Title
Supervisor Santiago requesting authorization to submit a request for technical and financial assistance to the National Resource Conservation Service under the United States Department of Agriculture Emergency Watershed Program.
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BUDGET SUMMARY: |
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Total Estimated Cost |
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$ |
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Funding |
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Budgeted |
$ |
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New Funding |
$ |
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Savings |
$ |
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Other |
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Total Funding Available |
$ |
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Change To Net County Cost |
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$ |
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
The County has been approached by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) with an offer of technical and financial assistance related to the potential of imminent hazards resulting from the Angora Fire. Some of the recovery measures to address threats to life and property needed within the burn area may qualify under the United States Department of Agriculture Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP), administered by the NRCS. The NRCS program addresses threats on non-federal private and public land within the burn area. Preliminary estimates place the non-federal ownership at approximately 10 percent of the total burned area. Restoration on federal lands is being undertaken by the Lake Tahoe Management Unit of the United States Forest Service, beginning with the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment.
There is no impact as a result of this specific action as this action is a request by the County to begin the process leading to assistance by the NRCS. Future actions associated with the Angora Fire emergency restoration effort may result in a fiscal impact to the County and will brought before the Board for consideration under separate actions.
Under the EWP assistance program, the NRCS can provide up to 75 percent of the cost of emergency measures. The remaining 25 percent is expected from local sources and be in the form of cash, in-kind services or a combination of both. In discussions with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), a majority of the 25 percent match for the EWP program is an eligible cost that can be provided through emergency assistance programs sponsored by OES. Typically, the OES emergency assistance programs typically provide the County 75 percent of the required 25 percent match. The County is working with the State to secure a 100 percent match share.
Reason for Recommendation:
All projects undertaken under the EWP must be sponsored by a political subdivision of the State, and El Dorado County is an eligible sponsor for the Angora Fire. This action is the first step in the assistance process that is intended to commit the County as a sponsor. It is; however, only the first step and subsequent steps resulting from this action will include the following:
The development of a Damage Survey Report (DSR) by the NRCS that provides a site assessment and that prescribes the proposed measures necessary to address immediate threats.
Submittal of the DSR is submitted for funding approval by congress.
Upon approval and granting of funding by NRCS, the County and NRCS would enter into a project agreement. The decision to commit the County under the project agreement will be subject to a future action by the Board.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1. Chairman will sign the request for assistance.
2. The request will be transmitted to the NRCS.
3. Upon approval of funding, consideration to enter into the project agreement will be agendized at a future Board meeting.
Contact:
Norma Santiago
Concurrences: