FY 2002 Columbia Plateau proposal 200020116

Section 1. General administrative information
Section 2. Past accomplishments
Section 3. Relationships to other projects
Section 4. Budgets for planning/design phase
Section 5. Budgets for construction/implementation phase
Section 6. Budgets for operations/maintenance phase
Section 7. Budgets for monitoring/evaluation phase
Section 8. Budget summary

Reviews and Recommendations

Additional documents

Title	Type
200020116 Narrative	Narrative
200020116 Sponsor Response to the ISRP	Response

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal title	Securing Wildlife Mitigation Sites - Oregon, Horn Butte Area (BAIC Tract)
Proposal ID	200020116
Organization	The Nature Conservancy of Oregon (TNC)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
Name	Catherine Macdonald
Mailing address	821 SE 14th Avenue Portland, Oregon 97214
Phone / email	5032301221 / [email protected]
Manager authorizing this project	Catherine Macdonald
Review cycle	Columbia Plateau
Province / Subbasin	Columbia Plateau / Umatilla
Short description	Protect and enhance the BAIC Tract in the Horn Butte area, which includes 22,642 acres of shrub-steppe and native bunchgrass, to mitigate for wildlife impacts from the Federal Columbia River Hydropower System.
Target species	Washington ground squirrel, burrowing owl, long-billed curlew, loggerhead shrike, northern sagebrush lizard, grasshopper sparrow, ferruginous hawk, Swainson's hawk, california quail, western meadowlark

Project location

Latitude	Longitude	Description
45.6842	-119.8	Morrow County; T4N, R24E, Sections 25 and 36; T3N, R24E, Sections 21-25, 27, 28, and 36; T2N, R24E, Sections 1-4, 7-24. Watershed 17070101.

Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agency	Action #	BiOp Agency	Description

Section 2. Past accomplishments

Year	Accomplishment
2000	FY 2000 proposal for first year restoration and O&M costs ($42,302) was aproved by the NWPPC.
2000	FY 2000 OWC programmatic proposal approved bythe NWPPC - $3.9 million allocated. The Horn Butte project ($400,000 for continued land or easement acquisition) was approved for funding under OWC's FY 2000 programmatic proposal allocation.
2000	Continued landowner communications and negotiations at Horn Butte project site.
2000	OWC allocated $350,000 of the $400,000 earmarked for Horn Butte to the Pine Creek Ranch acquisition project
2000	FY 2001 Budget Update form proposal for Horn Butte for first-year restoration and O&M costs ($42,302) was submitted bythe OWC and approved by the NWPPC
2001	Water withdrawal litigation settlement completed.
2001	Temporary lease secured on BAIC Tract.
2001	Preliminary site assessments initiated.

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project ID	Title	Description
199208400	Oregon Trust Agreement Planning Project	Identified Horn Butte Area as priority for wildlife mitigation
199506500	Assessing OTAP Process Using GAP Analysis	Identified Horn Butte Area as priority for wildlife mitigation
199705900	Securing Wildlife Mitigation Sites - Oregon	Umbrella project identified acquisition of shrubsteppe and grassland habitats in Horn Butte area as a priority
200020116	Securing Wildlife Mitigation Sites - Horn Butte, Oregon	Complements this ODFW project to acquire and protect lands in Horn Butte area

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor
1. Establish baseline habitat conditions	a. Complete a target species habitat evaluation	1	$20,000	Yes
2. Complete NEPA review	a. Complete NEPA checklist in consultation with BPA staff and other agency staff as appropriate	1	$7,500
3. Prepare an Operations, Maintenance, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the property	a. Compile site data and conduct literature reviews and expert interviews	1	$13,085
	b. Develop an Operations, Maintenance, Monitoring, and Evaluation Plan including an assessment of the management issues, proposed maintenance and enhancement actions, and an operations, maintenance, and monitoring implementation plan.	1	$6,542
	c. Distribute to key agencies for peer review, incorporate comments and finalize plan.	1	$6,542

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost
1. Develop Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Plan	2005	2005	$8,000

Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

FY 2005
$8,000

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor
1. Acquire 22,642 acres of high-quality shrub steppe habitat on BAIC tract	a. Purchase lease-hold interest over BAIC Tract.	1	$5,390,000
	b. Complete appraisals, title reports, hazardous materials assessment, and legal documents necessary to complete closing	1	$50,000	Yes
	c. Complete necessary documents to transfer of wildlife mitigation rights (fee or an easement) over BAIC Tract from the State of Oregon to BPA and The Nature Conservancy.	1	$10,000
	d. Complete MOA and other legal reviews and documents (e.g. Conservation Easements with BPA)	1	$15,000

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost

Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost
1. Control introduced noxious species	a. Map noxious weeds.	1	$0
	b. Develop a noxious weed management plan.		$0
	c. Use best control methods (hand pulling or hand herbicide application) to control all small (<16 square meters) outlying (isolated by more than 100 m from neighboring patches).	1	$0
2. Develop a fire suppression plan	a. Draft plan.	1	$0
	b. Work with ODF, DOD-Navy, BLM, BAIC, ODFW, USFWS, and neighbors to finalize and adopt plan.	1	$0
		1	$0

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost
1. Control introduced noxious species	2003	2006	$200,000
2. Restore 10 acres of native grassland	2005	2006	$100,000
3. Restore 10 acres of shrub steppe habitat	2005	2006	$50,000
4. Re-build or repair 40 miles of perimeter fence	2003	2006	$200,000

Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

FY 2003	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2006
$100,000	$100,000	$175,000	$175,000

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget

Objective	Task	Duration in FYs	Estimated 2002 cost	Subcontractor
1. Complete baseline Washington Ground Squirrel Assessment on northern portions of BAIC tract	a. Complete field assessment, summarize data and write a report	1	$0	Yes
2. Complete baseline vegetation map	a. Obtain low elevation aerial photographs.	1	$0	Yes
	b. Complete field mapping from aerials	1	$0

Outyear objectives-based budget

Objective	Starting FY	Ending FY	Estimated cost
1. Complete baseline population assessments for all sensitive species	2003	2004	$40,000

Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

FY 2003	FY 2004
$20,000	$20,000

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget

Item	Note	FY 2002 cost
Personnel	FTE: .33 FTE @ $35,000/yr; $32,500 BPA staff for NEPA compliance	$44,050
Fringe	.38% of total TNC salary	$4,389
Supplies	paper, field supplies	$500
Travel	3000 miles @.32/mile; $500 lodging; $1000 vehicle fuel; $1,200 insurance;	$3,660
Indirect	22% of budget excluding acquisition costs, $7500 BPA staff costs and subcontracts	$6,070
Capital	Estimated value of 22,642 acres $5,390,000 ($239/acre)	$5,390,000
Subcontractor	Level 1 Hazardous Materials Assessment	$20,000
Subcontractor	Appraisal	$20,000
Subcontractor	HEP Assessment	$20,000
Subcontractor	Cultural Assessment	$10,000
		$5,518,669

Total estimated budget

Total FY 2002 cost	$5,518,669
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds	$0
Total FY 2002 budget request	$5,518,669
FY 2002 forecast from 2001	$0
% change from forecast	0.0%

Reason for change in estimated budget

Reason for change in scope

Cost sharing

Organization	Item or service provided	Amount	Cash or in-kind
The Nature Conservancy	Land acquisition negotiation, preparation of legal documents for acquisition	$13,800	in-kind
The Nature Conservancy	Supplies and materials	$5,000	cash
BAIC Inc.	Management planning, travel costs, vehicle purchase, development of a weed control plan, development of a fire suppression plan, control of non-native species, fencing, wildlife surveys	$130,000	cash
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife	Expert assistance on HEP analysis, management planning, and implementation	$10,000	in-kind

Reviews and recommendations

This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.

REVIEW:
ISRP Preliminary Review (ISRP 2001-6)

Recommendation:
Fundable - no response required

Date:
Jun 15, 2001

Comment:

Fundable. Purchase of this property was approved in previous reviews, but funds were redirected to other approved projects when negotiations with landowners broke down due to a legal issue that has now been resolved. The ISRP continues to agree that this property would be of significant long-term benefit to wildlife.

References to habitat evaluation and survey procedures should be given. Washington ground squirrel surveys procedures should be given in detail. Vegetation and wildlife surveys sites should be selected in cooperation with the EPA EMAP survey procedures developed by the EPA office in Corvallis, Oregon and valid Tier I or II monitoring procedures developed for target wildlife species (see the introduction to this report). Plans for O&M, monitoring and evaluation, etc. should be consistent with Project #200002300 (Securing Wildlife Mitigation Sites - Oregon, Horn Butte (Philippi Property).

REVIEW:
CBFWA Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:
High Priority

Date:
Aug 3, 2001

Comment:

This parcel is the last contiguous area of shrub steppe habitat and is home to many imperiled species. Through this project (I.e., acquisition) priceless shrub steppe habitat would be protected.

* Identified by the CBFWA as a proposal that could potentially be implemented as High Priority projects pending crediting resolution with BPA and NWPPC. The CBFWA will formally request a policy level meeting to resolve this issue.

REVIEW:
CBFWA FY02 Budget Review Comments

Recommendation:
Defer

Date:
Aug 3, 2001

Comment:

REVIEW:
ISRP Final Review (ISRP 2001-8)

Recommendation:
Fund

Date:
Aug 10, 2001

Comment:

REVIEW:
NMFS Review

Recommendation:

Date:
Oct 1, 2001

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
N/A

Comments

Already ESA Req? N/A

Biop? no

REVIEW:
NWPPC Funding Recommendation

Recommendation:
Do Not Fund

Date:
Jan 3, 2002

Comment:

Habitat acquisition proposals 200002300 Horn Butte Philippi property and 200020116 Horn Butte BAIC tract these proposals would fund habitat acquisition to protect disappearing shrub steppe habitat. The BAIC tract is a particularly sensitive property. It functions as one of the last available pieces of shrub steppe that serves as a home for the Washington ground squirrel, a listed species under Oregon endangered species law.

Staff recommendation: To warrant funding, these proposals would need to demonstrate that it protects existing high-quality habitat, or connects to historic quality habitat. Both proposals would qualify under those criteria. Oregon has proposed a habitat acquisition placeholder for the Columbia Plateau province in the Oregon subbasins. They have developed a prioritized list for acquisitions. The BAIC tract 200020116 ranks first; the Philippi property 200002300 ranks third. The Council would also have to be willing to recommend the proposals in light of uncertainty regarding Bonneville's crediting response as discussed in General Issue 5.

Budget effect on base program (Project 200020116, 200002300, 23084):

FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004
Increase $200,000	Increase $2,000,000	Increase $1,900,000

REVIEW:
BPA Funding Decision

Recommendation:
Do Not Fund

Date:
Mar 6, 2002

Comment:

See Council recommendation regarding the Phillipi Property (Project No. 200002300).