About Us

She is a credentialed environmental planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and has led the preparation of environmental documents for projects large and small across California and the United States. Her diverse project experience includes analysis of tribal fee-to-trust acquisitions; water, wastewater, and transportation infrastructure; housing projects; mixed use and commercial projects; entertainment complexes and hotel facilities; light and heavy industrial manufacturing and processing plants; and recreation and open space.

She has a thorough understanding of the environmental regulatory process, and takes pride in developing partnerships founded on trust earned through demonstrated expertise and commitment.

 Ryan’s experience includes managing or directing the preparation of:

• More than 50 NEPA compliance documents for various federal agencies, including EISs, EAs, and categorical exclusion documentation for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Federal Highway Administration, and others.  She is particularly familiar with BIA NEPA processes associated with federal land into trust projects.  Multiple NEPA compliance documents managed by Ms. Sawyer have been subject to legal challenges, and each have been upheld in federal court.
• Technical studies and planning documents for more than 50 Native American Tribes throughout the U.S., including tribes in Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Idaho, California, and Michigan.
• More than 10 CEQA compliant EIRs for large-scale specific plans, annexations and tentative map projects throughout Northern California. Examples include the Vanden Meadows Specific Plan and Annexation in the City of Vacaville, and the approximately 700-acre Amoroso Ranch Specific Plan in the City of Roseville.
• Environmental documents for dozens of wastewater treatment, recycled water, and water supply infrastructure projects, including projects involving federal funding through the EPA.  Examples include an EIR/EA for the Placer County Wastewater Treatment Plant Abandonment Project, CEQA-Plus IS/MND for the Shasta Lake WWTP Upgrade Project, and EIRs for the Hollister Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Transportation infrastructure projects, including roadway widening, bridges, highway interchanges, roundabouts, signage and resurfacing.  A key example includes the preparation of IS/MND, EA and all associated permitting, including a CWA 404, 401 and Incidental take permits for a 5-mile roadway widening and bridge project in a rural area of Fresno County.  
• IS/MNDs for subdivision and rezoning projects to support greenfield and infill development, including housing, commercial uses, and gas stations.

When Ryan is not busy working on environmental documents, she is raising her two daughters, that are her heart’s pride and joy.  They spend time reading Harry Potter books, playing board games, and running around to softball games and practices. In her spare time….well let’s face it, she’s a working mom, there is no spare time.   

These projects include residential and commercial development, tribal fee-to-trust transfers, tribal gaming facilities, tribal gaming facility expansion, solar energy development, affordable housing redevelopment, solid waste facilities, and infrastructure improvements.

Key accomplishments include:

• Managed Tribal Environmental Impact Reports for two of the largest tribal casino expansions in California.
• Co-chaired and presented at multiple Law Seminars International conferences regarding environmental compliance on tribal lands.
• Worked with a wide range of federal lead agencies including the U.S Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), National Indian Gaming Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Federal Aviation Administration.
• Managed the preparation of four complex EISs for large, mixed-use development, for which the USACE Regulatory Program, Sacramento District, served as the lead agency. The EISs involved complex impact analysis of impacts to suitable habitat for federally-listed vernal pool species.
• Assisted in preparation of programmatic CEQA compliance for regional and statewide solid waste facilities including anaerobic digesters and dairy manure digesters/co-digesters.

When not working, Jennifer is chasing down her two young girls and two Pomeranians. She is an avid dog lover and traveler. Her favorite destinations include Maui, Capitola, Murphys and Tahoe.

as well as an array of tribal governments and private enterprises. Through her experience with heavily complex and controversial projects she is adept at coordinating with lead agencies, stakeholders, sub-consultants, and project teams to produce thorough, technically accurate, legally defensible, and consistent environmental compliance documents.

Bibiana’s accomplishments include:

• Managed and was primary author on NEPA compliance documents prepared either under direct contract with tribal governments or under a three-party agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), for projects in California, Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oklahoma, Illinois, Florida, and Louisiana.
• Assisted tribal staff in the preparation of applications and supporting documents for dozens of tribal fee-to-trust acquisitions throughout the United States.
• Managed the preparation of CEQA compliance documentation for several complex and controversial housing and commercial development projects including, most recently, the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the Point Molate Mixed-Use Development Project for the City of Richmond in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Managed and was primary author on several CEQA compliance documents for water and wastewater infrastructure projects, some of which included discussion of federal crosscutting regulations (also referred to as CEQA-plus documents) to support federal environmental compliance associated with grant applications for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Programs and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). 
• Received accreditation from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a Lead Verifier of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Data Reports as an Transactions Specialist (a verifier accredited to provide verification services to electric power entities; suppliers of petroleum products and biofuels; suppliers of natural gas, natural gas liquids, and liquefied petroleum gas; and suppliers of carbon dioxide).

Bibiana has been affectionately called the “Chaos Coordinator” while managing projects, but the moniker seems more appropriate when she is home with her young daughter and three cats. She has participated in a monthly book club and monthly ‘must-see’ movie viewings with friends before and throughout the pandemic and enjoys going on walks and picnics along Lake Natoma and the American River.

as well as to local, state, and federal agencies. In addition to NEPA, fee-to-trust, and gaming expertise, she also oversees the development of various types of tribal documents, such as Master Plans, Environmental Ordinances, Wetland/Natural Resources Management Plans, Tribal Initial Studies, Tribal Environmental Impact Reports to address off-reservation impacts, Agricultural Plans, and various grant-related documents. CEQA expertise includes overseeing the preparation of CEQA documents for mixed-use development, housing, vineyards, infrastructure, and water rights. Ms. Alonzo is also experienced in preparing biological resources documents and CWA permit applications. She also (as evidenced by the photo) loves her paint horse Cache, is an avid Latin ballroom dancer, and enjoys old westerns and muscle cars.

projects. He specializes in assisting clients with site assessment, due-diligence, project design, plan development, regulatory compliance, permitting, agency coordination and public outreach. He has managed every step of the environmental process from concept to completion. In addition to project management, Josh has expertise in conducting a broad range of environmental analyses including GIS, land use, water resources, aesthetics, and socioeconomics.

He has also conducted growth-inducement and cumulative analyses that evaluate project related impacts on a regional level. Josh has overseen the completion of EIR/EIS documents for complex and often controversial projects requiring strict adherence to project timelines, interagency cooperation, budgetary constraints, and legal standards. Josh has experience working with a variety of clients including tribal governments, state and federal agencies, local governments, municipal service providers and project proponents. Outside of the office, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter exploring the woods and waters near their home in Maine. He can also be found working on keeping their nearly 200-year-old farmhouse from falling into the ground or working on an endless list of woodworking, archery and boating projects.

Her CEQA expertise includes the preparation of Initial Studies and Environmental Impact Reports for water development projects, housing and related infrastructure, vineyards, water rights, timber harvesting, and more. Ms. Sanborn also has experience preparing and facilitating Clean Water Act (CWA) and Streambed Alteration Agreement (SAA) applications for water diversions, crossing projects such as bridges and culverts, and restoration projects. She has extensive vineyard and winery experience in Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino counties, from early project planning stages through to completion of construction and mitigation monitoring. When not coordinating contentious projects, Annalee enjoys playing the violin, baking scrumptious desserts, and hiking with her pup throughout northern California. She’s also an active part of the community, and has volunteered for a local pet rescue organization in Napa, the Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind, and the Napa Resource Conservation District.

and legal drafting. He has directed the preparation of NEPA, CEQA, and Tribal environmental documents, overseeing projects from start to finish—ranging from complex commercial developments to straightforward land transfer proposals. He assists Tribes with drafting environmental ordinances and has reviewed dozens of HEARTH Act ordinances for legal compliance. As an ASTM Environmental Professional, he has conducted numerous Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and successfully secured approvals to bring contaminated land into trust. Over his career, Chad’s focus, has been NEPA compliance for Tribal projects. Chad has successfully managed well over 100 Tribal NEPA processes, including highly controversial Tribal casino projects and several Environmental Impact Statements.

Drawing on his legal training, Chad guides clients in anticipating and mitigating potential legal challenges related to environmental requirements. Chad is also experienced at interfacing with clients and their legal teams during environmental processes and, for controversial projects, during litigation. Chad’s experience is bolstered by his working thirteen years for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). While at the BIA, Chad assisted tribes, trained staff, and reviewed/directed consultant work on behalf of the agency. Chad was the BIA’s regional expert on NEPA compliance, environmental reviews for Tribal fee-to-trust transfers, ASTM-compliant Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, and HEARTH Act reviews. Extensive experience in consulting and at BIA has given Chad a multi-faceted background in the environmental field with the ability to efficiently guide projects through often confusing and conflicting policies and procedures.

When not perfecting a NEPA document, you’re likely to find Chad with his family on a scenic hiking trail, attending a classic car show, exploring sea caves in their sea kayaks, or sweeping stones on a Curling sheet! Chad is a big proponent of the work hard, play hard philosophy, but is always committed to the needs of Acorn’s clients no matter the time or day.