Title
Department of Transportation recommending the Board take the following actions related to the following Grant Agreements:
1) Accept and approve the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Participating Agreement - 20-PA-11051900-011 for the Oflyng Water Quality Project (CIP 95177);
2) Accept and approve the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Participating Agreement - 20-PA-11051900-013 for the Meyers Stream Environment Zone / Erosion Control Project (CIP 95179);
3) Authorize the Director of Transportation to sign and submit two original Grant Agreements for each grant execution; and
4) Authorize the Director of Transportation to sign any future modifications that do not increase the total dollar amount of said Agreements.
FUNDING: United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Grant Funding, State Water Resources Control Board, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Department of Transportation (Transportation) submitted grant proposals to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit under the Wyden Amendment to supply necessary funding to complete the Oflyng Water Quality Project (Oflyng Project) and Meyers Stream Environment Zone / Erosion Control Project (Meyers Project). The USDA proposes to grant the County $900,000 for the Oflyng Project and $499,990 for the Meyers Project. The funds require a twenty percent (20%) match, which Transportation will attain via existing Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) mitigation funds and existing/future State of California Proposition 1 funds.
The Oflyng Project site is within an existing residential development located in the unincorporated area of South Lake Tahoe, between U.S. Highway 50/State Route 89 and Pioneer Trail. The proposed Oflyng Project will improve water quality by stabilizing bare soils with native vegetation, enhancing drainage features, and installing drainage infiltration systems to reduce stormwater runoff. The proposed improvements will reduce the discharge of sediment and pollutants to Lake Tahoe from County administered rights-of-way in the Oflyng Project area. The Oflyng Project will not change the use of the site or surrounding area. If approved by the Board, the USDA grant will provide $900,000 for the Oflyng Project.
The Meyers Project site is within an existing residential development located in the Meyers community, an unincorporated area of South Lake Tahoe, between U.S. Highway 50/State Route 89, East San Bernardino Avenue, Bakersfield Street. The proposed Meyers Project will implement improvements to address flood control, improve water quality by stabilizing bare soils with native vegetation, restoring and expanding stream environment zones, enhancing drainage features, and installing drainage infiltration systems to reduce stormwater runoff. The proposed improvements will reduce the discharge of sediment and pollutants to Lake Tahoe from County administered rights-of-way in the Meyers Project area. The Meyers Project will not change the use of the site or surrounding area. If approved by the Board, the USFS grant will provide $499,990 for the Meyers Project.
During the terms of the USDA Forest Service Participating Agreement - 20-PA-11051900-011 for the Oflyng Water Quality Project (CIP 95177) and the USDA Forest Service Participating Agreement - 20-PA-110519000-013 for the Meyers Stream Environment Zone / Erosion Control Project (CIP 95179), Transportation anticipates there may be a need to request that the USDA Forest Service further modify the terms of the Agreements, generally related to administrative issues, project schedules, and budgets. Transportation is requesting that the Board delegate authority to the Director of Transportation to execute these types of amendments or modifications. If a future amendment or modification proposes to increase the current funding amount of the Agreement, Transportation will bring it to the Board for consideration.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to not accept the funds; however, implementation of these CIP projects will be delayed.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The grants that Transportation is asking the Board to approve with this item are included as revenue sources for the Oflyng Project and the Meyers Project in the 2020 Capital Improvement Program that will also be before the Board on June 9, 2020.
The grants proposed for approval will be funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The grant document for the Meyers Project requires that the County provide approximately $577,414 towards implementation of the project, which will be covered with funds from the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Prop 1) provided through the State Water Resources Control Board. The grant document for the Oflyng Project requires that the County provide approximately $180,000 towards the implementation of the project, which will be covered with $103,493 of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Water Quality Mitigation Funds and $76,507 of Prop 1 funds provided through the State Water Resources Control Board.
Approval of the proposed additional grant funds will free up more flexible funding already programmed for the projects and allow Transportation to utilize these more flexible funds on other projects in the Tahoe Basin. Approval of this item will not impact Net County Cost.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation