Strict procedures
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has a nationally honored plan for protecting the habitats of sensitive plants and animals. SDG&E is the only utility that has received a 50-year permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game for working in sensitive habitats.

That's because SDG&E has carefully developed strict and detailed procedures for its employees to follow when they work in sensitive habitat areas to carry out projects such as repairing a power transmission line.

Employee guides
As part of its effort to protect sensitive habitat, SDG&E has produced:

• "An Employee Field Guide for Environmentally Sensitive Construction and Maintenance" that has been copied by both private and public groups. This guide lays out rules for general behavior for all field employees involved in the construction and maintenance of utility infrastructure.
  
  
• "An Environmental Reference Guide—An Illustrated Guide to Sensitive Species and Habitat in SDG&E's Service Area." This guide is so well-received that outside groups have approached SDG&E about buying it.