TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: David Shew, Fire Administrator
REPORT BY: J.R. Rogers, Assistant Fire Administrator
SUBJECT: Agreement with Napa Communities Firewise Foundation
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve and authorize Agreement No. 250413B with The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation to manage, facilitate, and coordinate the Environmental and Historic Preservation plan, marketing and outreach for fuel management projects, and implement the fuels reduction projects for the 2022 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. (Fiscal Impact: $1,961,300 Expense; Fire Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
Napa County applied for a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2022. This grant was awarded to Napa County on August 7, 2024. The grant award was for $7,991,372 Million, with local matching funds from Napa County in the amount of $887,930. The collective total of $8,879,302 Million is targeted for fuels reduction projects within the footprints of the 2017 Tubbs Fire and 2020 Glass Fires. These projects will span a total of three years, with two potential extensions of twelve months each.
HMGP is designed into two primary phases. Phase 1 will extend through the initial twelve to fourteen months and serve as the Planning Phase. Phase 2 will then include the activities for hazardous fuels reduction. These efforts will ultimately create more fire resilient communities around the County and reduce the impacts from future wildfire events.
As part of Phase 1, a Request for Proposals was created to select a consultant to facilitate the program management and implementation of the environmental review process. The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (NCFF) was the selected awardee. The consultant shall work with the Napa County Fire Administration (NCFA) to facilitate public outreach to promote the projects and will project manage the necessary environmental requirements and oversee the select implementation vendors. The project will be divided into two phases spread over three years.
Requested Actions:
1. Approve and authorize an agreement with The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation to general project management, facilitation, and coordination of the Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) plan, marketing and outreach for fuel management projects, and implementation of the fuels reduction projects for the 2022 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for a contract maximum of $1,961,300 through August 7, 2027.
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? |
Fire Fund 2100 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
This Agreement will help meet County goals to improve wildfire preparedness and prevention efforts. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
This Agreement will set the stage for expenditure of future funding to help homeowners reduce wildfire risk to structures and property. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Without this Agreement, the risk of wildfire impacts in the County will continue to increase, potentially resulting in larger impacts from future wildfires. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The action is not a project as defined by California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and/or exempt under sections 15301 and 15304, subds. (a) and (i), [See Class 1 (“Existing Facilities”) and Class 4 (“Minor Alterations to Land”)] and, therefore, CEQA is not applicable.