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Department of Transportation recommending the Board approve and authorize the Director of Transportation to sign a Modification to the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Participating Agreement 20-PA-11051900-013, which will increase the current funding under the Agreement by $150,000, resulting in a new Agreement total of $1,249,990 for use during the construction phase of the Meyers Stream Environment Zone/ Erosion Control Project, Capital Improvement Program project number 36107007. (District 5)
FUNDING: United States Forest Service (44% - Federal), California Tahoe Conservancy (22% - State), State Water Resource Control Board (12% - State), Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (12% - Local), and South Tahoe Public Utility District (10% - Local).
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Meyers Stream Environment Zone/ Erosion Control Project (Project) site is within the community of Meyers in the unincorporated area of South Lake Tahoe, bordered by the Upper Truckee River on the west and Lake Tahoe Golf Course on the northwest, U.S. Highway 50/State Route 89 to the south, and by Pioneer Trail to the east. The Project is part of an ongoing effort to retrofit County rights-of-way within the Lake Tahoe Basin with drainage improvements that will reduce the amount of sediment that reaches Lake Tahoe. The Project will help to meet goals identified in the El Dorado County Stormwater Resource Plan and the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program.
On June 9, 2020, Legistar File 20-0614, the Board accepted $499,990 in Grant funds from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) under Participating Agreement 20-PA-11051900-013 (Grant Agreement). On September 13, 2022, Legistar File 22-1570, the Board accepted an additional $600,000 in Grant Funds from the USDA LTBMU under the Grant Agreement.
The Department of Transportation (Transportation) requested additional funding due to the ongoing trend of above normal construction bid prices and supply-and-demand issues related to construction materials. Transportation was awarded $150,000 of additional funding. Transportation requests that the Board approve this funding and authorize the Director of Transportation to sign a Grant Modification Form. This grant funding requires the County to provide a 1:1 match. USDA LTBMU allows for use of non-Federal funding on other water quality projects as match funding, Transportation staff has identified excess funding from the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) allocated to Country Club Heights Phase 3 (CIP no. 36107009) which is complete and can be reallocated to the Project as the match.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve receipt of the remaining grant funds per a Grant Modification. This action would require Transportation to utilize other funding for the Project.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
See Discussion / Background Section above.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and USDA Forest Service.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The proposed Grant Modification would have no impact to Net County Cost. Modifying the USFS Grant to increase the total Grant amount will result in additional funding being made available for the Project. Since USDA LTBMU allows non-Federal programmatic funding as match, Transportation will use excess CTC funding awarded for use on the Country Club Heights Phase 3 project as the 1:1 match. Therefore, no new funding is required to match the $150,000 proposed by this item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation