Davis Hydro, LLC
A Davis Collaborative Company

 


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.

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A Davis Collaborative Company

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