TO: Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
FROM: Richard Thomasser - District Manager
REPORT BY: Jeremy Sarrow - Watershed and Flood Control Operations Manager
SUBJECT: Acceptance of Grant Funds for the Bale Slough - Bear Creek Restoration Project Group C
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt two Resolutions accepting funds from the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and authorize the District Manager to sign the grant agreements and execute any subsequent amendments pursuant to implementation of the Bale Slough - Bear Creek Restoration Project, Group C. (Fiscal Impact: $3,000,000 Revenue, Flood District -Watershed Projects, Budgeted, Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
The Bale Slough - Bear Creek Restoration Project (Project) is the continuation of restoration efforts within the Napa River watershed that began with the Rutherford Reach Restoration Project and the recently completed Oakville to Oak Knoll Restoration Project. The 1.6 mile Project reach has been divided into three construction groups, A-C, encompassing fourteen (14) distinct restoration sites. The District has completed the environmental review of the Project as required by CEQA, and the Mitigated Negative Declaration was adopted by the District Manager on November 15, 2021.
Construction of the Group A restoration sites 1-5, was completed in 2023. The District has been awarded two new grants from the U.S. EPA and Wildlife Conservation Board in the amounts of $1,400,000 and $1,600,000 respectively to fund the next phase of the Project, construction of the Group C restoration sites 12-14.
Staff is requesting approval of Resolutions to accept awarded grant funds from the Wildlife Conservation Board and Environmental Protection Agency and authorize the District Manager to sign the subsequent grant agreements and any subsequent amendments.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Fund 8000 Subdivision 8000500 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Acceptance of these grants are consistent with direction from the Board to accomplish watershed restoration projects of this type. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Sufficient funding would not be available to complete construction of the Bale Slough - Bear Creek Restoration Project Group C sites. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The Bale Slough - Bear Creek Restoration Project is the subject of a Mitigated Negative Declaration, which was adopted by the District Manager on November 15, 2021. According to the Mitigated Negative Declaration, the proposed project would have, if mitigation measures are not included, potentially significant environmental impacts in the following areas: Aesthetics, Biological Resources, Transportation/Traffic, Cultural Resources, and Air Quality. This project site is not on any of the lists of hazardous waste sites enumerated under Government Code section 65962.5.