The commission shall issue a permit for all, or any portion, of the White Slough Project only if the commission finds that the work is consistent with the plan, subdivision (b) of Section 66681, and all of the following requirements have been met:
(a)
The city and the county have adopted the necessary implementing ordinances and have amended their general and specific plans.
(b)
The department limits the project to a four-lane highway with the minimum medians and shoulders necessary to assure highway safety, and the project does not permit access to the wetlands north of State Highway Route 37.
(c)
A minimum fill of tidal areas will result from construction of the combined flood barrier, new sewerline, and widened State Highway Route 37 and associated interchanges, which in no event will result in the loss of more than 13 acres of tidal areas.
(d)
Fill of tidal and tidally influenced wetlands will be mitigated on a four-to-one basis in the vicinity of the project, and the mitigation will consist of the acquisition of upland areas which do not presently provide unique or especially significant wildlife habitat and the creation and permanent protection of new wetlands for habitat purposes. The acquisition of the upland areas will take place before construction of the highway project. Creation of new wetlands will be done concurrently with the construction of the highway project and will be monitored by an independent biologist. There shall be assurances that the created wetlands will be fully functional or additional measures shall be taken as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 66680.
(e)
The project will provide a barrier to protect already developed areas of the city from flooding.
(f)
The project will include the covering of the flooded sewerline south of State Highway Route 37 and the relocation of the flooded line north of State Highway Route 37 within the area required for the widening of State Highway Route 37.
(g)
The project will provide improved water circulation and waterflow throughout South White Slough, so as to minimize algal growth and air pollution and to improve wetland habitat values.
(h)
The White Slough Project is the least environmentally damaging, feasible alternative identified pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).