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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter 3.6.09 - funding available for Chinook salmon & steelhead restoration projects t of WATER Pacific Gas and 9k Up CA1SFo�a Department of Water Resources Pacific Gas and Electric Company Division of Environmental Services Power Generation 3500 Industrial Boulevard 245 Market Street West Sacramento,CA 95691 San Francisco,CA 94105 Mailing address: Mailing address: PO Box 942$36 PO Box 770000 Sacramento, CA 94236-0001 San Francisco, CA 94177 130ARD p�SCP RVISG 3 NA 9 2 09 March 6, 2009 QR �;: ,� , C �tpRh11q To: Distribution List RE: Funding Opportunity for Projects Targeting Restoration of Spring-Run Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Habitat in the Sacramento River Basin We are writing to you on behalf of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to let you know about a possible opportunity for funding spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead restoration projects. We have included your organization on the distribution of this letter in recognition of its role as a stakeholder in the watersheds of the Sacramento River Basin. Background In November 2007, DWR and PG&E, along with the U.S. Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS), American Rivers, and State Water Contractors, Inc. completed an agreement for the purpose of providing "the most promising and cost-effective action(s) to expand spawning, rearing and adult holding habitat for Spring-Run and Steelhead in the Sacramento River Basin." The agreement was a negotiated resolution of issues, relating to the blockage of fish passage in the Feather River drainage, reached during collaborative relicensing proceedings for the Feather River hydroelectric projects owned by DWR and PG&E. The agreement, titled "Habitat Expansion Agreement for Central Valley Spring-Run Chinook Salmon and California Central Valley Steelhead" (HEA), proposes to develop an alternative to fish passage prescriptions for the Feather River by identifying and implementing actions/projects that will provide suitable habitat in the greater Sacramento River Basin. DWR and PG&E have formed a Steering Committee, the undersigned, and retained a consultant, ICF Jones & Stokes, to coordinate the implementation of the HEA. Distribution List March 6, 2009 Page 2 Objective The-Steering Committee has the responsibility under the HEA to develop a Habitat Expansion Plan in consultation with the HEA signatories and directly affected stakeholders. The plan will be reviewed and approved by NMFS. The goal of the plan is to find a project or several projects that when combined will provide habitat expansion for 2,000-3,000 spring-run Chinook salmon. The project(s) must be located in the Sacramento River Basin and meet a number of criteria to be considered for inclusion in the plan. In the HEA, DWR and PG&E agreed to target spending up to $15 million to develop and implement the plan. However, the total cost for implementation will ultimately depend on the cost effectiveness of the action(s) selected and approved. Purpose of Outreach Vital to the success of any project is local stakeholder and landowner support. DWR and PG&E are soliciting input from you, the stakeholders involved in the management and stewardship of the lands and watersheds in the basin, early in the process of developing the Habitat Expansion Plan. The deadline for the Steering Committee to complete a draft Habitat Expansion Plan is November 20, 2009. In order to meet this goal, we need to receive input from you on potential projects no later than April 30, 2009. This will allow us sufficient time to evaluate and select the most promising, cost-effective habitat expansion actions that meet the HEA criteria. How to Participate We invite you to suggest for consideration projects in your watershed that meet the HEA criteria. The first step in determining if a potential project qualifies for funding is to review the attached document titled "Key Points of the Habitat Expansion Agreement." It contains a general overview of the terms and conditions of the HEA, as well as some examples of the types of projects that may qualify to be included in the Habitat Expansion Plan. The document also provides references to the HEA itself, which can be found on our website: www.sac-basin-hea.com. The website contains additional information that may answer questions you have on the HEA and the process being used to develop the Habitat Expansion Plan. Following your review of the key points and the information posted on the website, if you believe your project or projects may meet the HEA criteria, we would appreciate your input by completing the questionnaire posted on the HEA website under the tab titled "Input on Habitat Expansion Actions." Instructions for completing the questionnaire are available on the website. A completed questionnaire for an example project is also posted on the website for your reference. If you have any questions about your project's eligibility for HEA funding or need assistance completing the questionnaire for a particular project, please contact the Steering Committee at HEA@water.ca.gov. Distribution List March 6, 2009 Page 3 As previously stated, in order to meet our deadline to complete the Habitat Expansion Plan, we need your input on potential habitat expansion actions/projects as soon as possible and no later than April 30, 2009. Thank you for your consideration and input for this important planning effort. Sincerely, The HEA Steering-,Committee • Liv Imset, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, (415) 973-1066, lkil(c pge.com • Heidi Rooks, Department of Water Resources, (916) 376-9704, hrooksCo-water.ca.aov • Paul Kubicek, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, (925) 415-6361, pfkl@pge.com • Chris Wilkinson, Department of Water Resources, (916) 376-9769, cdwCa water.ca.gov Attachments: • Key Points of,the Habitat Expansion Agreement cc: Attached List Distribution List March 6, 2009 Page 4 Distribution List: Western Shasta Resource Deer Creek Watershed Conservation District Conservancy 6270 Parallel Drive 580 Paseo Campaneros Anderson, CA 96007 Chico, CA 95928 Tehama County Resource Mill Creek Watershed Conservancy Conservation District P.O. Box 188 2 Sutter Street, Suite D Los Molinos, CA 96055 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Big Chico Creek Watershed Glenn County Resource Alliance Conservation District P.O. Box 461 132 North Enright Ave, Suite B Chico, CA 95927 Willows, CA 95988 Butte Creek Watershed Butte County Resource Conservancy Conservation District P.O. Box 1611 150 Chuck Yeager Way, Suite A Chico, CA 95927-1611 Oroville, CA 95965 Friends of Butte Creek Bear Creek Watershed Group P.O. Box 3305 6270 Parallel Road Chico, CA 95927 Anderson, CA 96007 Feather River Coordinated Lower Clear Creek Watershed Resource Management Group Plumas Corporation 6270 Parallel Road P.O. Box 3880 Anderson, CA 96007 550 Crescent Street Quincy, CA 95971 Cow Creek Watershed Management Group Foothill Water Network 6270 Parallel Road P.O. Box 713 Anderson, CA 96007 Lotus, CA 95651 Cottonwood Creek Watershed South Yuba River Citizen's League Conservancy 216 Main Street 3233 Brush Street Nevada City, CA 95959 P.O. Box 1198 Cottonwood, CA 96022 American River Watershed Group P.O. Box 743 Battle Creek Conservancy Carmichael, CA 95609 P.O. Box 606 Manton, CA 96059 Distribution List March 6, 2009 Page 5 Shasta County Board of Sutter County Board of Supervisors Supervisors 299 Nevada Street 1450 Court Street, Suite 308B Auburn, CA 95603 Redding, CA 96001-1680 Yuba County Board of Supervisors Tehama County Board of 9158 Ih Street, Suite 109 Supervisors Marysville, CA 95901 P.O. Box 250 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Plumas County Board of Supervisors Glenn County Board of Supervisors 520 Main Street, Room 309 526 W. Sycamore Street Quincy, CA 95971 Willows, CA 95988 Nevada County Board of Butte County Board of Supervisors Supervisors 25 County Center Drive Eric Rood Administrative Center Oroville, CA 95965 950 Maidu Avenue Nevada City, CA 95959 Distribution List March 6, 2009 Page 6 cc: Via Hard Copy Rodney R. McInnis Rebecca Wodder, President Regional Administrator, Southwest American Rivers Region 1101 14th St., NW, Suite 1400 United States Department of Washington, DC 20005 Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service Arthur.G. Baggett, Jr. 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite Board Member 4200 State Water Resources Control Board Long Beach, CA 90802 1001 1 Street, 24th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Terry Erlewine General Manager Donald Koch, Director State Water Contractors, Inc. Department of Fish and Game 1121 L Street, Suite 1050 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1207 Sacramento, CA 95814 Sacramento, CA 95814 Ren Lohoefener, Regional Director Beth G. Pendleton, Deputy California and Nevada Region Regional Forester United States Fish and Wildlife United States Department of Service Agriculture Forest Service 2800 Cottage Way 1323 Club Drive Sacramento CA 95825 Vallejo, CA 94592 cc: Via Email Only Steve Rothert MaryLisa Lynch American Rivers Joe Johnson 432 Broad Street Tracy McReynolds Nevada City, CA 95959 Kathy Hill Mike Healey Richard Roos-Collins California Department of Fish and Natural Heritage Institute Game 100 Pine Street, Suite 1550 North Central Region San Francisco, CA 94111 1701 Nimbus Road Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 Thomas M. Berliner Duane Morris LLP Alice Low One Market, Spear Tower Anne Manji Suite 2000 California Department of Fish and San Francisco, CA 94105-1104 Game 1416 9th Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Distribution List March 6, 2009 Page 7 Mike Berry Mark Stopher Michael Hoover Tricia Bratcher Cesar Blanco Steve Turek United States Fish and Wildlife Randy Benthin Service Steve Baumgartner Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office Donna Cobb 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2606 Matt Myers Sacramento, CA 95825-1846 California Department of Fish and Game Dan Hytrek Northern Region National Marine Fisheries Service 601 Locust Street 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200 Redding, CA 96001 Long Beach, CA 90802 Colleen Harvey Arrison Steve Edmondson Doug Killam National Marine Fisheries Service California Department of Fish and Habitat Conservation Division Game 777 Sonoma Ave, Room 325 Northern Region Santa Rosa, CA 95404 2440 N. Main Street, P.O. Box 578 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Rick Wantuck Kerry O'Hara Fisheries Bioengineering Daniel Shillito Supervisor United States Fish and Wildlife NOAA Fisheries Service Service 777 Sonoma Avenue, Suite 325 2800 Cottage Way Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Sacramento CA 95825 Maria Rea Jim Smith Howard Brown Tricia Parker Larry Thompson Brenda Olson Craig Anderson Matt Brown Gretchen Umlauf United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Marine Fisheries Service Red Bluff Fish and Wildlife Office 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8-300 10950 Tyler Road Sacramento, CA 95814-4708 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Bob Hawkins Kim Webb United States Department of Ramon Martin Agriculture Beth Campbell Forest Service United States Fish and Wildlife 1323 Club Drive Service, Vallejo, CA 94592 Anadromous Fish Restoration Program 4001 N. Wilson Way Stockton, CA 95205 Distribution List March 6, 2009 Page 8 Bill Brock Julie Tupper United States Department of United States Department of Agriculture Agriculture Service Center Forest Service Shasta-Trinity National Forest 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8-200 3644 Avtech Parkway Sacramento, CA 95814 Redding, CA 96002 Michael A. Melanson Melanie McFarland Senior Environmental Specialist United States Department of Metropolitan Water District of Agriculture Southern California Lassen National Forest 1121 L Street, Suite 900 2550 Riverside Drive Sacramento, CA 95814 Susanville, CA 96130 Ryan Foote United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District Post Office Box 767 Chester, CA 96020 Key Points of the Habitat Expansion Agreement •The Habitat Expansion Agreement for Central Valley Spring-Run Chinook Salmon and Central Valley Steelhead (HEA) was negotiated as an alternative to Federal Power Act fish passage prescriptions as part of FERC relicensing of Oroville, Poe, and Upper North Fork Feather River hydropower projects on the Feather River. •There are nine signatories (Parties) to the HEA: DWR and PG&E (Licensees), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Forest Service, American Rivers, Art Baggett, Jr. (signing as a recommendation to the State Water Resources Control Board), and the State Water Contractors. •The overall goal of the HEA is to expand the amount of habitat with the physical characteristics necessary to support spawning, rearing, and adult holding of spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead in the Sacramento River Basin. •The specific Habitat Expansion Threshold is to expand spawning, rearing and adult holding habitat sufficiently to accommodate an estimated net increase of 2,000 to 3,000 spring-run Chinook salmon for spawning in the Sacramento River Basin. The Habitat Expansion Threshold is focused on spring-run as the priority species, as expansion of the habitat for spring-run typically accommodates steelhead as well. •The HEA states that habitat expansion actions may include (Section 3.1), among other things, the following types of actions: o Dam removals or re-operation of dams to benefit fish; o Creation or enhancement of fish ladders or other fiishways; o In-stream water temperature or flow improvements; a Other physical habitat enhancements. = Examples of physical habitat enhancements include spawning gravel augmentation, addition of large woody debris for juvenile rearing, riparian zone restoration or other improvements that assist in the recovery of spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead populations. Provided that: o The actions target spring-run Chinook salmon habitat. o The actions are located within the Sacramento River Basin. o The actions contribute to the Habitat Expansion Threshold. Additionally, any action that is not already fully funded through another source is eligible for consideration provided that it is not required to be carried out as part of an existing commitment, legal obligation or FERC relicensing process (Section 3.2) Page 1 of 2 February 2009 Key Points of the Habitat Expansion Agreement •A public website with information on the HEA has been established (www.sac- basin-hea.com). The complete HEA and lists of the Evaluation Criteria, Selection Criteria, and NMFS Approval Criteria are also available on the website. *The HEA includes 17 non-prioritized Evaluation Criteria (Section 4.1.1), which the Licensees are to use to screen potential habitat expansion actions and develop a preliminary list of viable actions. •The HEA also includes four Selection Criteria (Section 4.1.2), which the Licensees are to use in selecting recommended habitat expansion actions from the list of viable actions. The recommended habitat expansion actions will be included in the Draft Habitat Expansion Plan. *The HEA identifies six NMFS Approval Criteria (Section 4.2.3), which NMFS will use in deciding whether to approve the Final Habitat Expansion Plan. •The Effective Date of the HEA is November 20, 2007. The Licensees have until November 20, 2009 to complete identification, evaluation and recommendation of habitat expansion actions, in consultation with the other Parties to the HEA and directly affected stakeholders, and prepare and distribute a Draft Habitat Expansion Plan. *The Licensees have convened an HEA Steering Committee comprised.of representatives of DWR and PG&E to work towards fulfillment of the HEA requirements. *The HEA Steering Committee members are: o Liv Imset, Senior License Coordinator, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, (415) 973-1066, Iki1( ge.com o Heidi Rooks, Environmental Program Manager, Department of Water Resources, (916) 376-9704, hrooks(awater.ca.Qov o Paul Kubicek, Aquatic Biology Consulting Scientist, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, (925) 415-6361, pfkl e.com o Chris Wilkinson, Senior Environmental Scientist, Department of Water Resources, (916) 376-9769, cdw(c�water.ca.gov Page 2 of 2 February 2009