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Cowlitz CRR Fund Implementation

FTC Meeting December 2, 2014 Presented by CRR Subcommittee. Cowlitz CRR Fund Implementation. Overview Guidance Documents CRR Project Evaluation Process and Products Subcommittee Recommendations Existing Evaluation Processes Potential Process Integration Paths Forward

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Cowlitz CRR Fund Implementation

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  1. FTC Meeting December 2, 2014 Presented by CRR Subcommittee Cowlitz CRR Fund Implementation

  2. Overview • Guidance Documents • CRR Project Evaluation Process and Products • Subcommittee Recommendations • Existing Evaluation Processes • Potential Process Integration • Paths Forward • Questions/Discussion Outline

  3. Guidance Documents

  4. Article 3 Upstream: Barrier Mayfield and Mossyrock h)”…measures in addition to those provided for in the August 2000 Settlement Agreement are necessary to restore self-sustaining, natural production of ESA listed stocks in the Cowlitz River Basin…Consistent with expressed purpose of license and settlement agreement and with applicable recovery plans for the listed Cowlitz River stocks…” Settlement Agreement

  5. 1.4 Cowlitz Restoration and Recovery Account “The FTC determined that measures in addition to those provided for in the Settlement Agreement are necessary to restore self-sustaining, natural production of ESA-listed stocks in the Cowlitz River basin, and that expenditures of the escrow fund on such additional measures in lieu of volitional upstream facilities is necessary and appropriate to achieve natural stock restoration.” 3.1 Goal “The goal of the CRR Fund Implementation Plan is to protect and promote restoration and recovery of listed upper Cowlitz River basin stocks and shall be used for those purposes.” Plan to Abandon Volitional Fish Passage

  6. I. ESTABLISHMENT OF CRR FUND “Henceforth this account will be known as the Cowlitz Restoration and Recovery Fund (CRR Fund) and will be used for the purposes of protecting and promoting restoration and recovery of listed upper Cowlitz River basin salmonid stocks.” CRR Implementation Plan

  7. Land acquisition or lease of riparian, wetlands, and uplands; • Conservation easements; • Riparian and wetland protection and enhancement; • Habitat restoration projects; • Assessments of habitat and limiting factors • Other Projects CRR Implementation Plan: Project Types

  8. CRR Project Evaluation Process and Products

  9. Solicitation and Distribution of information • Project Application/ Description • Independent Review/Evaluation • Consistency with recovery plan • Consistency with CRR Plan goals • Input to improve projects • Benefits, implementation feasibility and costs of projects • Funding Decisions CRR Project Evaluation Process

  10. Subcommittee Recommendations

  11. Review all acquisition, easement purchase and habitat restoration projects • “consistent with applicable recovery plans” • Independent review • Process already exists • conducts independent review • verifies consistency with recovery plan Recommendations: Project Review

  12. Provide more specific direction regarding project implementation • Project location(s) • Action(s) to be implemented • Habitat conditions to be improved or protected • Species and life stages benefited • Conduct early in CRR Fund implementation process • FTC select contractor to conduct assessment Recommendations: Assessment

  13. Utilize existing process to implement CRR Evaluation • Don’t recreate what already exists • Can accomplish with LCFRB review process • FTC provide funding recommendations for consideration by City of Tacoma • Utilize information from LCFRB review process Recommendations: Project Evaluation

  14. Existing Process: LCFRB?

  15. Other entities utilize LCFRB review process • BPA • Community Salmon Fund • Chum Mitigation • Coordinate following activities • Request project proposals • Review proposals for accuracy and completeness • Organize site visits • Facilitate independent technical science-based project review • Facilitate review by LCFRB Board LCFRB?

  16. Ensure funds are invest in a strategic manner that maximizes benefit to fish recovery • Minimize sponsors’ administrative costs by providing technical support to applicants where appropriate • Develop a highly qualified base of sponsors capable of undertaking and satisfactorily completing salmon recovery projects • Improve and enhance projects implementation through careful monitoring, evaluation and adaptive management when warranted LCFRB: Project Administration Goals

  17. Deliverables • Provide Board approved ranked list of projects • Distribute results of independent project review and evaluation • Memorandum of Agreement • Board provide recommendations • Board review for consistency with recovery plan • Tacoma/FTC process make decisions regarding project funding • Tacoma/FTC choices based on Settlement Agreement and CRR Plan LCFRB: EXPECTATions

  18. Process Integration

  19. FTC • Review information from independent review • Apply additional criteria to ensure CRR Plan goals are achieved • Provide recommendations (fund or not fund) to Tacoma Power • Tacoma Power • Staff review FTC recommendations and information from independent review • City of Tacoma • Approval to fund projects Project Funding Decisions

  20. Potential Paths Forward

  21. Non-solicitation • e.g. Conduct assessment to better focus restoration projects on limiting factors • Other activities or projects as identified by FTC • Solicited Projects • Habitat restoration • Acquisitions • Conservation easements Potential Paths Forward

  22. Questions??

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