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:
United Community Partners, Inc.
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
541-742-6189
541-742-6193
theshop@pinetel.com
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
35901 Valley View Lane, Halfway, OR 97834
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Mike Higgins, Program Manager
Organization/Jurisdiction:
United Community Partners, Inc.
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
541-742-6241
541-742-6241
Higgins@pinetel.com
Project Information
Project Title:
Pine and Eagle Valleys Interface Education, Fuels Assessment, Treatment, and Feasibility
Project Start:
Project End:
July 1, 2002
October 1, 2005
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
$218,300.00
$245,340.00
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
No
Brief Project Description:
This project will assess and treat fuels on private lands in Pine and Eagle Valleys which intersperse
with federally-managed lands, and provide landowners education through a series of workshops
and meetings discussing fire danger and fire wise practices. The assessment and evaluation of fire
conditions on private lands will be done by local organizations. This evaluation will be used to
identify and implement treatment opportunities on a cost-share basis to help fireproof residences
and acreages within the interface area. The educational workshops will be put on by United
Community Partners in cooperation with various partners. Data gained from the evaluation will also
be used as a part of a feasibility study looking at economic opportunities to produce a product from
treatment-generated wood fiber and to provide jobs for the valley. A pilot treatment project will be
done in the summer of 2002 which will also provide data for the feasibility study. Other treatments
will be done in 2003 and 2004. 1000 acres may be treated.
Project Location:
County:
Congressional District:
Pine and Eagle valleys
Baker
2nd Congressional Distric
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1)
(2)
Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
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:
Private interface lands and residences adjacent to federally-managed lands in the Pine and Eagle
Creek watersheds, located in northeast Oregon.
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
 partners





project income
project time frames
specify types of activities and equipment used
amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc)
environmental, cultural and historical resource requirements
United Community Partners (UCP) is a nonprofit citizen's group formed to improve quality of life
for residents of northeast Oregon through environmental improvement and job creation. UCP would like to
undertake a comprehensive fuels assessment and treatment program in cooperation with valley residents and
partners US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State
University, Pine Eagle United Youth Fund, Pine Valley Recycling, and Pine and Eagle Valley Rural Fire
Departments.
The project area including Pine Valley, Eagle Valley, Cornucopia and Sparta is located in eastern Oregon,
approximately 45 miles from Baker City, Or. Incorporated areas are the cities of Halfway with a population
of 340 and Richland with a population of 150. An additional 1200 people live in the surrounding
unincorporated areas. The forest interface encompass approximately 11,000 private acres and about 70
homesites.
The valleys are surrounded by federally-managed lands, interspersed with private lands. This forest interface
is a major concern to valley residents and public land managers because of the threat of wildfire spreading
between the private and public lands. High risk areas identified in a 2002 study done for the Bureau of Land
Management by Dynamac Corporation, included the west and north interface of the Pine Creek watersheds
and the Sparta area of the Eagle Creek watersheds. Landowners are unaware of or are unable financially to
implement appropriate fire prevention measures.
United Community Partners, with help from valley residents and cooperating partners, proposes to undertake
a program to address this problem. The program would consist of four parts: resident education, assessment
and evaluation of the fuels present, fuels treatment, and a feasibility study of the economic possibilities of
using small diameter material generated by fuels treatment. UCP has coordinated with Oregon Department of
Forestry and U.S. Forest Service to integrate this treatment proposal with their overall agency treatment
programs and will continue to coordinate with the agencies throughout the life of this project.
The expected results of this grant include establishment of a fuels/fire advisory group to guide the overall
project and suggest fuel treatment options on private and public lands. An increased awareness by
landowners of fire-wise practices can be expected as another result of this project. Approximately 1,000
acreas of private land will be treated, along with 50-70 home sites, leading to long-term healthy sustainable
forests, with reduced fire risk to local communities and forest habitat. This project will also provide
increased employment for valley residents, including jobs for area youth through a partnership with Pine
Eagle United Youth Fund.
Programs to raise the awareness of residents will be ongoing throughout the timeline of the project.
Assessment and evaluation of private lands and homes will begin in July, 2002 and continue through
September, 2003. As a result of that assessment, a pilot project treating fuels will be completed by
November, 2002. Other fuel treatment work using a combination of piling, chipping, thinning, slashbuster,
biomass removal or merricrusher will be done in June through November, 2003 and 2004. The feasibility
study will be completed by November, 2002 using information gained in the assessment and pilot project
process. Monitoring of the program will be done by the fuels/fire group through field trips to the treatment
areas during the field seasons of 2002-2005.
Response:
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.
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 fuels treatment plan or 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 (a) leads to, enhances or restores a local fire-adapted ecosystem, and/or (b) mitigates or leads to the
mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions.
F. How will the proposed treatments be maintained over time?
Response: Through
a combination of increased public awareness, assessment of fuels, and treatments of those
fuels, the risks of wildfire in high hazard communities will be reduced. Fire resistant stands and fuel breaks in
strategically located areas will complement federal agency actions to treat conditions across the landscape.
Because of the reduced fuel loadings, the risks of wild fire and the risk to adjacent timber stands is lessened
along with the danger of a stand-replacement fire with the accompanying damage to wildlife, fish, soils and
timber and possible loss of homes and lives. A comprehensive plan to be used to prioritize treatment will be
formed by the fire and fuels group in cooperation with agency partners, rural fire departments, private
landowners and United Community Partners. UCP, ODF and WWNF have held public meetings concerning
the National Fire Plan; these meetings will continue, along with additional educational opportunities, such as
newspaper articles, continued use of the Firewise program, and an annual clean-up day to promote fire
awareness and publicize opportunities for decreasing fire risk. Through years of fire exclusion, stands in the
interface have become loaded with excessive fuels, this program will treat those fuels and restore stands to
pre-settlement conditions. The local fire and fuels group, assisted by youth hired through Pine Eagle United
Youth Fund, will monitor success of treatments
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)?
B. To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities?
C. Will biomass or forest fuels be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response: The
feasibility study is proposed in order to find if fuels treated can be used to create beneficial
products and jobs. As a result of that study, it is expected that several full-time jobs could be created. The
assessment and evaluation portion of the grant is expected to creat 2-3 seasonal jobs for 3 years. The
treatment portion is expected to create 3-4 seasonal jobs for 4 years. The monitoring portion is expected to
creat 2-3 seasonal jobs for 2 years. A demonstration project is being planned for the 2002 season to serve as a
model for this project. It is hoped that as part of that project, biomass will be used to create products and
jobs, however, until the survey of the area and the feasibility study is completed, it is not certain how the
forest fuels can be used.
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 plan, or creates such a plan. Describe the plan if it
already exists.
B. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning among federal, state, tribal, local government and
community organizations. List the cooperators.
Response: United
Community Partners has developed this proposal in conjunction with the BLM, USFS, ODF,
OSU, Pine and Eagle Valley Rural Fire Departments and private forest land owners to discuss fire and fuels
concerns and equipment needs. This level of cooperation will continue as this plan is implemented.
Assessment training will be done by ODF, assessment will be done by rural fire department members, trained
local contractors and high school students connected with the Pine Eagle United Youth fund. Pine Eagle
United Youth Fund is a local, nonprofit organization founded to provide employment for local youth. The
feasibility study will be done in cooperation with the Pine Valley Recycling Group, which has established a
strong recycling program in Pine Valley. The study will also be done in cooperation with Oregon
Department of Forestry and Pine Ranger District, agencies which have experience in economic feasibility of
use of various wood products.
4. Expanding Community Participation. (15 Points)
A. To what extent have interested people and communities been provided an opportunity to become informed and involved in this
proposal?
B. Describe the extent of local support for the project, including any cost-sharing arrangements.
C. What are the environmental, social and educational benefits of the project?
Response: United
Community Partners is an organization which represents the interests of valley members.
The organization was formed by valley residents concerned about the lack of cooperation in the valley for
improving and preserving opportunities to live and work in the valley. The organization has held information
meetings concerning the National Fire Plan in the fall and winter of 2001 in cooperation with agency partners.
Oregon Department of Forestry has done public outreach through its "Restoring Forest Health Strategy" plan.
The Bureau of Land Management contracted with Dynamac Corporation, to do outreach and gather input
from area residents. Their draft report, "Wildland-Urban-Interface, Communities at Risk Mitigations
Recommendation" was used to help form this proposal. A watershed assessment plan has been done on Pine
Creek which addresses fuels concerns.
Local fire departments will be providing in-kind labor to conduct assessments of the private interface lands.
Landowners have agreed to cost-sharing labor to complete assessments and treatment of fuels on their lands.
Pine Eagle United Youth Fund will be cost-sharing wages for students to conduct evaluations and possible
treatment of fuels on home sites.
Homes adjacent to the forest interface will be made more fire defensible, surrounded by fire resistant stands
and fuel breaks which are strategically placed to complement the fuels treatments on adjacent federal lands.
This will reduce the chance of catastrophic fires moving between public and private lands
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Education
Assessment of fuels on private interface lands.
Mitigation (Pilot Project)
Mitigation (fuels treatment on home sites and
interface acres)
Feasibility Report
Time Frame
July 1, 2002 - December 31, 2004
July 1, 2002 - November 30, 2003
August 1, 2002 - November 30, 2002
June 1, 2003 - November 30, 2004
July 1, 2002 - November 30, 2002
,
Monitoring
September 30, 2002 - December 31, 2005
Responsible Party
United Community Partners, Oregon
Department of Forestry, Oregon State
University, Pine and Eagle Valley
Rural Fire Departments, Wallowa
Whitman National Forest, Bureau of
Land Management
Landowners, United Community
Partners, Oregon Department of
Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau
of Land Management, Pine and Eagle
Valley Rural Fire Departments, Pine
Eagle United Youth Fund
Landowners, United Community
Partners, Oregon Department of
Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, Pine
and Eagle Valley Rural Fire
Departments, local contractors
Landowners, United Community
Partners, Oregon Department of
Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, Pine
and Eagle Valley Rural Fire
Departments, local contractors
United Community Partners, Pine
Valley Recyling, Oregon Department
of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, local
contractor, Oregon State University
Landowners, United Community
Partners, Oregon Department of
Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, Pine
and Eagle Valley Rural Fire
Departments,Bureau of Land
Management, local fire/fuels group
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Personnel
Training and Assessment
Monitoring
Subtotal
$11,200.00
$3,000.00
$14,200.00
$500.00
$0.00
$500.00
$750.00
$600.00
$1,350.00
$750.00
$750.00
$0.00
$13,200.00
$3,600.00
$16,800.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Travel
Training and Assessment
Monitoring
Subtotal
$1,000.00
100
$1,100.00
$200.00
$120.00
$120.00
$200.00
$120.00
$120.00
$0.00
$1,440.00
$100.00
$1,540.00
Equipment
Training and Assessment
$6,000.00
$500.00
$500.00
Subtotal
$6,000.00
$500.00
$500.00
$0.00
$0.00
$7,000.00
$0.00
$7,000.00
Supplies
Training and Assessment
$5,000.00
$500.00
$500.00
Subtotal
$5,000.00
$500.00
$500.00
$0.00
$0.00
$6,000.00
$0.00
$6,000.00
Contractual
Mitigation
Feasibility Report
Subtotal
$180,000.00
$12,000.00
$192,000.00
$500.00
$1,000.00
$1,500.00
$10,000.00
$500.00
$10,500.00
$10,000.00
$0.00
$200,500.00
$13,500.00
$214,000.00
$10,000.00
Other
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Total Costs
$218,300.00
$3,200.00
$12,970.00
$10,870.00
$245,340.00
Project (Program) Income1
(using deductive alternative)
1
Total
$0.00
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.