Title
Transportation Department recommending the Board authorize the participation in the Lake Tahoe Basin 2008/2009 Federal and State Grant Programs with the California Tahoe Conservancy, the State of California Department of Transportation, the United States Bureau of Reclamation, the United States Forest Service, and any other grant funding opportunities which may arise that facilitate Environmental Improvement Program implementation; and, if awarded, authorize the Director of Transportation to sign the United States Forest Service and United States Bureau of Reclamation award letters, applicable certifications and associated documents required to execute the grants, subject to review and approval by County Counsel.
FUNDING: Various Federal and State Grant Programs.
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
|
|
Total Estimated Cost |
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$3,400,000 |
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|
|
Funding |
|
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Budgeted* |
$290,450 |
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New Funding |
$ |
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Savings |
$ |
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Other** |
$3,109,550 |
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Total Funding Available |
$3,400,000 |
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Change To Net County Cost |
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$0.00 |
*United States Forest Service (USFS) only budgeted in Fiscal Year (FY) 08/09.
**If awarded, United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and remaining USFS grant funds will be appropriated in subsequent FYs.
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
The fiscal impact of today's Board action is currently estimated to be $3,400,000 and only includes Federal (USFS and BOR) grant funds. The fiscal impact does not include the estimated State (California Tahoe Conservancy [CTC] and State of California Department of Transportation [Caltrans]) grant fund amount of $2,925,000, as these grantors require grant agreements, which will be agendized at future regular Board of Supervisors meetings.
If awarded, these grant funds will be expended over multiple fiscal years and will support the Transportation Department's (Department) Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) efforts, which the Tahoe Engineering Division facilitates, with no impact to the General Fund or the Road Fund. Some of the grants for which the Department will apply require matching funds. The Department typically uses State grant funds received and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) mitigation funds as matching funds for Federal grants and Federal grant funds received and TRPA mitigation funds for State grants requiring matching funds. The Department closely monitors the use of matching funds so there is no duplication.
As a part of this item, the Department is requesting authorization from the Board to allow the Director of Transportation (Director) to sign the USFS and BOR award letters, applicable certifications and associated documents required to execute the grants, upon review and approval by County Counsel. Upon approval of this item by the Board and USFS and BOR award, the Director will have the authority to accept the USFS and BOR grant funds, along with the accompanying grant program obligations. The BOR grant fund amount is currently estimated to be $350,000. The USFS grant fund amount is currently estimated to be $3,050,000 and of that amount, $290,450 has been appropriated in the FY 08/09 budget.
If awarded, the CTC, BOR and Caltrans funds, along with the USFS grant funds that have not been appropriated in the FY 08/09 budget, will be appropriated in subsequent fiscal years through the regular County budget process.
There is no Net County Cost with this requested Board action.
Reason for Recommendation:
In August 2008, the CTC and USFS transmitted their annual announcements for the solicitation of proposals for various FY 08/09 grant programs to agencies within the Lake Tahoe Basin. Funding for the County's Lake Tahoe Erosion Control Program (ECP) is predominantly obtained from these programs from which the Department has obtained grants on an annual basis. The Department will be submitting proposals to the CTC and USFS grant programs during FY 08/09 on behalf of the County. Also, due to the recent reduction in available grant funds from the CTC and limited funds available from the USFS, as part of the FY 08/09 State and Federal Grant Programs, the Department will be submitting proposals to the BOR and Caltrans, as well as the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, State Parks, and the Department of Water Resources.
This year the Department anticipates submitting proposals for the following grants:
CTC FY 08/09 Soil Erosion Control Grant Program:
Christmas Valley 2 ECP (Site Improvement) $800,000
Subtotal: $800,000
CTC FY 08/09 Public Access and Recreation Grant Program:
Sawmill 2 Bike Path Project (Site Improvement) $1,000,000
Subtotal: $1,000,000
CTC FY 08/09 Wildlife Enhancement Grant Program:
Cold Creek Fisheries Project (Site Improvement) $75,000
Subtotal: $75,000
Caltrans FY 08/09 Bicycle Transportation Account Grant Program:
Lake Tahoe Boulevard Bike Trail Project (Planning) $400,000
Subtotal: $400,000
Caltrans FY 08/09 Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Grant Program:
Sawmill 2 Bike Path Project (Planning) $250,000
Lake Tahoe Boulevard Bike Trail Project (Planning) $400,000
Subtotal: $650,000
USFS FY 08/09 Federal Lake Tahoe Erosion Control Grant Program -
Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act Round 9:
Christmas Valley 2 ECP (Site Improvement) $1,000,000
Christmas Valley 2 ECP (Monitoring) $50,000
Rubicon 5 ECP (Site Improvement) $500,000
Echo View 2 ECP (Site Improvement) $350,000
Tahoe Hills ECP (Planning) $400,000
Montgomery Estates 2 (Planning) $250,000
South Upper Truckee ECP (Planning) $500,000
Subtotal: $3,050,000
BOR FY 08/09 Wildlife Enhancement Grant Program:
South Upper Truckee ECP (Planning) $350,000
Subtotal: $350,000
TOTAL: $6,325,000
The current request anticipates total grant funding from the Federal (USFS and BOR) grant programs at $3,400,000 and from the State (CTC and Caltrans) grant programs at $2,925,000.
Pursuant to Board Policy A-6, the Department requests the Board authorize the Department to continue completing the approval and award process for these grant proposals. In addition, the Department requests the authority to apply for any State and Federal grants which may arise during the FY 08/09 grant cycle that facilitate EIP implementation, such as the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD), National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, State Parks, and the Department of Water Resources. The Department requests the Board waive Board Policy A-6, Procedures 1a - 1e, 2d and 3, since the program requirements for these other grantors are unknown at this time. Many grant opportunities are competitive and time frames to submit grants can be short; therefore, the Department would like to have prior authorization from the Board to enable the Department to apply for these grants to meet the requisite grant submittal deadlines. The Department will return to the Board at future regular Board of Supervisors meetings with the grant agreements and the associated requirements. The Department will update the Board regarding the grant funds received during the FY 08/09 grant cycle.
Notification regarding final grant awards is anticipated within the next six months from the CTC, USFS, BOR and Caltrans. Upon approval by the Board and upon notification by the grantors, the Department will complete the requisite efforts to finalize the application process, including finalization of the associated grants.
If the County is awarded USFS grant funds, the Forest Supervisor will send a letter of award containing the administrative procedures required under Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 3016 (7CFR3016). Attached to the award letter will be the following certifications required under 7CFR3016: 1) Assurances for Non-construction Programs; 2) Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; 3) Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and other Responsibility Matters; 4) Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Agriculture Regulation Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and, 5) Certification Regarding Lobbying. As in previous years, the Department recommends the Board authorize the Director to sign the award letter and the certifications indicating the terms and conditions are accepted. With this authorization, there will be no further Board action required for the USFS grant awards.
Upon approval by the Board today and subject to review and approval by County Counsel, if the County is awarded BOR grant funds, the Director will have signature authority to accept the BOR grant funds and to continue to process the grant proposals and/or any other future FY 08/09 BOR grant funding requests. With this authorization, there will be no further Board action required for the BOR grant awards.
Before the CTC Board will award grant funds for Planning and Site Improvement activities, the Board must adopt a Planning Grant Funding Resolution demonstrating its commitment to the projects and the objectives of each of the applicable CTC Programs and a Site Improvement Grant Funding Resolution supporting the assurances of each of the applicable CTC Programs, once the Department receives more information on grant funds that are available from the CTC. Attached for reference are the most recent Grant Guidelines that contain the objectives for each of the four CTC Programs. Also attached are the assurances from the County's most recent CTC Site Improvement Grant. Upon initial acceptance of the Pre-Application by the CTC, the Department will submit the necessary resolutions to County Counsel for its review and approval and return to the Board for approval of the resolutions.
The CTC and Caltrans grants will require execution of grant agreements. If the County is awarded grants from other granting agencies, execution of grant agreements will also likely be required. Upon notification by the CTC, Caltrans and any other granting agencies, and approval by the Board, the Department will work with these grantors and County Counsel to complete these efforts. The Department will subsequently agendize the finalized grant agreements at future regular Board of Supervisors meetings to allow for the Board's final approval of the agreements.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1. Upon notification from the CTC, Caltrans and other granting agencies, the Department will continue working with these agencies and our County Counsel to finalize all grant agreements.
2. The Department will bring the final CTC, Caltrans and other grant agreements to the Board for final approval at subsequent regular Board meetings.
3. Upon USFS award, the USFS will prepare an award letter with the required certifications for the Director's signature.
4. Upon BOR award, the Director will sign the documents required to execute the grant.
Contact:
Richard W. Shepard, P.E.
Director of Transportation
Concurrences: NA