Tomales Bay Grazing Waiver: What is it & Why Does it Matter?

Mar 20

The Grazing Waiver is a regulatory program designed to balance sustainable ranching with water quality protection in the North San Francisco Bay region.

Implemented by the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board (“Water Board”), this grazing waiver streamlines ranchers' compliance with environmental regulations. By requiring best management practices (BMPs) to minimize erosion, reduce runoff, and protect local waterways, the waiver helps safeguard the health of Tomales Bay, Sonoma Creek, the Napa River. The proposed Grazing Waiver update would also expand the existing program to the Petaluma River watershed and Point Reyes National Seashore.

This program plays a vital role in preserving the region’s food production while ensuring that healthy watersheds and thriving working lands can coexist for generations to come.

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Grazing Waiver Toolkit

Comment on the Grazing Waiver

The public Comment Period for the Tomales Bay Grazing Waiver is now open! The Water Board is accepting comments on their proposed expansion of the program to Point Reyes National Seashore. We encourage participation from everyone concerned about safe, clean water and the communities and wildlife that depend on

Submit Written Comments by March 24, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

Email: Rene.Leclerc@waterboards.ca.gov

Mail: San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Attn: René Leclerc 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400 Oakland, CA 94612

Attend the Public Hearing on May 14, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.

In-Person: Elihu M. Harris Building, First Floor Auditorium, 1515 Clay St, Oakland.
Remote: Please check waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/board_info/remote_meeting/index.html

What Kind of Comments Are Useful?

Share your personal connection to affected watersheds
Be specific—reference sections of the proposed waiver.
Support your points with data or real-world examples.
Suggest alternatives or improvements.
Keep it constructive and professional.

SuBmit comments

Stay Informed

The complete draft of the Grazing Waiver Program is available on the CA Water Boards website
(under "Agriculture").
One week before the hearing, responses to public comments and any proposed changes will be posted on the CA Water Boards Agenda page.

Talking Points & Example Comments

"I support the updated Grazing Waiver program as proposed. Thank you for incorporating the additional areas in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Expanding the scope ensures more consistent protection of our region’s watersheds."
“Point Reyes National Seashore is home to many ecologically significant areas that require protection. We appreciate that the updated Grazing Waiver supports these vital ecosystems, ensuring responsible land management.”
“I support the updated Grazing Waiver as it aligns with the California Coastal Commission’s Conditional Concurrence for the the General Management Plan for Point Reyes National Seashore, and the Water Quality Strategy outlined therein. This waiver ensures consistency across agency decisions, reinforcing protections for coastal waters through effective monitoring and best management practices. A coordinated approach among regulatory agencies is essential to safeguarding water quality in this ecologically significant region.”

Grazing Waiver FAQ

1. Who is the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board?
The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Board (“the Water Board”), is the public agency responsible for protecting water quality and beneficial uses of water for the use and enjoyment of people in the Bay Area.”

Under the California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the Water Board regulates all waters within its region, including those that drain into coastal streams, wetlands, estuaries, and directly into the Pacific Ocean to ensure that they are suitable for various purposes such as drinking, recreation, and supporting aquatic life.

The Board achieves its mission by setting and enforcing water quality standards, issuing permits for activities that may impact water bodies, and monitoring the condition of the Bay and its tributaries. Through these actions, the Regional Water Board plays a critical role in maintaining the health and sustainability of the San Francisco Bay ecosystem, which is vital for the well-being of local communities, thriving economies, and the diverse wildlife that call this region home.

2. What is a grazing waiver?
A Grazing Waiver is a set of rules that establishes how livestock operations, like cattle ranches, ensure ongoing grazing operations reduce pollution to nearby rivers, streams, and wetlands. Instead of requiring a full permit for each individual livestock operation, the waiver sets basic environmental protections that grazing operations must follow to reduce water pollution from manure, soil erosion, and runoff. The Water Board’s goal is to safeguard water quality while making it simpler for grazing operations to meet monitoring and management requirements.

This applies to any landowner or operator with a grazing operation covering 100 or more acres OR is identified by the Water Board as a potential water quality risk.

3. Where does the grazing waiver apply?
The current waiver specifically applies to North San Francisco Bay Region grazing lands, including the Napa River, Sonoma Creek, and Tomales Bay. The proposed update to the Grazing Waiver program would also incorporate grazing operations in the Petaluma River watershed and Point Reyes National Seashore.

4. Why was Point Reyes National Seashore being added now?
While portions of Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS) and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) were covered by the prior Grazing Waiver, The Water Board has decided to expand this program to include all ongoing grazing operations within PRNS. This decision aligns with recent water quality monitoring and protection policies adopted by the California Coastal Commission and the National Park Service.

Over the last two decades, various government agencies and nonprofit organizations have documented sediment, pathogen, and nutrient pollution from grazing operations with PRNS that can degrade coastal ecosystem health.

Runoff from some grazing operations within the national park drains directly into designated marine protected areas and "Areas of Special Biological Significance," which are recognized as among California's most biodiverse and vulnerable coastal ecosystems. These special designation areas serve as fundamental building blocks for resilient coastal ecosystems and economies in California. Due to their exceptional status, they require stringent protection against all potential pollution sources.

5. Why is it important, and how does it protect water quality?
The grazing waiver program is crucial because it helps ranching operations comply with environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act. The program establishes annual monitoring, reporting, and assessment of wastt

Without a streamlined waiver, individual ranchers might be required to obtain costly and complex individual permits, making compliance more difficult. This waiver provides a streamlined approach that sets clear, consistent standards across all regional grazing operations, ensuring watershed protections while sustaining regional food production systems.

6. How can landowners and ranchers comply?
Ranchers and landowners can comply with the grazing waiver by adopting best management practices (BMPs) that help reduce pollution and protect waterways. Examples include: