Kelly Sackheim, Economist and Environmental Liaison
Education University
of California, Davis, Master of Science, Agricultural Economics
Dickinson College, Pennsylvania,
B.A., International Studies
Affiliations Member and Past President of Sacramento Economics Roundtable
Periodic
Participant: American Planning
Association, Association of Environmental Professionals, and Sacramento
County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
Selected Relevant Project
Experience and Responsibilities
Data Collector, Stacked Renewables Capacity
Value Assessment Study for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Ms.
Sackheim serves as part of the team presently preparing a study to assess
the seasonal and daily variations of SMUD’s renewable energy sources
including wind, solar, and hydroelectricity, for comparison with SMUD’s
customer demand in order to assess how well the intermittent resources
match its load. Ms. Sackheim identified and collected data available
from public and non-public sources, including SMUD projects that had
not previously been identified as relevant for incorporation into an
open model developed by the project team that will “stack” the statistical
seasonal and daily variations of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s
renewable energy sources. The
Open Model will “stack” the resources in a discrete Markovian framework
with relocatable input tables so that SMUD will be able to change the
input assumptions as resources change.
The model will be Open in that it will be easily available to
SMUD staff and accessible by any analyst who knows SAS (or visual basic
[VB]) and EXCEL. Ms. Sackheim
assisted in determining key characteristics of different types of renewable
generation that could be predictive variables in the model.
As the project report is prepared, Ms. Sackheim proposes to ensure
a comprehensive record of the model assumptions and development, in
addition to user-friendly instructions for future utilization of the
model, are included in the final report.
Principal, Performance-Based Incentive Program
Pilot Project for Photovoltaics of the Sacramento Municipal Utility
District. Ms. Sackheim brought
together and led a Sackheim Consulting/Local Power team in the development
of a pilot program to describe and address existing market barriers
and educate SMUD customers who would potentially install a photovoltaic
system at their site. Investigations
for the pilot program involved a review of the state of photovoltaic
technologies and administration of a focus group that brought manufacturers
and installers together with potential consumers to solve problems and
provide input for the consultants to determine the best program elements
for recommendation to SMUD.
Principal, Preliminary Engineering Evaluation
for a Hydroelectric Pilot Project at R-Ranch of the Sequoias Resort. Ms. Sackheim retained the services of an engineer
and acted as the client liaison to obtain recommendations and an assessment
of the potential benefits to establishing hydroelectric generating facilities
to supplement electricity purchased to serve this remote, year-round,
private recreational and resort community and horse ranch enjoyed by
approximately 2,000 member-owners who spend time in 100+ cabins or 40+
recreational vehicles offered onsite and served by a full complement
of amenities (store, restaurant, pool, recreation halls).
Principal and Project Manager for provision
of on-call Environmental Regulatory Compliance Services to the Sacramento
Municipal Utility District. Ms.
Sackheim responded to requests to augment the professional environmental
staff of the client in the conduct of its environmental programs that
include but are not limited to obtaining and preparing supporting documentation
for submittals required by the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) or the Warren-Alquist Act (California Energy Commission CEQA
equivalent program) and other Resource Agency permitting.
The Sackheim Consulting team included more than 15 expert independent
contractors and staff from 5 or more large firms to address needs in
15 specified technical areas and additional requirements that were identified
as work was in progress. A representative
work-order under this contract involves preparation of a focused Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) for development of several electric substations
and adjoining 69 kV power lines to serve new residential developments. Up to five work-orders were performed simultaneously,
as SMUD augmented the budget 2.5 times to meet a level of needs that
were not originally anticipated.
Socioeconomic Analyst for Environmental Impact
Report on Divestiture of PG&E Hydroelectric Facilities. Ms. Sackheim was retained by two independent
members of the multi-firm consultant team to prepare specific sections
and collaborate in achieving uniformity and quality control in the compilation
of this complex EIR addressing facilities in five distinct Sierra watersheds. Ms. Sackheim reviewed colleagues’ work characterizing
recreational opportunities at the project sites and assisted in the
development of a methodology for identifying corresponding expenditures
and potential changes in tax revenues that could be associated with
the project. Ms. Sackheim also
assembled pertinent data from state databases for the population, housing,
and employment sections of the report.
She also contacted local providers to characterize public services
and utilities in broad areas that could be affected by the project and
reviewed applicable plans, policies, and regulations with local agencies. Ms. Sackheim incorporated the information collected
into setting, impacts, and mitigation sections that she prepared for
the EIR and maintained contact reports for the administrative record
in anticipation of future controversy surrounding the project.
Consultant
for Environmental Compliance for the Lake
Francis Dam Rehabilitation Project.
Ms. Sackheim managed all aspects of environmental permit acquisition
and compliance on behalf of the Yuba County Water Agency for the reconstruction
of an earth-fill dam as required to meet new seismic standards established
by the California Division of Safety of Dams.
Environmental
Compliance Consultant for Hydroelectric Operations. Identified applicable regulations and responsible
agencies’ personnel; proactively opened lines of communication to propose
environmental protection solutions compatible with project objectives;
managed implementation of mitigation, monitoring, and reporting to agencies
to ensure consistent approvals. Responded to agency and public concerns
when maintenance activities resulted in unanticipated and potentially
significant environmental effects.
Manager
of CEQA Compliance for Bella
Vista High
School Cell
Towers with Stadium
Lights. Ms. Sackheim prepared
an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration in accordance with
an accelerated completion schedule to permit construction and lease
of facilities by a private commercial wireless communications company
on public school property. Independent
engineering studies addressing concerns with radio frequency near a
heavy public use area were incorporated into the document, in addition
to language developed by Ms. Sackheim to ensure that final project design
would adhere to standards to mitigate for potential hazards and annoyance
of light and glare spillage on adjacent roadways and residential properties.