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: Washington State Department of Natural Resources Phone: FAX: Email: (360) 902-1300 (360) 902-1757 mark.gray@wadnr.gov Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip): P.O. Box 47037 Olympia, WA 98504-7037 Project Coordinator Project Coordinator (Name and Title): Chuck Johnson, Community Fire Planner Organization/Jurisdiction: Washington State Department of Natural Resources Phone: FAX: Email: (509) 684-7474 (509) 684-7484 chuck.johnson@wadnr.gov Project Information Project Title: Mt. Hull Community Fire Plan & Fuels Reduction Project Proposed Project Start Date: March 15, 2004 Proposed Project End Date: November 15, 2005 Federal Funding Request: $200,000 Total Project Funding: $220,000 Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize: Yes, will be submitting fuels reduction projects in several atrisk communities prioritized as follows: Dennison/Chattaroy, Flowery Trails, Mt. Hull, Aspen Meadows, Mazama, Spokane Indian Reservation, Republic/Curlew, Kalispel Indian Reservation/Pend Oreille. Brief Project Description: This project will create a Community Fire Plan for the Mt. Hull Community in Okanogan County. A hazardous fuel assessment and subsequent defensible space treatments will occur around homes in this community. Project Location (latitude/longitude if applicable): County: Congressional District: Okanogan 4th Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4. (1) X (2) Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project Wildland Urban Interface Education and Prevention Project (3) X (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: 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: Project is located in the Okanogan Valley between Tonasket and Oroville, WA. Proposal is to create a community fire plan that includes a fire history, addressing needs, ingress/egress, evacuation, hazardous fuel and home survivability assessments. Defensible space needs will be determined and subsequently implemented using hand and mechanical methods. Fuels reduction will be accomplished by thinning, pruning and slash disposal. The outcome will be to create defensible space around homes in this community. Mt. Hull is an at-risk community, having experienced numerous large destructive fires. One recent fire destroyed approx.40 homes. Approximately 200 acres will be treated if hand crews are utilized; more if mechanical equipment is able to be used. Washington State protection measures for environmental, cultural and historical resources will be in place. It is anticipated that the project could be completed by the end of 2004, certainly by 2005. 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: This proposal promotes reduction of risk to homeowners in the community by significantly reducing the hazardous fuels that currently exist. This project protects the safety of the community by the defensible space created around homes. It would also benefit the adjacent federal land by reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. The project would create a community fire strategy that includes the fire history, addressing needs, ingress/egress, evacuation, fuels reduction and home survivability. There has been interest in hosting a FIREWISE workshop and residents have been invited to attend a workshop offered in Chelan this Spring. We are planning to present a modified FIREWISE workshop in the community this Spring as part of a Community self-help session and continue to stress FIREWISE concepts in at-risk communities such as this one. The project, through thinning, pruning and slash disposal, will significantly mitigate hazardous fuels conditions. Landowners will be required to sign an agreement to maintain defensible space into the future. 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 project will improve the local economy by providing work that local contractors can bid on. The resulting paychecks will be spent in the community. Most of the jobs provided by this project would be seasonal in nature, as fuels reduction work would be shut down over the winter. It is anticipated that several hand crews would be employed, as well as potentially heavy equipment contractors on portions of the project. Due to the fact that our defensible space program in NE Washington has been in place for several years, contractors have entered the fuels reduction arena. With over 2,000 homes protected so far, contractors can move from project to project developing expertise that enables them to compete in other fields. By using media outlets and demonstration sites, this project can be used as a model for other at-risk communities to follow. We are anticipating as market conditions improve, to be able to provide biomass for power generation and other small wood products. 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: We have a Grant Advisory Board in place, made up of representatives from the Colville National Forest, OkanoganWenatchee National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Overall National Fire Plan Strategy is provided by the Board and is implemented in cooperation with the Local Coordination Group. Local Coordination Group membership is made up of fuels specialists from the above agencies, in addition to all Okanogan County Fire Districts, Okanogan County Conservation District, Okanogan Community Development Council, Partnership for Sustainable Methow and Okanogan County Emergency Services. 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: We have provided presentations to local community groups and are using local media to reach more interested parties. There is strong support for this project in the local community and we will be doing outreach to continue that support. There are positive educational benefits from a fire prevention perspective in this community. Social benefits are derived from the homes protected and environmental benefits are gained from the reduced risk of another catastrophic wildfire. Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form Tasks Time Frame Responsible Party Presentations to Grant Advisory Board and Local Coordinating Group Ongoing, as needed Grant administrator Community outreach and neighborhood meeting Months 1-2 Local Coord. Group members, Grant Administrator Community Fire Plan Preparation Months 2-3 Contractor, Local Coord. Group members Demonstration sites selected and fuels treated Months 3-4 Contractor Media notification and coverage Months 4-5 Grant administrator Fuels reduction/defensible space treatments Months 5-8 Contractor Quality control/compliance Months 5-8 Contract administrator Reporting requirements Ongoing, as needed Grant Administrator, DNR Olympia Enclosure 3D Project Budget Cost Category Description Federal Agency Applicant Partner 1 Partner 2 Total Personnel $15,000 $15,000 Subtotal $15,000 $15,000 Fringe Benefits $3,100 $3,100 Subtotal $3,100 $3,100 Travel $1,900 $1,900 Subtotal $1,900 $1,900 Equipment Subtotal Supplies Subtotal Contractual $200,000 $200,000 Subtotal Other Subtotal Total Costs $200,000 $20,000 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. $220,000