TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Napa County Fire Administration
REPORT BY: David Shew, Fire Administrator
SUBJECT: Agreement with DUDEK to support preparing California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Protection Act documents to implement fire mitigation efforts
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve and authorize Agreement No. 250211B with DUDEK, to facilitate preparing California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) documents to implement the Napa Community-Wide Comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Program (NCWCWMP), under grant funding from the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program. (Fiscal Impact: $1,000,000 Expense; Fire Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
Napa County applied for a Building Resilience for Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2022. This grant was awarded to Napa County on July 1, 2024. The BRIC grant award was for $35 Million, with local matching funds from Napa County in the amount of $15 Million. The collective total of $50 Million is targeted for the Napa Community-Wide Comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Program, which is designed for both hazardous fuels reduction and defensible space/ignition resistant construction projects. These projects will span a total of three years, with two potential extensions of twelve months each.
BRIC 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 and provide reimbursements for homeowners to improve defensible space around their property, as well as reduce wildfire ignition risk to structures. 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 (RFP) was created to select a consultant to facilitate public outreach to promote a Defensible Space/Ignition Resistant Construction (DS/IRC) cost share programs to property owners and will obtain right-of-entry agreements and contracts as needed. For Hazardous Fuels Reduction, the consultant shall work with the Napa County Fire Administration (NCFA) to facilitate public outreach to promote the projects and will obtain right-of-entry agreements and contracts as needed. The project will be broken into two phases spread over three years.
Requested Actions:
1. Approve and authorize Agreement No. 250211B with DUDEK, to facilitate the preparation of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) documents to implement the Napa Community-Wide Comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Program (NCWCWMP), under grant funding from the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program through March 26, 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 proposed action is not a project as defined by California Code of Regulations title 14, section 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and there CEQA is not applicable.