Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Wildland Urban Interface Fuels / Education and
Prevention / Community Planning for Fire Protection Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization: Klickitat County Solid Waste
Phone:509 773-4448
FAX:509 773-4521
Email: johnlf@co.klickitat.wa.us
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip): MS-CH-27, 127 W Court St. Goldendale, WA 98620
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title): John Longfellow, Recycling Coordinator
Organization/Jurisdiction: Klickitat County Solid Waste
Phone:509 773-4448
FAX: 590 773-4521
Email: johnlf@co.klickitat.wa.us
Project Information
Project Title: Rural Homeowner Fuels Reduction and Outdoor Burning Alternative
Proposed Project Start Date: January 2004
Proposed Project End Date: December 2004
Federal Funding Request: $34,475
Total Project Funding: $57,175
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize: No
Brief Project Description:
This project establishes a year round, convenient alternative to the common practice of open burning brush
and tree limbs. This project contributes to the goal of providing this alternative for about 80% of the
population of Klickitat County. The project involves the establishment of community drop off sites for brush
and tree limbs from home owner land clearing activities. The unmanned, no fee, sites will be open 365-24-7
to maximize convenience for the public. NFP funds would be used to hire a brush chipping contractor and to
pay for bagging wood chips. Once bagged, the chips are easily transported from the chipping sites by the
public for use in home composting/mulching. Bagging of wood chips may be performed by a jail inmate
community service work crew, requiring a paid qualified supervisor, or by a private contractor. Excess wood
chips will be used in a local steam electric generator facility. The chipping program will be promoted in
tandem with promotion of the DNR FireWise education program. The area served includes or is adjacent to
Yakima Indian Nation timber, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
and watersheds critical to salmon/steelhead habitat and three fish hatcheries.
Project Location (latitude/longitude if applicable):
County:
Congressional District:
Klickitat County
Klickitat
3 and 4
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1)  Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
(2)  Wildland Urban Interface Education and Prevention Project
(3)
(4)
Community Planning for Fire Protection Project
Fuels Utilization and Marketing Project
If the applicant is an unincorporated area, define the geographic area being represented: Communities and areas surrounding
Bingen, Lyle, Dallesport and Goldendale, in Klickitat County, located in Washington State.
Enclosure 3B (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
Address these
 project implementation
items as
 anticipated outcomes
applicable:
 measures and reporting
 interagency partners





project relationship to community or natural landscape fire plans
project time frames and income
specify types of activities and equipment used
amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc)
environmental, cultural and historical resource requirements
Response: This
project is located in Klickitat County, Washington. This proposal applies to activities that will
be ongoing from January 2004 to December 2004 and beyond. The NFP funding requested is intended to
supplement funding from Klickitat County and the Department of Ecology. In the short term, it represents
secure, stable funding for the existing chipping sites located in Goldendale, Bingen/White Salmon, Dallesport
and Lyle. The long range goal is to establish drop off sites in additional communities including Bickleton,
Klickitat, Glenwood, Trout Lake and BZ Corners/Husum. Additional chipping sites can be added when we
obtain long term financial support for their operation. We currently receive funding from three sources,
Klickitat County, Department of Ecology and Rabanco, a private company operating a regional landfill. We
are pursuing future long term funding through a carbon credit exchange program and expect growing political
support for the program if the State enforces a total ban on open burning as proposed for 2006. We are
submitting this proposal as we believe this program will be a significant element of the local DNR
urban/wildlands interface fire mitigation activities.
Klickitat County includes 1,872.5 acres of land with an 84 mile southern boundary along the Columbia River.
Half the land is grass/sage/agriculture and half is fir/pine/oak wooded. There are approximately 8,400 homes:
2,400 in incorporated cities, 6,000 in rural unincorporated areas. An estimated 71% of population lives in
unincorporated areas. The average Rainfall varies from 60 inches per year in northwest corner of county to 5
inches in southeast corner.
In putting this proposal together we spoke with the President of the Klickitat County Interagency Fire
Association about our plans and he assured me our proposal is consistent with the goals of the association
membership. We have been in contact with all fire districts and unincorporated community councils and
cities. We are cooperating with three other grant applicants with projects proposed for this county.
This project establishes a year round, reasonably convenient alternative to open burning of brush and tree
limbs for about 2/3 of the population of Klickitat County. The program involves the establishment of
community drop off sites for brush and tree limbs from home owner land clearing FireWise related activities.
The unmanned sites are open 365-24-7 to maximize convenience for the public. No fees are charged for use
of the sites. NFP funds would be used to pay for a brush chipping contractor and for bagging of wood chips
so they can be easily transported from the chipping site by the public for use in home composting/mulching.
Community Service work crews will put wood chips in plastic bags when available. This may involve paying
for a qualified jail inmate community service work crew supervisor. Contracted baggers will be used to
supplement the community service work crews. Excess wood chips will be used in a local steam electric
generator facility. Activities include: Public drop sites for brush and tree limbs; Chipping contractor to create
wood chips from brush; Wood chips bagged by community service work crews or contractor; Radio,
newspaper and web site public information. We expect to process 1,300 tons of brush and tree limbs over the
year through existing brush drop sites. That equals 54,000 cubic yards of brush and tree limbs or 2,900
10x10x5 open burn piles in the urban/wildlands interface. If more sites are established we would expect that
volume to increase. We will report: Cubic yards of brush chipped at the sites. Measures include cost per cubic
yard of brush processed for comparison to landfilling/burning alternative costs.
Existing Interagency partnerships include: Klickitat County, City of Bingen, City of White Salmon, City of
Goldendale, Department of Ecology (Solid Waste), Local Fire Districts and community councils. Private
partners include: Rabanco and SDS Lumber. Potential Interagency partnerships include: Department of
Natural Resources and Department of Ecology (Air). Potential private: Calpine Corporation.
Enclosure 3B (Page 2 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following four criteria. Within each criterion, subcriteria are listed in descending order of importance. Limit your responses to the areas provided.
1. Reducing Fire Risk. (40 points))
A. Describe how the proposal promotes reduction of risk in high hazard areas or communities, or natural landscapes.
B. Describe how the proposed project benefits resources on federal land or adjacent non-federal land, or how it protects the safety
of communities.
C. To what extent does the project implement or create a cooperative (1) fuels treatment plan or (2) community fire strategy
(include evidence of the plan if it already exists)?
D. Explain to what extent the affected community or proponent has been involved or plans to involve the affected community in a
qualified fuels education program (e.g., FIREWISE).
E. Explain how the proposal (1) leads to, enhances or restores a local fire-adapted ecosystem, and/or (2) mitigates or leads to the
mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions.
F. How will the proposed treatments or programs be maintained in future years?
Response: Local
DNR staff have noted the increased use of the brush chipping alternative coincided with a
decline in the number of open burn permit requests and in the number of backyard open burns escaping into
the wildlands. Chipping sites compliment efforts to encourage property owners to reduce potential fuels at the
wildlands interface, reduce the number of open burns and the opportunity for an open burn to escape into the
wildlands. Adjacent areas include Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Yakima Indian Nation timber lands, Fish
Hatcheries in the White Salmon and Klickitat River watersheds, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area,
State lands, commercial timber lands and private lands. This project has the potential to directly serve 6% of
the locations listed on the "High Hazard Communities" list for Washington State.
Klickitat county does not have a coordinated fire plan at this time but the brush chipping program is
recognized by members of the Klickitat County Interagency Fire Association. Fire agencies can, and do, refer
citizens requesting outdoor burn permits to the brush sites as an alternative to backyard burning. The Counties
existing print/radio/web promotion of the chipping program has been modified to promote practices
encouraged by the DNR FireWise education program beyond current levels. Current funding is from the
County, DOE Grant and Rabanco a private company. Growth in public use of the program has exceeded
current funding resources. Adding this NFP Grant to the supporting resources to sustain the program will
allow us to pursue future funding through a carbon credits exchange. If the State enforces a total ban on open
burning as scheduled for 2006 we expect increased political support. Secure long term funding will allow us
to establish new sites in areas not currently served.
2. Increasing local capacity. (30 points)
A. How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable economic
activity? How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how long (please distinguish between essentially yearround and seasonal jobs)? How will this proposal link to toher projects (or proposed projects) to create year-round jobs?
B. To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities or natural landscapes?
C. Will biomass or forest fuels be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response: This
program provides direct employment for the chipping contractor and 1 or more employees. The
brush chipping program at its current level has turned a part time job into a full time job for the current
contractor. Indirectly, and to the extent the brush chipping program has prevented wildland fires, the impact
affects a much larger economic base including timber, livestock grazing, dryland farming, recreational and
homeowner property.
The unmanned-365-24-7 drop sites and the bagged wood chips are popular with the public. The program can
be implemented with limited resources. No solid waste handling permit is required as implemented. The
program was originally conceived as a solid waste program to reduce landfilling and burning of brush and
tree limbs and provide a source of wood chips for use in home composting of other organic wastes. Wood
chips accumulated in excess of public demand are sent to the SDS wood fuel steam/electric generating facility
which has state of the art combustion and emission controls. The potential to reduce the number of wildfires
caused by open burning drew the attention of the local DNR staff who encouraged us to submit this proposal.
The reduction in open burning meets goals of the DOE Air Program. No one source of funding is enough to
keep the program going by itself, but the network of interests willing to provide financial support indicate this
may be a workable and effective model for other rural counties.
Enclosure 3B (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
3. Increasing interagency and intergovernmental coordination. (15 Points)
A. Describe how this project implements a local intergovernmental strategy or plan, or creates such a plan. Describe the plan if it
already exists.
B. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning through a “Local Coordination Group” for wildland fire
activities, or among federal, state, tribal, local government and community organizations. List the cooperators (a detailed list
of cooperators will be required for projects that are funded).
Response: A
coordinated intergovernmental plan for Klickitat County does not exist at this time. The President
of the Klickitat County Interagency Fire Association, which includes members from federal, state and each of
the 14 local fire districts, assured me they support the brush chipping program as it contributes to reducing
both fuels and the number of incidents of open burning in the urban wildland interface.
The original brush recycling program was implemented as part of the Klickitat County Solid Waste
Management Plan, a component of the Klickitat County Master Plan. Development of the plan is a public
process involving an advisory group made up of citizens, industry and local city officials. Input is taken from
citizens during public hearings. The plan is reviewed by the Department of Ecology for compatibility with the
State Solid Waste Management Plan. The plan is also reviewed by the Yakima Indian Nation and our local
Health District, among other State and Federal agencies. The Plan was approved by the elected Board of
County Commissioners. We have shared information and worked with local DNR staff in determining our
long range goals and expansion plans. Implementation of the chipping program involves participation of local
fire districts and unincorporated community councils. We have specifically consulted Ole Helgerson of
Skamania County, who is working under a previous NFP grant to develop a GIS database for use in
coordinated planning. We also are actively coordinating with proposals in NFP grants being submitted by the
City of White Salmon and the Appleton Fire District.
4. Expanding Community Participation. (15 Points)
A. To what extent have interested individuals, groups, and communities been provided an opportunity to become informed and
involved in this proposal?
B. Describe the extent of local support or opposition for the project, including any cost-sharing arrangements.
C. What are the environmental, social and educational benefits or concerns of the project?
Response: As
stated in Part 3 above the brush chipping program was implemented as an element of the
Klickitat County Solid Waste Management Plan which is a public process. Funding was obtained in part from
a Department of Ecology Coordinated Prevention Grant jointly submitted by the County, City of Bingen, City
of White Salmon and City of Goldendale. In developing this proposal we have consulted with local DNR and
fire district officials. Other local NFP grant proposals will include elements encouraging use of brush sites.
The program has broad support from the public. Unfortunately one result of the effort to make use of the drop
sites convenient for the public is that it is costing more than currently available resources will allow. The only
cost control we have is to suspend the program when the funds are gone. Supplemental funding from multiple
interested sources is our long term goal for keeping this program operational.
Benefits of this program include: overall cost of implementation is estimated to be less than landfilling or
open burning; increased use of this convenient alternative to open burning; reduced obstacle for home owners
to build defensible space without increase in open burning; reduced incidents of escaped open burn piles in
the urban-wildland interface; improved air quality; reduced volume of landfilled waste; maintained or
increased waste reduction efforts by providing resource of wood chips for use in home composting; reduced
soil erosion and effects on salmon habitat in watersheds where wood chips are used for mulching; increased
production of electric energy from renewable resource and reduction in need for energy from non-renewable
resources; improvement in employment base of local economy where unemployment rate has been in the
range of 9-15% for ten years (currently highest in State).
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
brush chipping
January 1 - December 31, 2004
Department of Ecology,
Klickitat County and chipper
contractor
chip bagging
January 1 - December 31, 2004
Klickitat County Juvenile
Dept., Adult Probation, Sheriff
Dept, and/or private contractor
Public education and program
promotion
January 1 - December 31, 2004
Department of Ecology,
Klickitat County, Rabanco
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
Personnel
Bagging Supervisor
4,800
4,800
Subtotal
4,800
4,800
Supplies
Bags for Chips
1,875
1,875
Subtotal
1,875
1,875
Contractual
Chipper
28,800
4,800
14,400
48,000
Subtotal
28,800
4,800
14,400
48,000
250
750
1,500
2,500
0
250
750
1,500
2,500
35,475
5,050
15,150
1,500
57,175
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
Travel
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Other
Promotion
Subtotal
Total Costs
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.