David Ortiz

Environmental biologist and planner with experience supporting CEQA and NEPA compliance, biological resources assessments, special-status species surveys, wetland and waters evaluations, construction monitoring, and agency coordination. Skilled at translating field observations into clear, defensible technical documentation and guiding project teams toward practical compliance solutions for infrastructure, wildfire risk reduction, utility, restoration, and emergency response projects across California.

Senior Environmental Biologist - FIRSTCARBON SOLUTIONS

(2024-01 - 2026-12)

• Lead CEQA-focused biological resources analysis, technical reporting, project scoping, and field team coordination for environmental compliance projects.
• Prepare clear, defensible documentation that supports permitting, resource evaluation, and decision-making for clients and regulatory reviewers.
• Direct field staff to promote efficient data collection, consistent reporting, and alignment with project objectives and permit requirements.
• Evaluated project impacts to wetlands, special-status species, and other biological resources under state and federal environmental requirements.
• Prepared biological assessments, mitigation plans, monitoring reports, scoping documents, and permit application support materials.
• Coordinated with agencies on environmental studies and consultation processes, reviewed plans and specifications for biological commitments, and maintained permit and project databases.
• Supported surveys and compliance monitoring, collected GPS-based field data, and developed GIS resource maps for planning and documentation.

Environmental Planner - CALTRANS

(2021-01 - 2024-12)

• Served as lead biological resource analyst for complex CEQA- and NEPA- driven projects, conducting impact assessments for wetlands, riparian corridors, special-status species, and other sensitive natural resources.
• Prepared detailed Biological Assessments and provided technical support for formal and informal ESA Section 7 consultations with USFWS, ensuring scientifically sound, legally defensible analyses and regulatory compliance.
• Developed, implemented, and managed Streambed Alteration Agreement (CDFW 1602) packages, including impact analyses, avoidance and minimization measures, mitigation strategies, and long-term monitoring reports.
• Coordinated extensively with CDFW, USFWS, USACE, RWQCB, and local jurisdictions to advance multi-agency permitting pathways and resolve regulatory issues efficiently.
• Conducted comprehensive database queries and literature reviews to identify biological constraints, permitting triggers, and compliance requirements.
• Reviewed engineering plans, specifications, and cost estimates to verify incorporation of biological commitments, permit conditions, and mitigation measures into project design and construction documents.
• Maintained environmental compliance tracking systems and supported QA/QC review of biological technical reports, permit applications, and regulatory submittals.
• Supported and conducted protocol-level field surveys for special-status species and sensitive habitats, ensuring adherence to state and federal survey standards.
• Produced high-quality GIS-based biological resource maps using GPS-derived field data to support impact analysis, permitting, and agency coordination.

Field Biologist - TETRA TECH

(2021-01 - 2021-12)

• Conducted biological assessments and environmental monitoring for FEMA cleanup work associated with the 2018 Camp Fire.
• Evaluated flora, fauna, and waterways to establish best management practices, protective buffers, and project specific compliance measures.
• Collected field data and photographic documentation for incorporation into project reporting and cleanup documentation.

Field Biologist - FIRSTCARBON SOLUTIONS

(2020-01 - 2021-12)

Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS)

• Performed biological surveys and monitoring for LA-RICS communications infrastructure work in Angeles National Forest.
• Applied NEPA and CEQA best management practices and followed U.S. Forest Service project activity level requirements for fire prevention and safe field operations.
• Conducted biological sweeps for sensitive species, accessed remote monitoring locations across difficult terrain, and submitted daily survey data.

Field Biologist - BRC

(2019-01 - 2019-12)

Southern California Edison Pole Replacement Project

• Supported Southern California Edison pole replacement and maintenance activities through biological surveys and environmental compliance monitoring.
• Conducted sensitive plant and nesting bird surveys, accessed remote project sites, and documented field conditions across rough terrain.
• Collected and reported monitoring data using ArcGIS applications and an online environmental compliance portal.

Field Biologist - WEST KERN ENVIRONMENTAL

(2019-01 - 2019-12)

• Conducted biological sweeps in Central Valley oil fields for California Resources Corporation, focusing on kit fox, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, burrowing owl, Tipton kangaroo rat, giant kangaroo rat, Kern mallow, and other sensitive resources.
• Monitored pipeline installation activities and advised field crews on implementation of state and federal best management practices.
• Assisted with wildlife handling and transport when necessary and maintained daily survey and monitoring records.

Field Biologist/Forester - MOUNTAIN G. ENTERPRISE

(2018-01 - 2018-12)

• Coordinated with construction crews on hazardous tree removal near riparian areas and underground gas lines (Community Pipeline Safety Initiative - CPSI - PG&E, Sierra National Forest, California).
• Established buffers and best management practices, identified special-status species within work zones, and documented daily survey and monitoring data (Community Pipeline Safety Initiative - CPSI - PG&E, Sierra National Forest, California).
• Audited tree crew work for PG&E's Fuel Reduction Project and established site-specific best management practices (Fuel Reduction Project - FRP - Sierra National Forest, California).
• Defined riparian and wood-management buffers, communicated project progress to homeowners and the public, and helped standardize field data collection and consolidation (Fuel Reduction Project - FRP - Sierra National Forest, California).
• Audited consulting utility forester work for scope compliance and recommended site revisits when field conditions required additional review (Accelerated Wildfire Risk Reduction - AWRR - Sierra National Forest, California).
• Improved ArcGIS data accuracy related to species, locations, tree prescriptions, and wood management while supporting consistent reporting practices (Accelerated Wildfire Risk Reduction - AWRR - Sierra National Forest, California).

Biological Forester - ENVIRONMENTAL INTELLIGENCE

(2016-06 - 2017-08)

Hazardous Tree Removal Project, SCE – Sequoia National Forest, California

• Provided environmental monitoring for a large-scale hazardous tree removal and fuel reduction project in Sequoia National Forest for Southern California Edison.
• Coordinated with field crews to support compliance with mitigation measures and project requirements.
• Conducted pre-construction environmental surveys, including nesting bird surveys and waterway classification, and entered daily compliance data into the Environmental Compliance Portal.

Bachelor of Science - Environmental Resource Management - California State University, Bakersfield (2010-01 - 2014-12)