority of all wetlands permits. Typically, general permits require minimal scrutiny by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and are authorized in just a few days or weeks.
  • Individual permits are often for larger or more complex projects than those authorized under general permits, and often require greater scrutiny by the Corps. Some individual permits may require the permit applicant to look for alternative, non-wetland sites for a project, or may place additional restrictions on a development project to minimize or compensate for any damage to the wetlands. Individual permits may be issued in a Standard format, or as Letters of Permission.
  • Withdrawals are permit applications submitted to the Corps which, for any number of reasons, are withdrawn from consideration. Some permits are withdrawn because the applicant fails to obtain project financing or other approval for a project, or for some reason unrelated to the wetlands permit process itself. Some permits may be withdrawn because the permit applicant believes that a permit will not be issued. Some permits are withdrawn simply to correct record-keeping errors by the Corps. The Corps is beginning to do a better job of tracking the reasons for permit withdrawals, but the reasons for most withdrawals in EWG's database are unclear.
  • After-the-fact permits are for dredge or fill activities in wetlands that required a permit, but were initially undertaken without a permit. When the Corps discovers such an activity, it processes an "after-the-fact" permit to bring the project into compliance. Few activities in California required after-the-fact permits.

Figure 1: Wetlands Permits Issued in California between 1988 and 1994

map of california

 

Source: Environmental Working Group. Compiled from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data.

Figure 2. Only 215 wetlands permits, concentrated in just 4 counties, were denied between 1988 and 1994.

map of california

 

Source: Environmental Working Group. Compiled from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data.

Table 1: Corporations and public entities accounted for at least 196 of the 215 wetlands permits denied in California since 1988.

Name Of Project Or Applicant* County Number Of Permits Denied
American Beauty Homes Los Angeles County 1
Arco Oil And Gas Company Los Angeles County 2
Browning-Ferris Industries Los Angeles County 1
Cal-Wyo Ventures West Riverside County 1
Caltrans Los Angeles County 1
Caltrans, District 7 Ventura County 1
Caltrans, District 7 Los Angeles County 1
Camp Hess Kramer, Inc Ventura County 1
Capistrano Valley Water District Orange County 1
Cargill Salt California County 1
Castaic Lake Water Agency Los Angeles County 2
City Of Guadalupe Santa Barbara County 1
City Of Long Beach Department Of Public Los Angeles County 1
City Of Palos Verdes Estates Los Angeles County 1
City Of Redondo Beach Los Angeles County 1
City Of San Buenaventura Ventura County 2
City Of San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County 1
City Of Santa Clarita Los Angeles County 1
City Of Simi Valley Ventura County 1
City Of SLO San Luis Obispo County 1
Columbia Corporation Los Angeles County 1
Cosmo World Corp Los Angeles County 1
County Of LA-Dept. Of Parks And Los Angeles County 1
County Of Los Angeles Los Angeles County 1
County Of Los Angeles - Department Of Los Angeles County 7
County Of Los Angeles - Dept Of Public Los Angeles County 5
County Of Ventura, Public Works Agency Ventura County 1
Department Of Santa Barbara County 1
Department Of Parks And Recreation San Luis Obispo County 1
Department Of The Air Force (Vandenberg) Santa Barbara County 1
Department Of The Navy Ventura County 1
Department Of Transportation Los Angeles County 1
Department Of Water Resources San Luis Obispo County 77
Department Of Water Resources Santa Barbara County 35
Eureka Forest Products, Inc. Humboldt County 1
Goleta West Sanitary District Santa Barbara County 2
Green Valley Town Council Los Angeles County 1
Harbor Builders Company, Inc. Santa Clara County 1
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Orange County 1
Hunsaker And Associates San Diego, Inc. Los Angeles County 1
Mayhews Landing Project Alameda County 1
Orange Co Water District Riverside County 1
Piru Mutual Water Company Ventura County 1
Planning And Design Solutions Los Angeles County 1
Prime West, Inc. Los Angeles County 1
Rancho La Salle Corporation Los Angeles County 1
Rancho Simi Recreation And Ventura County 1
Riley, Pearlman, Mitchell Co. Los Angeles County 1
San Luis Obispo County Engineering San Luis Obispo County 2
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, City Of Santa Barbara County 1
Sierra Technology Corporation Butte County 1
Simi Valley County Sanitation District Ventura County 1
Sonoma County Water Agency Sonoma County 1
Southern California Edison Los Angeles County 1
Southern California Gas Company Santa Barbara County 1
Southwest Diversified La Vina Limited Los Angeles County 1
Spano Enterprises Fresno County 1
Summit Architects, Inc. (Agent: Envicom Los Angeles County 1
T.A. Staben, Inc. Ventura County 1
The Lusk Company Los Angeles County 1
The Newhall Land And Farming Company Los Angeles County 1
The Valcon Group (Urban West Ventura County 1
United States Coast Guard Los Angeles County 1
United States Fish And Wildlife Service Marin County 1
University Properties Santa Barbara County 1
Unocal Corporation San Luis Obispo County 2
Vandenberg AFB Santa Barbara County 2
Ventura County Flood Control District Ventura County 1
Veterans Administration San Bernardino County 1
 
Total, Corporate And Public Permit Denials  
196
 
 

* Applicant Names Are As Listed In U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Records.

Source: Environmental Working Group. Compiled From U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Data.

Table 2: Corporations and public entities accounted for at least 320 of the 384 wetlands permit applications withdrawn by applicants in California since 1988.

Name Of Project Or Applicant* County Number Of Permits Withdrawn  
Abalone Unlimited, Inc San Luis Obispo County 1
Abq Development Los Angeles County 1
Adobe Creek Gravel Dam, Lake County Lake County 1
Ahmanson Land Company Los Angeles County 1
Allen And Finn, Inc. Humboldt County 1
American Beauty Homes, Inc. Los Angeles County 1
American Golf Corporation Orange County 1
American Nation Funding Corp. San Diego County 1
American Production Housing, Inc. San Diego County 1
Anden Group Alameda County 1
Arc Las Flores Ltd. San Bernardino County 1
Arco Oil And Gas Company Humboldt County 1
Armed Forces Los Angeles County 1
Big Bear Shores Limited San Bernardino County 1
Atchinson, Topeka And Santa Fe Railroad Contra Costa County 1
B. Szabo Inc./Pacific Baptist Bible Los Angeles County 1
Ballona Lagoon Marine Preserve, Inc. Los Angeles County 1
Baron's Financial Group Attn: Richard San Bernardino County 1
Barton Business Park Placer County 1
Bayfront Development Company Alameda County 1
Bce Development, Inc. San Diego County 1
Beachbuilders, Inc. Marin County 1
Beachclub, Ltd. Santa Barbara County 1
Berg Revoir Corporation Marin County 1
Big Bear Boat Landings, Inc. San Bernardino County 1
Big Bear Municipal Water District San Bernardino County 2
Big Bear Properties, Inc. San Bernardino County 1
Big River Community Services District San Bernardino County 1
Birtcher Development Co Los Angeles County 1
Boething Treeland Farm, Inc. Ventura County 1
Bowden-Mersman San Bernardino County 1
Browning-Ferris Incorporated (Bfi) Los Angeles County 1
Buellflat Rock Co. Santa Barbara County 1
C.L. Pharris Sand & Gravel Riverside County 1
Ca Department Of Parks And Recreation San Luis Obispo County 1
Cal-Wyo Ventures West, Inc. Riverside County 1
California Department Of Fish And Game Del Norte County 1
California Department Of Transportation Sonoma County 1
California Department Of Transportation Santa Clara County 1
California Department Of Transportation Mendocino County 1
California Department Of Transportation San Luis Obispo County 1
Calprop Corporation Riverside County 1
Caltrans - District 8 Riverside County 1
Caltrans And Kawes Orange County 1
Caltrans Distict 11/(Agent) Distict San Diego County 1
Caltrans, Environmental Planning Section Orange County 1
Caltrans: Structures Division P.O. Santa Barbara County 1
Cambria Community Services Dist San Luis Obispo County 1
Canevari Timber Company, Inc. Humboldt County 1
Capistrano Valley Water Authority C/O Orange County 1
Centex Homes Orange County 1
Centex Homes Corporation San Bernardino County 1
Central Coast Water Authority Santa Barbara County 2
Chas. Rounds Construction Co. San Bernardino County 1
Cherokee Group Los Angeles County 1
Chevron U.S.A. Products Company Los Angeles County 1
Chevron, Usa, Inc. (Was Tosco Corp) Sutter County 1
Chino Basin Municipal Water District Riverside County 1
City Of Carlsbad / P&D Technologies San Diego County 1
City Of Chula Vista San Diego County 1
City Of Corona Riverside County 1
City Of Del Mar San Diego County 1
City Of Escondido San Diego County 1
City Of Imperial Beach San Diego County 1
City Of Irvine Orange County 1
City Of Lake Elsinore, Engineering Dept. Riverside County 1
City Of Long Beach Los Angeles County 3
City Of Long Beach Orange County 1
City Of Long Beach, Dept Of Public Los Angeles County 1
City Of Newport Beach Orange County 1
City Of Oceanside Planning Division San Diego County 1
City Of Palmdale, Public Works Los Angeles County 1
City Of Poway - Erce Agent San Diego County 1
City Of Riverside Riverside County 3
City Of San Buenaventura Ventura County 1
City Of San Diego San Diego County 1
City Of San Diego Water Utilities San Diego County 1
City Of San Diego, Eng. Div. Water San Diego County 1
City Of San Jose San Mateo County 1
City Of San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County 1
City Of San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County 1
City Of San Mateo San Mateo County 1
City Of San Rafael Marin County 1
City Of Santa Barbara Public Works Dept. Santa Barbara County 1
City Of Santa Rosa Sonoma County 1
City Of Slo Public Works Department San Luis Obispo County 1
City Of Temecula Riverside County 1
City Of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara County 1
Coast Rock Products, Inc. Santa Barbara County 2
Cobblestone Resort Dev, L.P. 21221 Riverside County 1
Colorado River Pipeline Company San Bernardino County 1
Coto De Caza., Ltd Orange County 1
County Of Los Angeles Los Angeles County 1
County Of Los Angeles Department Of Los Angeles County 1
County Of Orange, Enviromental Management Orange County 2
County Of San Diego San Diego County 2
County Of San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County 1
County Of San Luis Obispo, Dept. Of San Luis Obispo County 1
County Of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara County 1
County Of Santa Barbara Park Department Santa Barbara County 1
County Sanitation District Of Orange Orange County 1
Crescent City Harbor District Del Norte County 1
Daley Corporation San Diego County 1
De Anza Harbor Resort San Diego County 1
Del Mar Fairground. 22nd Ag District San Diego County 1
Del Norte County Flood Control District Sacramento County 1
Del Norte County Hospital District Del Norte County 1
Delta Coves Contra Costa County 1
Delta Yacht Club - Bank Protection San Joaquin County 1
Department Of Public Works Orange County 1
Department Of The Navy San Diego County 1
Department Of The Navy Ventura County 1
Deputy Director Of Transportation Riverside County 1
Deputy Road Commissioner Of Riverside Riverside County 1
Director Of Public Works County Of Orange County 1
Disney, Long Beach (Port, City, & Los Angeles County 1
Dixieline Lumber San Diego County 1
Dredging Rodman Slough - Lake County Lake County 1
Dupont Dredging & Levee Repair Contra Costa County 1
E.F. Moore & Company Ventura County 1
Eagle Knoll Homeowners Association San Bernardino County 1
Engineering-Science - Los Angeles County Los Angeles County 1
Eureka Southern Railroad Humboldt County 1
Exxon Company Usa Los Angeles County 1
Federal Aviation Administration San Mateo County 1
First City Properties, Inc San Bernardino County 1
Fourth Street Rock Crusher San Bernardino County 1
Free Enterprises San Diego County 1
Georgiana Slough Temporary Barrier Dwr Sacramento County 1
Glencairn Subdivision Sacramento County 1
Granite Construction Company San Bernardino County 1
Granite Rock Company San Benito County 1
Great Oaks Water Company Santa Clara County 1
Green Valley Town Council (Amy Hurst) Los Angeles County 1
Hal Hembree-City Of Irvine-One Civic Orange County 1
Harold Segestrom, Jr. Orange County 1
Hatton Canyon Freeway Monterey County 1
Hmdi, Co. Ventura County 1
Huffman And Associates, Inc. Los Angeles County 1
Hunters Hill San Bernardino County 1
Ibwc San Diego County 1
Inyo County Public Works Inyo County 1
J.P. Rhoades Development Riverside County 1
Jacobs Ave Dike Humboldt County 1
John D. Fischer, Caltrans, District 11 San Diego County 1
Johnson & Johnson Properties Riverside County 1
Kaiser Sand And Gravel Company Sonoma County 1
Kaufman And Broad Of Southern California Los Angeles County 1
Kmart Corporation San Bernardino County 1
Lagoon Valley - Solano County Solano County 1
Lake County Culverts Lake County 1
Lake Park Homeowner's Association Ventura County 1
Landcaster Landmark Properties Los Angeles County 1
Landmark Co./(Agent) Keith Companies Riverside County 1
Larwin Castaic Associates Los Angeles County 1
Larwin Company. Los Angeles County 1
Leisure Technology San Diego County 1
[Anonymous] Representing The Faa And Santa Barbara County 1
Leslie Salt Company Napa County 1
Leucadia County Water District San Diego County 1
Lewis Homes Of California Los Angeles County 1
Little Holland Tract Solano County 1
Ljc Enterprises Riverside County 1
Long Beach, Port Of Los Angeles County 1
Los Angeles County Department Of Public Los Angeles County 1
Los Banos Grandes Merced County 1
Luz Development And Finance Corporation San Bernardino County 1
M.J. Brock And Sons, Inc Orange County 1
M.J. Brock And Sons, Inc San Diego County 1
Marathon, U.S. Realties, Inc. Alameda County 1
Marin County Airport Marin County 1
Marin County Department Of Public Works Marin County 2
Marine Corps/Camp Pendleton San Diego County 2
Marine Engineering And Services, Sawicki San Diego County 1
Marine Forests Society Orange County 1
Mariner Square And Associates Alameda County 1
Mariner's Point, A California General Orange County 1
Marufuji America - Envicom Corporation Ventura County 1
Pardee Construction Co. San Diego County 1
Mission Viejo Company Orange County 1
Mission Viejo Materials, Inc. Orange County 1
Monning Development San Bernardino County 1
Morgan / Oceanside Commercial Ic/O San Diego County 1
Moss Landing Harbor District Monterey County 1
Nbs/Lowry Riverside County 1
Nbs/Lowry, 40925 County Center Drive, Riverside County 1
Nelson And Sloan San Diego County 1
Newhall Land And Farming Co. Los Angeles County 3
Newport Dunes, Inc./ (Agent) Courton & Orange County 1
Operating Engineers Training Trust Riverside County 1
Ophir Pump Station Placer County 1
Orange County Environmental Management Orange County 2
Orange County Flood Control District Orange County 2
Orange County Water District Riverside County 1
Owner Parties To Las Tunas Beach Los Angeles County 1
Pacific Gas And Electric Company Contra Costa County 1
Pacific Pipeline Co Santa Barbara County 1
Pacific Refining Company California County 1
Padre/Pankey Sand & Gravel San Diego County 1
Pan Pacific Development Placer County 1
Pardee Construction Company Riverside County 2
Port Of Long Beach, 925 Harbor Plaza, Los Angeles County 1
Port Of Los Angeles Los Angeles County 1
Port Stockton Boaters/San Joaquin River San Joaquin County 1
Processing And Distribution Center For Santa Barbara County 1
Pulsar Development, Inc. San Bernardino County 1
R.D. 800, Bank Protection Contra Costa County 1
Rancho California Water District Riverside County 2
Rd 2074 San Joaquin County 1
Rdhk Ventures, C/O W W Dean, 41877 Riverside County 1
Rec. Dist. 800 Contra Costa County 1
Removal Of Two Islands In San Simeon San Luis Obispo County 1
Richard A. Newhall/ (Agent) Fred Ransom San Bernardino County 1
Richmond, Port Of Contra Costa County 1
Rio Loco Homeowners Association Riverside County 1
Ritter Ranch Development - Amargosa Los Angeles County 1
Engineering Development San Luis Obispo County 1
Rock Creek Cresta Dredging Project Plumas County 1
Rubber Dam, Inflatable, Colusa County Colusa County 1
Rubidoux Community Water District Riverside County 1
Rjw Engineering Los Angeles County 1
Saddleback School District Orange County 1
Safca Natomas Area Flood Control Project Sacramento County 1
San Bernardino County San Bernardino County 1
San Bernardino County Flood Control San Bernardino County 6
San Diego Yacht Club San Diego County 1
San Elijo Joint Powers Authority San Diego County 1
San Francisco Airport Commission San Francisco County 1
San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo County 2
Santa Barbara County Flood Control & Santa Barbara County 1
Sea Ventures Enterprises, Inc. Santa Barbara County 1
Semitropic Water Dist/Goose Lake/Kern Co Kern County 1
Sespe Rock Products Ventura County 1
Sgm Investment Corp And Vista Villas San Diego County 1
Shadowrock Ventures Riverside County 1
Shoreline 1echnology Corp. San Diego County 1
Signal Landmark (Agent: The Koll Company) Orange County 2
Silver Springs Subdivision Sacramento County 1
Sna Luis Creek Associates San Luis Obispo County 1
Snow Summit Ski Corporation San Bernardino County 1
Soka University / Envicom Corporation Los Angeles County 1
Southwest Diversified La Vina Limited Los Angeles County 1
Southwest Marine, Inc. San Diego County 1
Southwestern Portland Cement Company San Bernardino County 1
Standard Pacific San Diego County 1
State Of California, Dept. Of Ventura County 1
Sukut Development Riverside County 1
Sundt Development San Diego County 1
Sweetwater Authority San Diego County 1
Syar Industries, Inc. Sonoma County 1
Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort San Luis Obispo County 1
Tanger Shopping Center San Bernardino County 1
Tarmac San Bernardino County 1
Tehama County Flood Control District Tehama County 1
The Baldwin Company San Diego County 1
The Hammond Company Los Angeles County 1
The Hearst Corporation San Luis Obispo County 1
The Irvine Company Orange County 3
The Lusk Co. C/O Glenn Lukos Associates San Bernardino County 1
Newhall Land And Farming Company Los Angeles County 1
The Pauma Valley Country Club/ (Agent) San Diego County 1
Torno-America, Inc. San Bernardino County 2
U.S. Borax And Chemical Company Los Angeles County 1
U.S. Geological Service Riverside County 1
U.S. Naval Weapons Station Orange County 1
U.S. Windpower, Inc. Riverside County 1
United Concrete Pipe Riverside County 2
United States Navy (Public Works Center) Sonoma County 1
United States Navy San Francisco County 1
University Of California, Irvine Orange County 1
Unocal Santa Barbara County 1
Unocal Corp San Luis Obispo County 1
Us Navy Public Works Center San Diego County 1
Us Sprint Communication Company San Diego County 1
Van Daele Development Corp Riverside County 1
Vandenberg Afb Santa Barbara County 1
Ventura County Flood Control District Ventura County 1
Vista Del Homes Placer County 1
Vista Del Mar Union School District Santa Barbara County 1
Voss Construction Co., Inc. Ventura County 1
Watt South Coast , Inc. Orange County 1
Weber Center Inc San Joaquin County 1
West Newport Oil Company Orange County 1
Western Division, Naval Facilities Los Angeles County 1
Western Homex Corporation Riverside County 1
Western Horizons Riverside County 1
Westland Engineering Co. (Representing San Luis Obispo County 1
Wilmington Liquid Bulk Terminals, Inc Los Angeles County 1
Wind Turbine Power Plant Los Angeles County 1
Wood & Associates, Inc. San Bernardino County 1
Yankee Hill Estates/Placer County Placer County 1
Yeager Bros./Wutzke & Laramore San Bernardino County 1
             
Total, Corporate And Public Entity Permit Withdrawals   320

* Applicant Names Are As Listed In U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Records.

Source: Environmental Working Group. Compiled From U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Data.

Table 3: In 41 California counties, no wetlands permits were denied between 1988 and 1994.

County Number of Permits Issued Number of Permits Denied
 
Alameda 59 1
Alpine 1 0
Amador 5 0
Butte 70 1
Calaveras 6 0
Colusa 6 0
Contra Costa 107 0
Del Norte 7 0
El Dorado 38 0
Fresno 12 1
Glenn 4 0
Humboldt 75 2
Imperial 10 0
Inyo 8 0
Kern 10 0
Kings 2 0
Lake 11 0
Lassen 14 0
Los Angeles 282 49
Madera 4 0
Marin 72 1
Mariposa 4 0
Mendocino 23 0
Merced 10 0
Modoc 4 0
Mono 21 3
Monterey 25 0
Napa 16 0
Nevada 16 0
Orange 341 2
Placer 104 0
Plumas 13 0
Riverside 262 3
Sacramento 169 0
San Benito 0 0
San Bernardino 178 2
San Diego 385 0
San Francisco 22 0
San Joaquin 79 0
San Luis Obispo 75 84
San Mateo 36 1
Santa Barbara 115 46
Santa Clara 22 1
Santa Cruz 25 0
Shasta 46 0
Sierra 1 0
Siskiyou 27 0
Solano 56 1
Sonoma 58 2
Stanislaus 31 0
Sutter 7 0
Tehama 21 0
Trinity 6 0
Tulare 5 0
Tuolumne 5 0
Ventura 107 14
Yolo 14 0
Yuba 4 0
     
California Total 3,156 215

Source: Environmental Working Group.

Compiled from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data.

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