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: Oregon Department of Forestry Phone: FAX: Email: (541) 935-2283 (541) 935-0731 dspiesscha@odf.state.or.us Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip): 2600 State Street, Salem, OR 97310 Project Coordinator Project Coordinator (Name and Title): Paul Joseph, Staff Forester/NEO Grants Coordinator Organization/Jurisdiction: Northeast Oregon District, Oregon Department of Forestry Phone: FAX: Email: (541) 963-3168 (541) 962-1058 pjoseph@odf.state.or.us Project Information Project Title: Wallowa County Defensible Space Project Start: Project End: July 1, 2002 June 30, 2007 Federal Funding Request: Total Project Funding: $247,500.00 $312,150.00 Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize: Yes, One planning, one education, and five defensible space. Priority #3 Brief Project Description: This project will create defensible space around homesites within the Urban Interface areas in Wallowa County. Funds obtained from this grant will be used as a cost share incentive for private forest landowners within the Urban Interface areas of Wallowa county. It will build upon fuels mitigation projects in place and planned in Wallowa County. We have found, with existing projects, that demand for assistance far exceeds funding. Wood fibers and local work force, hopefully including the NEO District youth crew (pilot) will be utilized whenever feasible to support a local depressed economy. Financial stability from cost share funds will benefit both the environment and local citizens. Educational material (existing) will be utilized and promoted. Project Location: County: Congressional District: Northeast Oregon Wallowa County Oregon 2nd 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: The Urban Interface areas of Wallowa County 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 *Project Location: The immediate area around homes within the Urban Interface areas of Wallowa County Oregon. This project will produce a "defensible space" for those homes. *Project implementation: Numerous fuel reduction projects are taking place in selected areas of Wallowa County. The demand for assistance far exceeds existing funding. This project will build and expand upon work already accomplished or planned. This grant will be used as a cost incentive to the landowner to assist him/her to produce an area around the homes that can be protected from wildland fire. *Anticipated outcomes: It is anticipated that approximately 250 homes and 500 acres around those homes could be treated to create a "defensible space". In addition, we can be assured educational material (in existance) would be in the hands of those landowners. This one on one education of the landowner is invaluable when considering maintaining the practice. *Measures and reporting: Measurements of accomplishments and reporting will happen monthly and be presented at our monthly coordination meetings that include, but not limited to, the USFS, BLM, OWEB, ODF, Rural Fire Departments, County Commissioners, and private landowners. *Partners: Our partners include the USFS, BLM, Rural Fire Departments, OWEB, County Commissioners, CTUIR, BIA and Private Landowners. *Project income: Non is anticipated. *Project time frames: July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2007. *Specify types of activities and equipment used. ODF personnel will make the landowner contact and rate the site for degree of difficulty, cost share amounts and obtain the signed agreements. In addition, ODF personel will take advantage of the opportunity and provide the landowner with educational material as well as a verbal presentation of the merits of the practice. The actual hand work will be accomplished by local crews and/or youth crews, contractors and small hand equipment. Small portable chippers could be an important item in the smoke restricted areas. The actual on the ground activities can include, but not limited to, removal of ladder fuels, removal of heavy ground fuel concentrations, hand thinning of overstocked stands, and slash removal . *Amount or extent of actions: An estimated 250 homesites and 500 acres can be treated to provide a defensible space around these homes. *Environmental, cultural and historical resource requirements: As this activity is restricted to the area immediately around the homes (yards, barnyards) and will not disturb the ground, it will not have an impact on the environment, cultural, or historical resources. 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: A. This proposal will promote the reduction of risk around homes in the Urban Interface by providing a cost share incentive to reduce fuel buildup. It will further aid in the education of private landowners who have chosen to live in the Urban Interface of the threat and dangers of wildfires and the steps necessary to reduce those risks. B. This project will benefit resources across the landscape by reducing the risk of the spread of wildfire from adjacent lands to the homes and from the homes to adjacent lands. Further, this project is just part of the overall plan to treat the areas between the homes and to tie in the adjacent treated Federal lands to a comprehensive overall plan to protect the Urban Interface. C. In excess of 1109 structures have been identified within the Oregon Department of Forestrys Protection District in Wallowa County alone. An undetermined number of structures exist outside this Protection District that are considered part of the Urban Interface. D.One firewise workshop and four Living with Fire workshops have been presented. E. This project will directly mitigate hazardous fuel conditions around homes. F. A 10-year maintance program is required by the landowner to receive the incentive cost share. 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 fuels mitigation acivities will be performed by the landowners and/or a local work (Possible youth crews) to help support a local depressed economy. Wood fiber will be utilized where possible to further inhance the local economy. Combined with the landowners participation, these Federal funds are expected to produce eight seasonal (4 month) posistions each year for five years. Approximately 3,750 person days. Each individual project is serving as a model for the community. Their success and the landowners support creates a situation where the project speaks for itself. Demand far exceeds available funding. Forest biomass or forest fuels will be utilized to the extent possible. It is possible that Union County will support a Biomass facility within the next year. When that happens, the demand for biomass will increase significantly and will result in better utilization of forest fuels. 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: A local, intergovernmental group now exists and meets regularly. Another grant (Northeast Oregon Fuels Inventory and Interagency Project Coordination) has been submitted that will provide the information necessary to create a strategic plan. This project will expand on existing projects to accomplish the hazard mitigation activities on the ground. The level of cooperation and coordination that now exist is outstanding. The following group meets regularly to discuss accomplishments, roadblocks, and plans. They include but are not limited to: USFS, BLM, OWEB, Rural Fire Departments, Fire Department Chiefs, BIA, CTUIR, County Comissionors, and ODF. This exchange of information and support of one another is very critical to the success of the National Fire Plan activities and this project is intended to build upon that cooperation. 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: This proposal has been presented to the major cooperators/partners that now exist (more are added all the time). In addition many of the private landowners have attended presentations of "Fire Wise" or "Living with Fire". Information is provided to landowners through handouts and public displays. This project will further reach individuals by one on one contact with ODF representatives. Currently, Northeast Oregon District is administering fuel reduction activities throughout the four county District. We are finding a tremendous interest level amoung the public. The demand for participation far exceeds the funding available. The participants (private landowners) fund as much as 25% of the cost of activities on their lands as well as agree to maintain the practice for ten years. This project will improve the forest health of each parcel treated. The creation of new jobs in a local depressed economy will assist in creating some financial stability. The educational benefits that result from a one on one contact with landowners will have a tremendous impact. Education of the public is probably the most important aspect of the National Fire Plan. Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form Tasks Time Frame Responsible Party Coordination with cooperators on going all cooperators Landowner contact July 1, 2002 Through June 1, 2007 ODF Forest Officers and Assistant Protection Unit Foresters Fuel Mitigation activities July 1, 2002-03-08 Landowners, contract crews. Through June 1, 2007 Enclosure 3D Project Budget Cost Category Description Federal Agency Personnel Subtotal Applicant Partner 1 Partner 2 Total $0.00 $45,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $45,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $16,650.00 $0.00 $16,650.00 $0.00 $0.00 $3,000.00 $0.00 $3,000.00 $0.00 $1,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $1,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $1,000.00 $0.00 $1,000.00 $0.00 $238,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $238,000.00 $45,000.00 $0.00 $45,000.00 $0.00 Fringe Benefits $16,650.00 Subtotal $0.00 $16,650.00 $0.00 Travel $3,000.00 Subtotal $0.00 Equipment $1,000.00 Subtotal $1,000.00 Supplies Education material $1,000.00 Subtotal $1,000.00 Contractual $238,000.00 Subtotal $238,000.00 Other Agency Administration $7,500.00 Subtotal $7,500.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $7,500.00 $0.00 $7,500.00 Total Costs $247,500.00 $64,650.00 $0.00 $0.00 $312,150.00 Project (Program) Income1 (using deductive alternative) 1 $3,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $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.