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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/13/1999, C6 - AUTHORIZATION OF APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORT FROM THE PACIFIC COAST SALMON CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY INITIATIVE council "-°ii 13 -95 j ac Enda Report It..N C ITY OF SAN LUI S O B I S P O FROM: Ken Hampian,Assistant City Administrative Officer Prepared By: Neil Havlik,Natural Resources Managei SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION OF APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORT FROM THE PACIFIC COAST SALMON CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY INITIATIVE CAO RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution authorizing the Mayor to participate in the various actions anticipated by a coalition of cities, counties, and special districts along the coast of California to seek state and federal funding for a variety of projects designed to restore or enhance spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead trout and other salmonid species which are utilizing coastal streams along the California Pacific Coast. DISCUSSION Recognizing the economic and regulatory affects of the listing of salmonid population as "threatened" or "endangered", and fii Cher recognizing the urgent need to implement restoration work to prevent continued decline of salmonid populations, several agencies have joined together seeking state and federal funding for salmon protection and recovery. This effort has become known as the Pacific Coast Salmon Conservation and Recovery Initiative. Representatives from the 13 counties ranging from Ventura County to Del Norte County, plus numerous representatives of cities and special districts have been in collaboration to reach a consensus for requesting the distribution of approximately $10 million dollars in combined- federal and state funds to the 13 counties and their subdivisions. This would provide approximately $750,000 to each county region. The City of San Luis Obispo has participated in this effort. The intent of this resolution, which would be combined with resolutions by other affected agencies, is to urge the support of the State in directing these combined funds to the projects identified by the numerous agencies involved. In the case of the City of San Luis Obispo, the identified projects are the removal of the upper San Luis Obispo Creek dam and habitat enhancements to the creek above that location. The upper San Luis Obispo creek dam is a non-functional water diversion structure built by the City of San Luis Obispo in the late 1800's or early 1900's as part of the cities water supply. This facility captured water from San Luis Obispo Creek, and diverted it into a pipeline, which conducted that water plus water from the nearby Hansen and Gularte Creeks to the reservoirs at Fox Hollow Road and the Miossi property. This system was abandoned in the 1950's or early 1960's for a variety of reasons, and has not functioned since that time. The dam, which is approximately 13 feet high, is filled with sediment and today constitutes a major barrier to the movement of steelhead and other .native fishes in this area City staff have in recent years looked at the possibility of the removal of this dam and the restoration of the ability of steelhead to migrate beyond this point. However, funding sources have not been identified and it has appeared to be a C6-1 Council Agenda Report-Authorization of Application for Grant Funds Page 2 relatively expensive project. In addition,there have been some discussions with landowner Dennis Ahem to install enhancements, primarily boulder clusters and large woody debris (mainly, large logs and tree stumps) which would diversify the in-stream habitat and improve its quality for rearing of juvenile steelhead. The cost of dam removal, sediment removal upstream of the dam,revegetation of the slopes of the restored creek bed, and the habitat improvements on the Ahem property are estimated to be in the range of$350,000, including design work For these reasons,this project has been selected by City staff as the most promising candidate for a funding support from the Initiative. The Sonoma County Water Agency, which is taking a leading role in assembling the various resolutions and cover materials for the participating agencies, have asked that material be sent to them no later than January 7,2000. FISCAL IMPACT If successful, this grant will have a beneficial fiscal effect by providing outside funding support for an identified City enhancement project Minor ancillary costs of obtaining permits can be absorbed within the existing natural resource program budget. CONCURRENCES The Utilities Department supports this effort and has provided pertinent information to other participating City staff and to the Sonoma County Water Agency. Removal of the dam is seen as a clear benefit to the natural resources of San Luis Obispo Creek. ALTERNATIVE The Council could decide to not authorize the application. This is not recommended, as the application itself does not constitute a commitment on the part of the City. Attachment Resolution C6-2 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TO PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS ACTIONS TO SUPPORT SALMON CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST,INCLUDING PURSUING GRANT FUNDS FROM THE PACIFIC COAST SALMON CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY INITIATIVE WHEREAS, the decline of salmon and steelhead populations along the Pacific Coast region from California to Alaska over the last decade has led to listing by National Marie Fisheries Service of salmonid populations as"threatened"or"endangered",pursuant to the Endangered Species Act; and WHEREAS, numerous watersheds that are tributaries to the Pacific Ocean are significantly impacted by these listings, and; WHEREAS, in April of 1998, representatives from counties within the states of Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington, began meeting to consider a joint effort to seek federal funding for salmonid restoration projects; and WHEREAS, outreach for this effort was expanded to include representatives from other cities, special districts, tribal and other interest groups; and WHEREAS, all those participating shared common interests of similar resource enhancement needs, recognition of the economic and regulatory effects of the listing or potential listing of salmonids with their region, and urgent need to implement restoration work to prevent further decline of salmonid populations despite limited local funding resources; and WHEREAS, by consensus, the local governing bodies and treaty tribes of Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington, established the historic Pacific Coastal Salmonid Conservation and Restoration Initiative and agreed to work together to acquire federal funding for the recovery of Pacific coastal salmon and steelhead trout; and WHEREAS, in September of 1998, the Secretary of the California Resources Agency was solicited to urge state leadership to support and advocate for federal funding for salmonid recovery; and WHEREAS, in October 1998, the governors of Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington requested of Vice President Gore a commitment in the President's budget for the Fiscal Year 2000, for $200 million per year, $50 million per state, for six years to fund the four-state initiative; and. WHEREAS, this fimding would provide for restoration work such as reducing stream sediment, improving water quality, and protecting spawning grounds; and WHEREAS, regional and local elected officials, including representatives from the City of San Luis Obispo worked cooperatively with the 13 California Pacific coast counties to gain support from members of Congress for inclusion of $200 million in the President's budget for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery and Restoration Initiative; and WHEREAS, the collaboration of these efforts resulted in the $78 million Salmon Recovery Fund in the Final Federal Budget for FY 2000; and C6-3 WHEREAS,the State of Alaska is to receive$14 million,the State of California$9 million,the State of Oregon $9 million, the State of Washington $18 million, and the affected treaty tribes $6 million, $2 million is allocated for Columbia River region, and $20 million for U.S./Canadian fishing treaties; and WHEREAS, the proposed fund requires an equal non-federal match and the cost of recovering historic runs of salmon and steelhead will overwhelm the financial resources of City of San Luis Obispo; and WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo has spent time and effort securing support from Senator Jack O'Connell and Assembly Member Abel Maldonado to secure matching funds for this initiative through the California Water Bond, AB 564/SB 530 (Machado/Costa), in the amount of$20 million; and the Parks, Coastal, Recreational and Natural Resources Bond, SB 57 (Hayden), in the amount of$25 million; and WHEREAS, the total amount of federal and state dollars available for restoration of historic runs of salmon for California is$54 million; and WHEREAS, distribution of the federal funds to the State of California requires an accountability mechanism to ensure effective expenditure of funds for a regional approach to salmon recovery, and subsequently the California Coastal Salmon Conservation and Recovery Act, SB 291 (Chesbro), was introduced designating the California Resources Agency as the responsible State Agency for allocating the federal funds; and WHEREAS, the 13 county regions from Ventura to Del Norte have collaborated to reach a consensus for requesting distribution of approximately $10 million of the combined federal and state funds in FY 2000 to this region, and have agreed that each county region request approximately $750,000; and WHEREAS, all participating county regions have agreed that an additional $10 million of federal and state funds in FY 2000 be set aside for non-governmental organizations and other entities to utilize for restoration work with review and approval by the California Resources Agency; and WHEREAS, it was a consensus that each region would use the funds for local, science-based salmonid recovery projects, funding "ready to go" and "on the ground" projects that can help achieve immediate results in habitat protection and restoration to maximize the benefit of this historic program; and WHEREAS, in the City of San Luis Obispo it is our intent to use the Federal funds for such important purposes as the below listed specific projects that are considered beneficial by California Department of Fish and Game and National Marine Fisheries Service: • Upper San Luis Obispo Creek Dam Removal, $300,000, in design phase; and • Upper San Luis Obispo Creek Habitat Improvements, $50,000,in design phase NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo hereby finds,determines, and declares as follows: 1. All of the above recitals are true and correct; C6-4 2. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed.to sign a joint effort letter to the Secretary of the Resources Agency requesting distribution of$750,000 of federal and state funds from the President's Salmon Recovery Fund to each respective County region for these specifically identified projects; 3. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to actively continue support of SB 291 (Chesbro), California Salmon Recovery Fund, which will provide a mechanism for the future distribution of federal and state funds that will maximize federal and state dollars allocated for actual restoration projects; and 4. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to actively continue support of the Pacific Coastal Salmonid Conservation and Restoration Initiative for continued federal funding upwards of $50 million per year/per state over at least the next six years for restoration work. Approved and adopted this 13th day of December, 1999. On motion of , seconded by and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: The foregoing resolution was adopted this day of 11999. Allen K. Settle,Mayor ATTEST: Lee Price,City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: rt#6n�Crofiey. C6-5