Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form
122
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Fuels Treatment Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Don Matlick
Oregon Department of Forestry
Phone:
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
A
503-945-7444
FAX:
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
F. Intermunicipal
G. Special District
503-945-7454
Email:
dmatlick@odf.state.or.us
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):
2600 State St, Salem OR 97310
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
John Buckman, Unit Forester
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Oregon Department of Forestry, Pendleton Unit
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
541-276-3491
541-276-0710
jbuckman@odf.state.or.us
Project Information
Project Title:
Hazardous Wildland Fuels Reduction Project for Umatilla County
Proposed Project Start Date:
October 15, 2004
Proposed Project End Date:
September 30, 2009
Federal Funding Request:
$248,000
Total Project Cost:
$396,800
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please prioritize, and explain if the projects are stand alone, sequential or other:
Yes, this is State priority # 16. This is a new grant. The grant is very similar in nature to other successful grants that have been
implemented in Umatilla County.
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).
Through this NFP grant, the Pendleton Unit of Oregon Department of Forestry will allocate costshare funds to forest landowners to mitigate hazardous forest fuels in priority areas of Umatilla
County. Priority areas will include “communities at-risk”, key infrastructure (Interstate-84,
watersheds, pipelines, transmission lines) and adjacent to federal lands. Approximately 540 acres
of forestland that is overstocked and at-risk of catastrophic fire will be treated by thinning and by
removing or reducing fuels. Landowners will be able receive up to a 75% cost-share on projects.
This grant will continue successful efforts that have been accomplished in the County.
Project Location:
County:
Federal Congressional District:
WUI areas, key infrastructure & adj. to USFS Umatilla
Oregon 2nd
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Telephone number of Contact:
Umatilla National Forest – John Robertson - Fire Staff for the Umatilla N.F.
541-278-3727
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?
▪ Project Location –This project will occur on private forestland in Umatilla County. The specific project
locations will be adjacent to federal lands, key county infrastructure, and in strategic locations near
communities at risk from wildfire as listed on the federal register. These communities include, but are not
limited to Mill Creek, Lehman Hot Springs, Meacham, Poverty Flats, Weston Mountain, Ukiah, Interstate 84
Corridor, Umatilla River Corridor and Battle Mountain. These are all communities or WUI locations
recognized by our Local Coordination Group as fuel reduction target areas within Umatilla County.
▪ Anticipated Outcomes – By working collaboratively and strategically with our partners, funding this project
will create a fire safe environment on approximately 540 acres of forestland. This grant will assist at least 20
landowners at a 75% cost-share rate on fuel reduction projects. These projects will effectively reduce fuel
loading and fuel continuity on forestland that adjoin public land, key county infrastructure and the
aforementioned communities within the wildland-urban interface. Funding this grant will extend the efforts
that are already underway, with demonstrated results, in Umatilla County.
▪ Community Partners – Umatilla County has established a County Commissioner appointed Natural
Resources Steering Committee which functions as a local coordinating group. This group meets semiannually and provides a forum for discussion, coordination and prioritization of National Fire Plan Grants.
On an implementation basis, ODF continues to coordinate efforts with the Walla Walla Ranger District, the
North Folk John Day Ranger District and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Umatilla Reservation. The purpose of
this coordination is to strive to align projects on private land with projects on federal land in order to create
efficient funds utilization and project implementation.
▪ Relationship to Community Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan – All of the above mentioned treatment
areas have been identified by fire managers as WUI high-risk areas. Two active planning processes are
underway which will formally evaluate what is suspected in terms of high-risk areas. A Umatilla County
sponsored effort to develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan and an ODF project to develop a comprehensive
Community Fire Plan will assess high fire risk areas and assess landowner perspectives. In both efforts, a
technical advisory committee consisting of community leaders, natural resource representatives, tribal
representatives, and private landowners will be convened. A working draft is anticipated by December 2004.
▪ Amount or Extent of Actions – This project will treat at least 540 acres of “at-risk” forestland.
▪ Project Timeline and Matching Funds – The project will begin once grant funds are received and will
continue through September of 2009. Matching funds are $148,800 from ODF and landowners.
▪ Proponent’s Ability to Complete Project – This project has been modeled after a FFY 2003 Grant for
Umatilla County to complete hazardous fuels reduction work. That grant was extremely well received,
implemented and is currently out of funds. Approving this grant will allow landowners to continue their
efforts at fuel reduction by offering cost-share incentives. By doing so, we will effectively protect
communities and resources on both public and private land.
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:
A. Umatilla County is located within a region of the state that has a fire-dependent ecosystem, a history
of severe fire, and heavy fuel loading. Numerous WUI communities and scattered dwellings are
intermingled within this fire environment. In addition to these communities, important infrastructure
such as I-84, fiber optic lines, gas lines, power lines, communication facilities and a major railway line
bisect the forest environment between Pendleton and LaGrande. The accomplishments associated
with this grant will aid in protecting these communities and the county infrastructure through the
mitigation of fire risk and enhancing public awareness .
B. As a result of effective fire suppression over the last 50 years, overstocked and dense forest stands
have developed in a large portion of the forested areas within Umatilla County. Various treatment
techniques have been utilized to address this overstocked condition. These treatment techniques
include manual thinning, hand piling and burning, mechanical thinning and chipping, and thinning
and mulching fuels with a slashbuster. Based on prior work, the slashbuster has become the most
common and effective method of treatment within overstocked stands. This treatment requires no
burning and allows contractors to work yearlong without concerns for insect associated problems.
C. When landowners utilize the grant money, they sign a document that indicates it is their responsibility
to maintain the treatment area for 10 years. Additionally, the projects are designed and implemented
to minimize the fire threat for at least 10 years.
D. Inclusive tours have and will continue to be conducted to refine the approach in regards to effectively
treating fuels. Photo points have been established and will be monitored at selected projects to assess
treatment effectiveness over time. Dialogue will continue with partners regarding effectiveness and
efficiencies of fuels reduction and community assistance projects.
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:
A. Several forest operators and forest consultants have invested time and substantial money to effectively
tackle fuel reduction projects. Specialized equipment has been purchased and is currently in high
demand to accomplish fuel reduction work on both private and federal lands. This work, coupled with
traditional forest harvest activity, has allowed these individuals to stay in the forest product
profession.
B. This grant will create new jobs on a project-by-project basis. Collectively, the grant will create
approximately 210 person-days of family wage employment (540 acres/2.5 acres a day). Indirect
employment will occur as a result of consultant and landowner involvement. The trend with
landowners has been to hire a contractor to complete the fuels reduction on the property.
C. Contractors will gain skill and knowledge in specialized equipment use and wildfire risk assessment
and reduction techniques. Forestry skills and silvicultural practices will be honed and utilized by
landowners and operators when developing fire-adaptive ecosystem.
D. Biomass is utilized where feasible. A new ethanol plant is being proposed in Boardman, Oregon. The
company representative has contacted the Pendleton ODF office to inquire about hog-fuel and
biomass opportunities within this region.
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:
A. Umatilla County has just approved a Title III grant for approximately $52,000 to fund an ODF lead
effort for development of a Community Fire Plan. The grant approval has been shared with all
cooperators and initial efforts are underway to form a steering committee. A working draft will be
available by December 2004. Completion date for the entire planning effort will be the spring of
2005. The contact for specific information on this effort is Angie Johnson, National Fire Plan
Planning Coordinator, Oregon Dept. of Forestry, Northeast Oregon District, (541) 963-3168.
B. On-going coordination occurs on a strategy level and on an individual site-specific basis for projects
adjacent to Federal boundaries on the Walla Walla Ranger District and the North Fork John Day
Ranger District. Likewise, coordination occurs with the BIA- Umatilla Reservation for projects
adjacent to Tribal boundaries. Efforts are made to align private landowner interest with public land
projects in order to reduce risk at a landscape level.
C. Cooperators include the North Fork John Day Ranger District – Randy Fitzgerald (541-427-5322), the
Walla Walla Ranger District – Jim Beekman (509-522-6284), and the BIA – Umatilla Reservation Tom Habberstroh (541-278-3788).
D. Support and interest is very high with landowners, forest operators, fire managers, public officials and
the general public for this type of grant. Similar grants have been very popular and are out of funds.
Enclosure 3A - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Contact homeowners, provide
educational materials related to
wildfire risk. Provide technical
assistance with fuels treatment and
silviculture.
October 2004 – September 2008
ODF professional forester
Continue meeting objectives and
identifying fuels reduction projects
areas listed in the Community Fire
Plan in Umatilla County
December 2004 – September 2009
ODF lead, USFS, BIA
Provide annual reports as needed
October 2004 – September 2009
ODF
Provide an end-of-project report
September 2009
ODF
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Personnel
National Fire Plan
Grant Money
27,500
ODF
Contributions
19,200
Landowner
Contributions
8,000
27,500
19,200
8,000
13,000
$8,000
3,200
13,000
$8,000
3,200
2,000
2,000
2,500
2,000
2,000
2,500
$1,000
565
$1,000
565
$1,000
716
1,000
$1,000
716
1,000
Subtotal
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
$73,448
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
$34,814
Travel
Subtotal
$8,080
Equipment
Subtotal
$1,565
Supplies
Subtotal
$2,716
Contractual
Subtotal
$203,500
62,500
$203,500
62,500
$266,000
Other
10,178
Subtotal
Total Costs
10,178
$248,000
$71,600
$10,178
$77,200
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.
$396,800