Fuels Treatment Projects Application

Transcription

1 Fuels Projects Application ID Number NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS Applicant Applicant/Organization: Type of Applicant: State of Oregon Department of Forestry/SWO/Grants Pass A (State) msmith@odf.state.or.us Phone: FAX: Please Call Ahead for FAX: Off Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip): 2600 State Street Salem, OR Project Coordinator (Name and Title): Organization/Jurisdiction: Project Coordinator Ms. MaryHelen Smith, Grant Coordinator/Teresa Vonn, Field Coordinator Oregon Department of Forestry msmith@odf.state.or.us Phone: FAX: Please Call Ahead for FAX: Off Project Information Project Title: Project Location: B Street Fuels Reduction Project Josephine County County: Josephine Congressional District: 4 Latitude: Longitude: State the desired outcome in relation to NFP Goals and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Project Objectives: The project is located north of Grants Pass, Oregon. It lies south of Merlin and north of Redwood Hwy. It is adjacent to the Azalea Drive Neighborhood Fuels Reduction project that received tentative selection in Many of the homes in this urban/rural community are interspersed with BLM lots. BLM has completed 40 acres of fuel treatment in the vicinity and an additional 420 acres are planned in order to cumulatively treat a significant portion of the landscape. 170 homes and 150 additional acres proposed for treatment.the JCIFP Fuels Reduction Committee has unanimously adopted a coordinated approach to systematically address priority wildfire hazard areas throughout the County. This proposed grant is part of a coordinated suite of projects prioritized by the JCIFP fuels committee and this grant was identified as essential. Similar to the 2006 Josephine County grant which focused on Williams, Azalea Drive, and Wolf creek, this area was identified through a collaborative effort. Name of CWPP: Name of Communit(y/ies) at Risk: Josephine Interagency Fire Plan Grants Pass, Fort Vannoy, Pine Crest, Azalea Drive Proposed Project Start Date: 03/01/2007 Proposed Project End Date: 12/31/2008 Federal Funding Request: $200, Total Project Cost: $361, If YES indicate the relationship of the projects to one Are you submitting multiple projects? Yes another: If YES, please list the titles of projects by priority and briefly explain their relationship. The State of Oregon will be submitting multiple applications Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal: Organization/Jurisdiction: 1) Tim Gonzales Bureau of Land Management, Grants Pass Phone tim_gonzales@blm.gov 2) Teresa Vonn Oregon Department of Forestry Phone tvonn@odf.state.or.us 3) Joe Hyatt Rural Metro Phone Joeh@rmfire-or.com S (Sequential)

2 Project Planning Information Name of Local Coordinating Group: Jackson, Josephine Local Coordinating Group For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a "Local Coordination Group." If you have not worked with a local coordination group, why not? We are active participants with the JJLCG and this project has been coordinated through them. List federal lands that are adjacent to the project and proximity. 40 acres of treated BLM lands within 1/2 mile, 420 acres planned A) Is there a current hazardous fuels treatment or one that is planned in the next three years on federal land that is adjacent to this project? Yes B) Specifically is this project adjacent to a current prescribed burn project or one that is planned in the next three years on Forest Service lands? Yes Please indicate planned treatments and associated acres: Thinning 320 Hand Pile 320 If you have a treatment type other than standard types above: 0 0 Project Evaluation Criteria Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following criteria. Be sure you address every one briefly, yet thoroughly. 1. Reducing Hazardous Fuels (40 points) A. Describe the community infrastructure that will be protected. This should include how this project implements all or part of the CWPP strategy. (15 points) In addition to dwellings and residential out buildings, infrastructure protected will be primarily power line and road systems that will be protected from fire and fire-related erosions. At-high risk residences and access routes are the primary type of infrastructure targeted for protection. Futhermore, other structures (e.g. churches, historic buildings, power lines, scenic areas) will be included as they relate to the specific area being treated.

3 B. Explain how the proposal reduces fire behavior in high hazard areas by describing the fuels to be disposed or removed, the techniques and timing of the treatments, and the treatment location relative to the values to be protected. (15 points) Fuels to be treated include tan oak, manzanita, wedge-leaf ceanothus, and madrone, fir and pine tree species. Hazard reduction plans will also include treatment of non-native, flammable vegetation such as scotch broom. Ladder and hazardous fuel continuity will be treated through the processes of removal or reduction. Fuel reduction will be accomplished by hand treatment, including thinning, slashing and pruning to remove brush, ladder fuels, and standing dead trees, or by mechanical treatment conducted fall through spring. Slash will be hand piled and burned or chipped or lopped and scattered. C. Explain how the project is designed to reduce smoke production impacts that affect public health. (10 points) Project is designed to minimize smoke production and impacts to public health by educating the landowner on the air quality regulations and guidelines. Burning when the ventilation index is over 400 in the Rogue Valley air shed allows smoke to be carried aloft minimizing impacts to public health. Encouraging landowners to buy chippers though the Department of Environmental Quality tax credit program or renting chippers will reduce the amount of material burned. Making landowners aware of contractors interested in utilizing small diameter material for furniture and building materials. 2. Increasing Local Capacity (20 points) A. How would the implementation of the proposed project improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable economic activity assuming that these grant funds would be used as "seed monies" for future projects. i.e. How many community supported jobs would be created and for how long would they expect to last? (10 points) There are numerous independent contractors in the area that are currently actively seeking fuels reduction work. The fuel reduction industry in Southern Oregon has developed into a competitive venue for those willing to invest in equipment to mulch or shred smaller diameter brush, hard and softwoods up to 6-8 DBH. Forest Officers will be retained (local employment)in the winter to meet with landowners to provide education and award cost-share approval and finalize the treatment when completed. B. Will biomass that is produced by the project be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much? (10 points) Biomass utilization has historically been in the form of firewood and pole production. Landowners use the firewood for heating, sale, or for barter. Poles are being used for furniture, fencing and building materials primarily by landowners. Some pole companies will perform the fuel reduction if the number and quality of poles is of particular abundance and quality. ODF maintains a list of pole companies and buyers and will continue to encourage utilization.

4 3. Demonstrating Community and Intergovernmental Collaboration (20 Points) A. Describe how this project has been collaborated and coordinated with adjacent landowners, local/state/tribal/federal agencies, and community groups such as neighborhood associations. (10 points) Partners in this project include: JCIFP Fuels Reduction Committee, Rural/Metro Fire Service, Josephine County, BLM, and Forest Service (potential for adjacent project sites), private contractors and community organizations. Landowner participation and interest exceeds the demand for the current funding for previous grants for communities at risk resulting in aggressive landowner partnership seeking financial assistance. This grant would continue an already successful cost-share program. B. Describe the communities/partners contributions to this project such as: cash or in-kind contributions, cost share agreements, equipment, or labor (including volunteer work). (10 points) Agency and organizational support is quite comprehensive as demonstrated by the widespread participation in the JCIFP process: neighborhood groups-fire planning & hazard reduction actions; ODF-technical assistance in fire planning, on-site residential hazard reduction recommendations/plans; Fire District and Service Agencies-technical assistance in fire planning, on-site residential hazard reduction recommendations/plans; BLM-technical assistance in fire planning; and, landowner cost share. 4. Managing Cost Efficiency (20 points) Discuss the process you used to arrive at your cost structure for the main Project Budget areas such as personnel, equipment, supplies and other (i.e. overhead). In your response please justify: cost per acre, purchase of equipment, percent of overhead, percent of partner or matching funds, and portion of administration cost. (20 points) ODF has a high success rate in implementing a rebate style cost-share with landowner and have treated 3000 homes in the last 6 years. Funding for technical assistance is essential to ensure that residents participating in the cost-share program understand the principles behind fuels reduction and can maintain the fuels reduction work for many years to come, as much as $63,000 is necessary to maintain 2 forest officers for seven months. Forest Officers will be retained in the winter to meet with landowners to provide education and award cost-share approval and finalize the treatment when completed so that payment can be made. These forest officers work in the same areas during fire season where they administer the grant programs and therefore provide continuity to the landowner in service and commitment. These FOs may be fighting fire on the land that is proposed for cost-share treatment. Ensuring that a quality job is attained not only benefits the landowner but the firefighter as well. ODF cost-shares will be a $400 per acre landowner s rebate. This cost-share may cover 1/4to 1/2 of the actual cost of treatment resulting in considerable landowner commitment both for treatment and maintenance. BLM will provide $500 in technical assistance in fire planning. Rural Metro will provide $500 in Education and Outreach. Administrative costs include 3% of the grant for overhead and grant administration.

5 Project Work Form Tasks Time Frame Responsible Party On-site resident assistance - development of Upon Date of Award, Spring 2007 Oregon Department of Forestry individual hazard reduction plans Hazard Reduction activities Begins with awarding of funds - ends at grant dead Landowners/Oregon Department of Forestry, landowners and contractors Community planning meetings Ongoing Landowners/Oregon Department of Forestry, and Fire Districts, and BLM Monitoring / Evaluation Ongoing Oregon Department of Forestry, Fire Districts, and BLM Promote expansion of affected areas & recruiting additional resident participants Ongoing Community Fire Planning Leaders, Landowners/Oregon Department of Forestry, and Fire Districts

6 Project Budget Cost Category Description Federal Agency Applicant BLM Partner 1 Rural Metro Partner 2 Landowner Partner 3 Total Personnel salary $40, $0.00 $ $ $0.00 $41, Subtotal $40, $0.00 $ $ $0.00 $41, Fringe Benefits OPE $22, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $22, Travel Subtotal $22, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $22, $2, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $2, Equipment Subtotal $2, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $2, Supplies Subtotal Contractual Subtotal cost-shares $128, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $160, $289, Subtotal $128, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $160, $289, Other Salem Admin (3%) $6, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $6, Subtotal $6, $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $6, Total Costs $200, $0.00 $ $ $160, $361, Project (Program) Income 1 (using deductive alternative) 1 Program income is the gross revenue generated by a grant or cooperative agreement supported activity during the life of the grant. Program income can be made by recipients from fees charged for conference or workshop attendance, from rental fees earned from renting out real property or equipment acquired with grant or cooperative agreement funds, or from the sale of commodities or items developed under the grant or cooperative agreement. The use of Program Income during the project period may require prior approval by the granting agency.