Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form 58 NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS Application for Fuels Treatment Projects Applicant Applicant/Organization: State of Washington, Department of Natural Resources Phone: Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box) (360) 902-1754 A FAX: A. State B. County C. Municipal D. Township E. Interstate F. Intermunicipal G. Special District (360) 902-1757 Email: mark.gray@wadnr.gov H. Independent School District I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning J. Private University K. Indian Tribe L. Nonprofit Organization M. Other (Specify) _______________________ Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip): 1111 Washington Street S.E. Olympia, WA 98504-7037 Project Coordinator Project Coordinator (Name and Title): Chuck Johnson, Northeast Washington Grant Manager Organization/Jurisdiction: State of Washington, Department of Natural Resources, Northeast Region Phone: FAX: Email: (509) 684-7474 (509) 684-7484 chuck.johnson@wadnr.gov Project Information Project Title: Mullen Hill Terrace Fuel Reduction Project Proposed Project Start Date: Proposed Project End Date: Federal Funding Request: Total Project Cost: May 2005 $68,400 December 2005 $95,800 Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please prioritize, and explain if the projects are stand alone, sequential or other: This project is stand alone, but is linked to the Mullen Hill Community Planning project. Based on Spokane County Local Coordinating Group Review, this project is high priority. Brief Project Summary: Who, What, Where, Desired Outcomes in relation to NFP Goals and Community Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plans (This should summarize page 2). Mullen Hill Terrace Mobile Home Park is a 120 home community south of Spokane, Washington. A risk assessment has been completed. The overall rating using NFPA 299 is High (80 points). Within the risk assessment, fuel reduction is the primary mitigation strategy identified that will reduce this hazard. Fuel reduction will focus on removal of sub-merchantable timber in and around the community. The community has formed a Firewise Board and is pursuing Firewise USA Community status. This project is affiliated with the NFP Mullen Hill Terrace Community Planning grant. Project Location: County: Federal Congressional District: 1 Mile South of Spokane, WA, City Limits Spokane 5th Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal: Telephone number of Contact: Chuck Johnson, Grant Manager - Washington State DNR (509) 684-7474 Enclosure 3A (Page 1 of 3) – Project Narrative Description Applications for funding must include a narrative response that describes the proposal. Please do not submit responses longer than one page, single space, 12-pitch font. Describe project including, but not limited to: project location (e.g., Watershed, Address neighboring community) these items as applicable: anticipated outcomes project relationship to the community risk assessment and mitigation plan amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc.) community partners and their project timeline and matching or contributed funds role(s) proponent’s ability to complete project For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a “Local Coordination Group.” If you haven’t worked with a local coordination group, why not? The Mullen Hill Terrace Mobile Home Park is located about one mile from the Spokane City Limits in Spokane County off Highway 195. The community currently consists of 120 small lots with mobile and modular homes that are secluded in the middle of a Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forest. It is located in the Hangman Valley. Catastrophic wildland urban interface fires have occurred in the Hangman Valley. A risk assessment was completed by Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WADNR) staff and cooperators in the fall of 2003. The risk assessment is available upon request from the WA DNR. Submit request to the following email address: steve.harris@wadnr.gov. The overall rating using NFPA 299 is High (80 points). Fuel reduction is the primary mitigation strategy identified that will reduce this hazard. The primary goal of this grant proposal will be to facilitate the removal of sub-merchantable trees and brush in and around the community. Fuel reduction will reduce fire intensity and crown fire potential of the next fire that approaches this community. The property owner is working with WA DNR forest stewardship foresters to write and implement a forest management plan for the forest outside the community. The project is linked to the NFP Mullen Hill Terrace Community Planning grant. This grant will fund outreach and planning with individual lot occupants. The plan will identify fuels to be reduced and maintenance issues. In addition, it will address other mitigation measures identified in the risk assessment. A Firewise Board has been formed for Mullen Hill Terrace Mobile Home Park and is actively pursing Firewise Communities USA status. The Firewise Board and the landowner have been working with Spokane County FPD Three, Spokane County Building and Planning, Firesafe Spokane and Washington State Department of Natural Resource staff. The result of this project will be the protection of 194 homes. The total area affected by this proposal will be about 75 acres. The average cost per acre for prescription writing and fuel reduction is expected to be about $1200. The landowner will conduct fuel reduction activities on a 74 lot future expansion of the community. This will amount to about 18 acres (25%) of the total 75 acres. In addition, the landowner will work on a prescription for the rest of his adjoining property. Cooperators such and Spokane FPD 3, WA DNR and Firesafe Spokane have already invested approximately one month of time conducting the risk assessment and attending community meetings. Future in kind contributions will be provided by assisting with forest management planning and with educational outreach efforts. The Mullen Hill Firewise Board will assist in communication and education efforts with the individual residents. The project will initiate as soon as community planning and fuel reduction priorities have been identified. It is estimated that this will occur by June of 2005. It is estimated fuel reduction will take about six months and would be completed by about December 2005. WA DNR- Northeast has demonstrated the ability to implement fuel reduction projects in a timely manner on past NFP grants. A competitive bid process will be used to award the contract. Grant funds used to pay the contractors will support the local economy. Enclosure 3A (Page 2 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following three criteria. Be sure you address every one briefly, yet thoroughly. Limit your responses to the area provided. 1. Reducing Hazardous Fuels (50 points) A. Describe the community infrastructure that will be protected. B. Explain how the proposal reduces fire behavior in high hazard areas by describing the fuels to be disposed or removed, and the techniques and timing of the treatments. C. How will the proposed treatments be maintained in future years? D. How will you use multi-party monitoring to improve this and future projects? Response: The Mullen Hill Terrace Community currently consists of 120 mobile and modular homes on small lots. The community has a private well and water system that includes hydrants. The community has a private wastewater treatment facility. The Mullen Hill County Road runs through the center of the community. Inland Power and Light transmission lines are located near the community. Fuel reduction will protect this infrastructure. Currently, the forest in and around the Mullen Hill Terrace community is overstocked and has an understory of brush and regeneration (photos available upon request). The fuel reduction proposal focuses on reducing ladder fuels, increases tree spacing and reduces diseased trees in and around the community. This will reduce the crown fire potential. Improvement in landscaping will then prevent the fires from spreading into yards. The Mullen Hill Terrace community will maintain the fuel treatments. This will be facilitated with the newly formed Firewise Board. Specific maintenance issues will be identified within the community protection plan, if funded. Yard debris clean up is currently coordinated on a community wide basis. This project will involve Spokane County FPD 3, Firesafe Spokane and WA DNR. Inefficiencies will be identified by these agencies and improved upon as the project progresses. In addition, improvements will be applied to future projects where appropriate. Enclosure 3A (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria 2. Increasing Local Capacity (25 points) A. How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable economic activity? B. How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how long? (Please distinguish between essentially year-round and seasonal jobs). C. What tools and skills will be gained or utilized as a result of this project? D. Will biomass be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much? Response: Fuel reduction contracts will be awarded on a competitive basis to local contractors. The local contractors will be purchasing fuel and supplies from local vendors. Contractor employees will support the local economy. This project will support at least one contracting crew. Each crew will likely consist of about four employees who will operate equipment. These employees will likely be seasonal forest workers. Local vendors will service equipment with year-round employees. Local vendors will provide supplies. This project will help the WA DNR work with Firewise Boards and cooperators in community wide projects. Consensus building in the community will be a necessary skill to gain and utilize. Biomass may be utilized if the market is favorable. This is difficult to know at this time. Hew saw and pulp logs may be sold in Usk, WA. Chips may be sold in Lewiston, ID. Cost effectiveness will be evaluated at the time of project implementation. 3. Demonstrating Community and Intergovernmental Collaboration (25 Points) A. How will this project implement a community risk assessment and mitigation plan? Include name of plan, date it was prepared, and local contact to get a copy of the plan if requested. B. How has this treatment been coordinated with adjacent landowners and local/State/Tribal/Federal agencies? C. Identify the cooperators/partners involved in implementation of this project. D. Describe the extent of current local support for the project, including any cost-sharing agreements. Response: The project will mitigate fuel hazards that have been identified in the Mullen Hill Terrace Mobile Home Park Community Risk Assessment that has been completed. WA DNR staff completed the assessment in the Fall of 2003. Contact Steve Harris at steve.harris@wadnr.gov or (509) 684-7474 for a copy of the risk assessment. The project will implement a community protection mitigation plan if funding is approved for the Mullen Hill Terrace Community Planning grant. Neighbors around the community will be contacted if the Mullen Hill Terrace Community Planning grant is approved. Coordination and cooperation will occur when possible. Cooperators include: Mullen Hill Firewise Boards, Mullen Hill Tenants Association, Firesafe Spokane, Spokane County FPD Three and WA DNR. Currently, WA DNR has invested time in assessing the hazard and meeting with community leaders. Firesafe Spokane has assisted in assessing the hazards. Spokane FPD Three assisted in assessing the hazards and fully supports the proposal. Spokane County Building and Code Enforcement fully supports this proposal. Enclosure 3A - Project Work Form Tasks Time Frame Responsible Party Meet with individual lot residents to write specific defensible space plans. Meet with landowner and identify fuel reduction areas. Write thinning/pruning prescriptions in fuel reduction areas. June of 2005 Firesafe Spokane (Lead) WA DNR (Assist) Mullen Hill Firewise Board (Assist) Assign fuel reduction contract to crew(s). Crews will be awarded contracts on a competitive bid process. July of 2005 WA DNR Notify community residents that the crew(s)will be starting with project. July of 2005 Mullen Hill Firewise Board Fuel reduction crew(s) conduct thinning, pruning and chipping. July through November, 2005 WA DNR Fuel reduction crew(s) are supervised by DNR assigned compliance forester to ensure quality control. July through November, 2005 WA DNR and Compliance Forester Final compliance check is completed to ensure job satisfaction and fuel reduction objectives have been met. November, 2005 WA DNR Fuel Reduction Project Report is submitted December, 2005, or as needed to funding agency. WA DNR Enclosure 3D Project Budget Cost Category Description Federal Agency WADNR Mullen Hill Board Landowner Total Personnel Staff Time Subtotal 2000 2000 2000 2000 4000 Fringe Benefits Subtotal Travel 200 200 Subtotal 200 Equipment Vehicles 400 Subtotal 400 400 Supplies Subtotal Contractual Prescription Fuel Reduction Writing/Compliance Subtotal Crew/Contractors 11400 57000 68400 1200 21600 22800 91200 22800 95800 Other Subtotal Total Costs 68400 2600 2000 Project (Program) Income1 (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.