Title
Development Services Department recommending the Board endorse and ratify grant application to provide funding to assist the County in the preparation of the County's Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) that was signed by the Chief Administrative Officer and submitted to the California Department of Fish and Game on January 16, 2007.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
Requested grant funds of $599,788. If the grant is awarded it will provide funding for the cost of implementing the INRMP thereby reducing Net County Costs by the amount of the grant award.
Background:
The Board of Supervisors adopted General Plan Policy 7.4.2.8 and Implementation Measure CO-M on July 19, 2004, calling for the development and implementation of the El Dorado County Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP). The County is currently working with a consultant, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), to develop a final scope of work, budget, and schedule to initiate the INRMP. The Board of Supervisors has directed staff to approach potential stakeholders and partners for the INRMP to determine their level of interest and opportunities for financial assistance to prepare the INRMP.
Reason for Recommendation:
A grant funding opportunity became available on December 29, 2006 through the Endangered Species Program Fiscal Year 2007 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act). The grant application required that Development Services staff prepare a Project Statement that directly answered questions from the RFP, prepare a funding request budget, and submit the package to the State partner, California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) by January 16, 2007. Development Services staff prepared and delivered the completed package to DFG on January 16, 2007, and DFG in turn submitted the package to FWS on the same date. The grants are expected to be awarded during summer 2007.
The Project Statement was prepared by referencing consultant SAIC's draft scope of work for the INRMP and referencing work already underway related to preparation of the oak woodland portion of the INRMP. The County requested funding in the amount of $599,788 in support of tasks completed and partially completed through the grant funding cycle to December 31, 2008. The RFP required potential grantees to also include a partial funding budget in the event that demand for Section 6 funding exceed funds allocated during this grant cycle. The County complied by providing a partial funding budget in the amount of $316,464 for completion of tasks which will conclude during the grant funding cycle through December 31, 2008.
Due to the short timeline to respond to the grant notification, the grant package was developed and delivered under the signature of the Chief Administrative Officer as there insufficient time to present the grant package to the Board of Supervisors and meet the short timeline for submittal to DFG in January. Submittal of the draft scope of work for the INRMP with the grant application does not prevent the County from making further revisions to the scope.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1. Development Services staff will forward the Board of Supervisors motion of support to our State partner, Department of Fish and Game, and to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the grantor.
2. Development Services staff will provide the Board of Supervisors with periodic updates on the grant status as information is received.
Contact:
Gregory L. Fuz (5445)/Lawrence W. Appel (7698)/Steven D. Hust (5761)