ID Number 2007-47
Fuels Treatment Projects Application
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
State of Oregon Department of Forestry/NEO Dist/Wallowa Unit
Type of Applicant:
A (State)
Email:
msmith@odf.state.or.us/ajohnson@odf.state.or.us
Phone:
503-945-7341
FAX:
503-945-7416
Please Call Ahead for FAX:
Off
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
2600 State Street Salem, OR 97310
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Mary Helen Smith, Grant Coord/Angie Johnson, NFP Planning Coord
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Northeast Oregon District/Wallowa Unit
Email:
msmith@odf.state.or.us/ajohnson@odf.state.or.us
Phone:
503-945-7341
FAX:
503-945-7416
Please Call Ahead for FAX:
Off
Project Information
Project Title:
Mt. Howard Collaborative Fuels Treatment/Wallowa Lake, Oregon
Project Location:
Wallowa Lake, Oregon/Private land below Mt. Howard
County:
Wallowa
Congressional District:
2
Latitude:
45.2771
Longitude:
-117.2071
State the desired outcome in relation to NFP Goals and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Project Objectives:
This project satisfies one of the main goals of the NFP: Reduce fuels in forests and rangelands at risk, especially near communities. For Wallowa County,
this same goal applies in their CWPP. Wallowa Lake is the most established recreation community in the county and lies below Mt. Howard. The Mt.
Howard project is a high profile/high priority project for the USFS and for the Wallowa Lake Homeowners and Business Owners Associations. The
completion of this project will protect the infrastructure of the community of Wallowa Lake, protect the viewshed and tourist destination that Mount Howard
provides (there is a tram that goes to the top of Mt. Howard, including a hiking trail system and restaurant), and reduce fire risk that would affect over 200
homes, 20 businesses, a State Park with overnight camping and day-use, a boating facility, entry to the Eagle Cap Wilderness, and the largest contributor to
the County's tourist economy.
Name of CWPP:
Wallowa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Name of Communit(y/ies) at Risk:
Wallowa Lake, Joseph,Liberty Road Area
Proposed Project Start Date:
09/01/2007
Proposed Project End Date:
12/31/2009
Federal Funding Request:
$167,799.00
Total Project Cost:
$217,736.00
Are you submitting multiple projects?
Yes
If YES indicate the relationship of the projects to one another:
S (Sequential)
If YES, please list the titles of projects by priority and briefly explain their relationship.
The State of Oregon will be submitting multiple applications.
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this
proposal:
Organization/Jurisdiction:
1) Nick Lunde, Fire Management Officer
Eagle Cap Ranger District/Wallowa-Whitman NF
Phone
541-426-5583
Email nlunde@fs.fed.us
2) Ken Rockwell, Fuels and Air Quality Manager
Wallowa-Whitman NF Supervisor's Office
Phone
Email krockwell@fs.fed.us
541-523-1262
3) Geneva Reinheardt, AFMO Fire and Fuels
Phone
541-426-5513
Eagle Cap Ranger District/Wallowa-Whitman NF
Email greinheardt@fs.fed.us
Project Planning Information
Name of Local Coordinating Group:
Wallowa County CWPP Group (sub of Natural Resource Adivsory Com.)
For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a "Local Coordination Group." If you have not worked with a
local coordination group, why not?
This group collaborates on projects tied to the CWPP and NFP annually.This was approved 1/11/06.
List federal lands that are adjacent to the project and proximity.
This project is adjacent to USFS Mt. Howard project (in scoping).
A) Is there a current hazardous fuels treatment or one that is planned in the next three years on federal land that is adjacent to this project?
Yes
B) Specifically is this project adjacent to a current prescribed burn project or one that is planned in the next three years on Forest Service lands?
Yes
Please indicate planned treatments and associated acres:
Treatment
Thinning
Acres
220
Treatment
Hand Pile
Acres
220
Treatment
Biomass Removal
Acres
100
Treatment
Hand Pile Burn
Acres
220
Acres
160
Treatment
Hand Falling/Pile
Acres
60
If you have a treatment type other than standard types above:
Treatment
Mechanical Thinning
Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following criteria. Be sure you address every one briefly, yet thoroughly.
1. Reducing Hazardous Fuels (40 points)
A. Describe the community infrastructure that will be protected. This should include how this project implements all or part of the CWPP strategy. (15
points)
Response:
In the Wallowa County CWPP, high priority is placed on areas that include homes and infrastructure, and significant
economic assets, like multi-resource forest land and tourism that the area of Wallowa Lake brings to the county. Mt.
Howard provides a destination point for tourists and residents of the lake community. Insect activity has caused
mortality in blocks of trees where 80% of those trees have been damaged and have created a large accumulation of
dead and down fuel. This fuel hazard along with the steep topography not only threatens Mt. Howard, but the lake
community below it.
B. Explain how the proposal reduces fire behavior in high hazard areas by describing the fuels to be disposed or removed, the techniques and timing of the
treatments, and the treatment location relative to the values to be protected. (15 points)
Response:
Insect mortality and fire suppression caused the heavy fuel load on Mt. Howard.Stands of subalpine fir and
Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine with reproduction growing in areas that were logged previously, puts Mt.
Howard into a Condition Class of 3 and a Fire Regime of 3.On private land,this proposal ties into a previous fuel
break/other treatments near Wallowa Lake(created with past federal grant money) by thinning,hand piling,and burning
250 acres. Coordination would take place in September 2007; implementation would take place from October 2007December 2009.
C. Explain how the project is designed to reduce smoke production impacts that affect public health. (10 points)
Response:
It is important to the residents and tourists of Wallowa Lake that we consider the impact smoke has on the air quality
in the lake basin. Forest residue will be utilized where viable for pulp and for biomass uses to limit the amount burned.
During burning operations, ODF will utilize the Smoke Management Program to identify the best days to burn piles so
that high level mixing occurs, thus minimizing the smoke impact to surrounding communities.
2. Increasing Local Capacity (20 points)
A. How would the implementation of the proposed project improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable
economic activity assuming that these grant funds would be used as "seed monies" for future projects. i.e. How many community supported jobs would be
created and for how long would they expect to last? (10 points)
Response:
Past fuels projects have proven successful in promoting jobs in Wallowa County. Forest industry has moved away
from strictly timber harvest to specializing in fuels reduction activities that modify fire behavior and promote forest
health. Local contractors have been able to stay in business due to the improvement of the local economy caused by
the emphasis to include fuels treatment as a viable forest management technique. These contractors have taken similar
jobs that were not funded by grants.
B. Will biomass that is produced by the project be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much? (10 points)
Response:
Wallowa Resources in Wallowa County is coordinating and promoting renewable energy production from forest
biomass. Currently, the Fuels for Schools program seems to be a cost-effective alternative for utilizing biomass. An
estimate of 10 tons per acre is available from this project; access to any sort of plant or generator to haul forest residue
to does not exist. However, coordination with Wallowa Resources to find an avenue for biomass utilization will
continue.
3. Demonstrating Community and Intergovernmental Collaboration (20 Points)
A. Describe how this project has been collaborated and coordinated with adjacent landowners, local/state/Tribal/federal agencies, and community groups
such as neighborhood associations. (10 points)
Response:
The Wallowa County CWPP/NFP group (the LCG for the county) has given this project proposal its seal of approval.
ODF has coordinated with the Wallowa Lake Homeowners Association, Wallowa Lake Business Owners Association,
RY Timber (adjacent private industrial land), Wallowa Lake State Park, Wallowa Resources. We have also
collaborated with the Eagle Cap Ranger District, whom is currently scoping Mt. Howard as one of their WUI projects.
Our project ties in nicely with their treatment units.
B. Describe the communities/partners contributions to this project such as: cash or in-kind contributions, cost share agreements, equipment, or labor
(including volunteer work). (10 points)
Response:
In order to treat the 295 acres proposed across the landscape, several landowners will participate. The landowners
contribute 25% of the cost to treat fuels and this grant will cover the remaining 75% in a cost share; hence, nearly
$50,000 will come from landowners. Wallowa Lake State Park staff will assist in planning treatment on State Park
property which will entail in-kind staff costs of $2,000. RY Timber may contribute use of equipment or labor, but
those details are not set yet.
4. Managing Cost Efficiency (20 points)
Discuss the process you used to arrive at your cost structure for the main Project Budget areas such as personnel, equipment, supplies and other (i.e.
overhead). In your response please justify: cost per acre, purchase of equipment, percent of overhead, percent of partner or matching funds, and portion of
administration cost. (20 points)
Response:
The forester position provided by ODF to coordinate and administer the project as well as inspect the final outcome
before payment is issued is at a rate of $22.75/hour. A total of 450 hours (6 months) will be spent on this project,
totaling $10,237.50. Fringe Benefits (what we call OPE-Other Payroll Expenses) are calculated at a rate of 48% of the
hourly wage, totaling $4,914. An administrative rate (3%) is applied to all grants to support the central office grant
coordination activities. The use of a state vehicle to travel to and from the project site from the Wallowa ODF office in
Wallowa will cost $1.25/mile. This cost includes a combined rate for mileage and replacement value. A total of
$3,000 has been calculated for a total of 2400 miles logged. Contracts and other forms are used to track expenditures
of the grant and those are printed at our State printing facility. In addition, other sundry office supplies will be needed.
The total for this category is $800. The contractual expense entails the cost share for treatments; the grant covers 75%
and the landowner contributes 25%. A rate of $650/acre for medium/heavy fuels in steep terrain is being used. The
landowner 25% = $47,937.50 and the cost-share grant 75% = $143,813.50.
Project Work Form
Tasks
Inform Local Coordination Group and Partners of
grant selection. Execute agreements with
landowners and agencies participating in project.
Time Frame
September 2007
Responsible Party
Oregon Department of Forestry-Wallowa Unit
Implement treatment activities with
landowners/contractors.
October 2007-September 2008
Oregon Department of Forestry-Wallowa Unit,
Wallowa Lake State Park, USFS, RY Timber, 7F
Ranch
Inspect projects and finalize payments
October 2008-December 2008
Oregon Department of Forestry-Wallowa Unit;
Oregon Department of Forestry - Finance Staff,
Salem
Report accomplishments to Wallowa County
CWPP/NFP group (the county's LCG) for
monitoring and evaluation.
December 2008
Oregon Department of Forestry-Northeast Oregon
District
Provide information to public and news media
regarding project
On-going
Oregon Department of Forestry-Northeast Oregon
District
Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Landowner
WL State Park
Partner 1
Partner 2
Partner 3
Total
Personnel
ODF Forester
Salem Admin (3%)
Subtotal
$10,238.00
$0.00
$0.00
$2,000.00
$0.00
$12,238.00
$5,034.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5,034.00
$15,272.00
$0.00
$0.00
$2,000.00
$0.00
$17,272.00
$4,914.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$4,914.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$4,914.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$4,914.00
$3,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$3,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$3,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$3,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$800.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$800.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$800.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$800.00
$143,813.00
$0.00
$47,937.00
$0.00
$0.00
$191,750.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$143,813.00
$0.00
$47,937.00
$0.00
$0.00
$191,750.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$167,799.00
$0.00
$47,937.00
$2,000.00
$0.00
$217,736.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Fringe Benefits
ODF Forester-OPE
Subtotal
Travel
2400 miles @ $1.25/mile
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Forms, Office supplies
Subtotal
Contractual
Cost Share for Treatments
Subtotal
Other
Subtotal
Total Costs
Project (Program) Income 1
(using deductive alternative)
1 Program income is the gross revenue generated by a grant or cooperative agreement supported activity during the life of the grant. Program income can be
made by recipients from fees charged for conference or workshop attendance, from rental fees earned from renting out real property or equipment acquired
with grant or cooperative agreement funds, or from the sale of commodities or items developed under the grant or cooperative agreement. The use of Program
Income during the project period may require prior approval by the granting agency.