TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Tracy Cleveland, Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights & Measures
REPORT BY: Jaspreet Faller, Staff Services Analyst II
SUBJECT: Renewal of Expenditure Agreement with United States Department of Agriculture
RECOMMENDATION
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Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures requests the following actions related to the United States Department of Agriculture Cooperative Agreement:
1. Approval of and authorization for the Chair to sign the renewal of Work and Financial Plan Agreement No. 170533B with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a maximum of $133,761 for the term July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 to provide wildlife management services;
2. Approval of and authorization for the Chair to sign the renewal of the Cooperative Service Agreement (CSA) Agreement No. 8668 (formerly Agreement No. 8554) with USDA for the term July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2028 to maintain the Integrated Wildlife Damage Management program in Napa County; and
3. Authorize Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures, with the concurrence of the County Executive Officer, to approve all future expenditure agreements and work plans through the term of the CSA which ends June 30, 2028.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of the requested actions will renew the County’s CSA with the USDA through June 30, 2028 and allow reimbursement to USDA for expenditures associated with the wildlife services provided to Napa County residents and businesses for the period July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
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? |
Agricultural Commissioner |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Ranchers, farmers, and the general public experience economic losses due to the loss of livestock and destruction and damage of agricultural products and property caused by wildlife. In addition, the wildlife services program prevents wildlife from serving as a reservoir for the development and spread of animal-borne diseases, such as rabies, to the citizens and visitors of the County. This service also provides protection to endangered species. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
Yes |
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Future fiscal impact: |
This is an annual service agreement for services provided to Napa County during the 2023-24 fiscal year. However, control and management of wildlife reduces the threat of rabies and likelihood of adverse economic impacts to County residents and property in subsequent years. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The community would experience increased economic losses due to the loss of livestock, destruction and damage of agricultural products, the environment and property caused by wildlife. Landowners and urban residents, who may have little or no training in wildlife management, would likely attempt to mitigate damage by controlling animals outside of the current regulatory framework of the program, possibly resulting in greater suffering of target animals and increased risk of death or injury to non-target and domestic animals. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Effective and Open Government |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: General Rule. It can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the proposed action may have a significant effect on the environment and therefore CEQA is not applicable. [See Guidelines in the guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act,14 CCR 15061 (b)(3)].
Consideration and possible adoption of a Categorical Exemption Class 7: It has been determined that this type of project does not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. [See Class 7 (“Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources”) which may be found in the guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act at 14 CCR § 15307.]
Consideration and possible adoption of a Categorical Exemption Class 8: It has been determined that this type of project does not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. [See Class 8 (“Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment’) which may be found in the guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act at 14 CCR § 15308.]
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Napa County is a participant in a program for wildlife damage management with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Napa County’s share of the agreement funds 75% of the costs associated with the 1.5 Wildlife Services (WLS) Specialists positions allocated to Napa County. Napa County shares the service of one of the WLS Specialists with Lake County. As a part of the agreement, USDA provides the balance of 25% of the costs and program related clerical and “in-kind” support for the WLS Specialists provided by the Agricultural Commissioner’s office.
USDA WLS Specialists provide expertise on wildlife issues in California. In most situations involving large predatory animals, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife calls upon WLS Specialists as the leading expert to help solve animal damage problems. USDA WLS Specialists help with bird and other wildlife problems around airports and also help U.S. Fish and Wildlife personnel protect ground nesting endangered bird species from predation by natural predators. USDA WLS Specialists also assist urban residents and businesses reduce the damages and losses that wildlife cause to private property. In doing so, they also help reduce the threat of rabies and other significant diseases that can be spread by wildlife.
An annual report from 1924 shows that Napa County, the State, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Biological Survey had a cooperatively financed predator control program. This joint County-State-Federal program was supervised by the Federal Government. The Animal Damage Control Act, enacted by Congress in 1931, recognized the cooperative relationship between the USDA and the states and the designated WLS’s predecessor (the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and the Department of the Interior) as the organization charged with addressing human/wildlife conflicts. The program is currently supervised and administered by the USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services California State office and through the Western Regional Office. At the county level, the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s office currently facilitates the contractual agreements for these services and assists landowners in contacting the WLS Specialists for the control of problem animals. These activities, as well as similar control measures undertaken solely by landowners at their own discretion and unassociated with the WLS program, have been ongoing in Napa County for nearly a century. Over the past five years, the program has resulted in the removal of 1,392 animals (average of 278 per year) in response to over $750,000 of property and agricultural damage.
OPERATIONS:
The Wildlife Services program provides services at the request of affected landowners and/or resource managers. Wildlife Services Specialists provide the majority of their services to agricultural property owners on ranchlands, vineyards, and commercial timberlands throughout the County. In the urban and suburban setting, the WLS Specialists engage in wildlife exclusion, technical assistance, and removal of problem wildlife for owners that are experiencing damage or conflicts. Occasionally, the WLS Specialists will aid parkland managers to control problem wildlife.
WLS is tasked with managing the damage caused by human-wildlife conflict. Their overall goals are to maintain a biologically sound Integrated Wildlife Damage Management (IWDM) program to assist property owners, businesses, private citizens, and governmental agencies in resolving wildlife damage problems and to conduct control activities in accordance with applicable Federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Assistance may be in the form of technical support or direct control activities. To accomplish these goals, the following field services are provided:
-Technical assistance throughout demonstration and instruction of predator identification, wildlife damage prevention, and/or control techniques.
-Prioritizing and addressing any request that involves human health or safety concerns arising from wild animal interactions.
-Identify species responsible for damage.
-Predator removal when livestock, crop or natural resource damage is verified.
-Urban wildlife removal when property damage is identified (including damage to non-agricultural private property).
-Removal of wildlife displaying aggressive behavior or causing injury to county residents.
-Remove sick or injured wildlife.
-Disease surveillance and sample collection/submission.
PROJECT COMPONENTS:
WLS Specialists operate by responding to requests from private property owners who are experiencing property or other losses due to depredations. Losses may be highest during the winter/spring when the livestock birth rate is highest. Situations involving public safety generally require a rapid and focused response. Possible public health and safety incidents include attacks or threats from large mammals, mainly bears and mountain lions. Other public health and safety incidents often involve diseased or disease carrying wildlife as well.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
WLS Specialists advise all resource owners on techniques to reduce attraction of predatory or problem animals. Efforts to deter problem animals employ techniques appropriate for each species. Examples of technical assistance that may be provided in urban, suburban and rural settings are:
-Chemical repellent
-Elimination of food sources (e.g., bird feeders, pet food, water, fish ponds)
-Hazing and harassing actions (e.g., squirted water from hose, blinking lights)
-Exclusion fencing
-Guard animals
-Securing all points of entry to a property or structure (e.g., grates, fences)
-Night penning
-Avoidance of wildlife relocation, in compliance with state law, to prevent disease transmission, interloping, and transference of a problem from one area to another.
ACTIVE REMOVAL OF TARGET ANIMALS:
Wildlife Damage Management activities target specific animals within a local population that are causing damage, or sometimes, animals known to pose a high risk of damage are targeted separately. Wildlife Services Specialists do not needlessly remove problem wildlife based on a perceived nuisance or threat of future damage. Wildlife damage investigations are conducted prior to any control or removal efforts.
Napa County Wildlife Damage Management activities focus on a few species that cause frequent and significant damage to livestock, vineyards, and urban properties - chiefly coyotes, skunks, and raccoons. Other animals may also be taken in smaller number including grey fox and opossum. Wild pigs, bobcats, black bears, and mountain lions may be taken only with a Depredation Permit issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). WLS Specialists in Napa County are guided by established Federal Standard Operating Procedures and Measures that serve to reduce or avoid adverse environmental effects that might otherwise occur.
This Agreement is coming late to the BOS as the Agricultural Commissioner was anticipating USDA to finalize their environmental assessment, however USDA is still drafting their report. Additionally, Agricultural Commissioner coordinated with Planning, Building and Environmental Services to satisfy CEQA requirements prior to BOS approval.