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Planning and Building Department, Long Range Planning Unit, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the Cooperative Management Agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other federal, state, and local partners for the continued collaborative management of the Pine Hill Preserve, for a period of ten (10) years, beginning upon BLM’s signature and becoming effective once fully-executed by all parties.
FUNDING: N/A
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA) for the Pine Hill Preserve integrates the activities and resources of three (3) federal agencies, two (2) state agencies, one (1) county government, one (1) county agency, one (1) special district, and two (2) local non-profit conservation groups, for the purpose of conserving eight (8) rare plant species and their associated habitat located across multiple preserve sites, known as the Pine Hill Preserve, in western El Dorado County.
The 10 participating agencies include El Dorado County, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, El Dorado Irrigation District, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, American River Conservancy, El Dorado County Water Agency, and the California Native Plant Society. The County participates as one (1) of several partner agencies and is not the lead entity responsible for administering the CMA.
The County has previously entered into similar CMAs in 2001, 2006, and most recently for the period of October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2026. The CMA defines the goals, roles, and responsibilities of the partner agencies for administering the preserve lands they each own or manage, and for coordinating long-term resource protection and recovery actions.
The partner agencies have prepared an updated CMA for the next 10-year period. The updated draft aligns the CMA with current practices and responsibilities of the participating agencies, and also incorporates updated provisions regarding amendments and execution, and clarifies how future agencies may be added to the cooperative framework.
It should be noted that unlike the current CMA, which included a specific start and end date, the term of the updated CMA begins on the date BLM signs and becomes effective once all parties have executed the CMA. Because the County is not the lead agency and does not coordinate signatures for the CMA, the County is not expected to be the final signatory. With the Board’s approval and signature, it will allow the County to continue participating in these collaborative preservation efforts.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not approve and sign the CMA; however, this would limit the County’s ability to participate with partner agencies in the shared management of the Pine Hill Preserve and could signal that the County is not committed to ongoing preservation and resource-management efforts.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
On June 26, 2018 (File No. 18-0889), the Board approved the current CMA for the Pine Hill Preserve.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has reviewed the proposed CMA.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost and there is no direct financial impact associated with the approval of the County’s approval and signature of this CMA. A separate cooperative funding agreement with BLM has been established for the purpose of funding management activities of the preserve, including the County’s share of the Preserve Manager position.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on one (1) original copy of the CMA; and
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward one (1) signed copy of the CMA to the Planning and Building Department, attention of Patricia Soto, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Thea Graybill, Planning Manager
Planning and Building Department, Long Range Planning Unit