NOAA F ISHERIES C OMMUNITY -B ASED R ESTORATION G RANTS P ROGRAM Steve Heinz Maine TU Council December 6, 2018
Importance of Little Androscoggin The Little Androscoggin drainage has substantial habitat for American eel, alewives, blueback herring, American shad, and the endangered Atlantic salmon. The State of Maine has been working to restore these species to the Androscoggin River watershed since the early 1980s, and access to and from abundant habitat in the Little Androscoggin is critical for achieving state and federal goals for restoration of sea- run fish species in this watershed , which is Maine’s third largest river system. Approximately 77% of alewife spawning habitat), 30% of American shad and blueback herring spawning habitat, and 92% of Atlantic salmon spawning habitat in the Lower Androscoggin watershed is located above the Barker’s Mill Project. Source: 2017 Draft Fisheries Management Plan for the for the Lower Androscoggin River
Many dams coming up for relicensing in Androscoggin Watershed • Little Androscoggin – Lower Barker Mill – Auburn expires 1/2019 – Upper Barker - Auburn expires 7/2023 – Hackett Mills - Poland expires 8/2024 • Androscoggin – Pejepscot - Topsham expires 08/2022 – Worumbo – Lisbon expires 11/2025 – Lewiston Falls – Auburn/Lewiston expires 08/2026 – Brunswick – Brunswick expires 02/2029 Other downstream facilities in state of disrepair Littlefield Dam – Auburn – Marcal Dam – Mechanics Falls (fire) –
Lower Androscoggin Watershed Dam Locations
Grant Program Objectives • The principal objective: to support habitat restoration projects that use an ecosystem-based approach to foster species recovery and increase populations under NOAA’s jurisdiction. • Proposals submitted under this solicitation will be primarily evaluated based on their ability to demonstrate how the proposed habitat restoration actions will: – Help recover threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (hereafter, Listed Species), including species identified by NMFS as “Species in the Spotlight” – Sustain or help rebuild fish stocks managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (hereafter, Managed Species), or contribute to the sustainability of saltwater recreational fisheries by the restoration of habitat that benefits recreational fishing
Program Priorities • Contribute to the recovery of Listed Species under NOAA jurisdiction, including those species designated by NOAA as Species in the Spotlight, where habitat availability and quality is limiting the recovery of the species • Enhance or sustain populations of commercial or recreational Managed Species or their prey • Provide sustainable and lasting ecological benefits of regional or national significance • Demonstrate importance within the watershed or other geographic boundary through an inclusive planning process that determines the project’s relative importance and context within the landscape.
Awards and Funding • One-year or multi-year awards up to three funding years will be considered, and additional releases of funds may be used to fund selected proposals through FY21 without further competition – NOAA anticipates typical federal funding awards will range from $300,000 to $1.5 million over one to three years • NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $75,000 or more than $3 million over three years – NOAA anticipates up to $6 million will be available under this FFO in FY19. Dependent on the level of funding made available by Congress, NOAA anticipates an additional $6 million may be available over the next two years (FY20 - FY21) to support selected awards, for amaximum of $12 million awarded under this FFO
Eligibility • Includes: “ … state, local and Native American tribal governments.”
Cost Sharing • There is no statutory matching requirement for this funding. NOAA typically leverages its federal funding with matching contributions from a broad range of sources in the public and private sectors to implement coastal and marine habitat restoration. • Applicants should note that cost sharing is an element considered in Evaluation Criterion #4"Project Costs"
Dates • This program has a mandatory pre-proposal. Pre-proposals must be received by Grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern time on January 14, 2019 • The full application deadline will be no earlier than April 15, 2019 at 11:59 PM Eastern time. – The actual deadline will be provided by direct notice to all eligible applicants, after pre- proposalreview. At least 45 days will be provided for completion of a full application
Pre-proposal • Must include the Standard Form (SF)-424 • May include four -page narrative – Narrative include a map or aerial photo of the project site
Full Proposal (if selected from pre-applicants) SF-424 family application forms: • – Application for Federal Assistance: SF-424 (7/03 version or newer – Budget Information for Non-construction Programs: SF-424A (prior to award, an SF-424A for each year of funding will be required) – Assurances for Non-construction Programs: SF-424B – Certification Regarding Lobbying: CD-511 – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: SF-LLL (if applicable) Summary, project narrative, and Data Management Plan (19 page limit); • – Project summary (described below, 2 page limit) – recommended for the pre- proposal content and full proposal (may be updated for the full proposal); – Project narrative (described below, 15 page limit); – Data Management Plan (described below, 2 page limit); Budget Justification (6 page limit); • Project designs (for proposals including on the ground restoration; • schematic drawings are recommended, NOT feasibility studies or watershed plans; no page limit) Supplemental Information - all supplemental attachments should be • combined into one file which includes a list of the documents and their page number. (15 page limit)
Oxford Plan of Action • Obtain selectmen approval to apply for grant • Submit pre-application by January 14, 2019 • If invited, submit final application anticipated April or May 2019 • If awarded, conduct studies in 2019/2020 – Precede with RFP, bidding and contractor selection • Town choses best option in spring of 2021 – Precede with workshop to review options • Execute project in 2021 or 2022 – Precede with RFP, bidding and contractor selection
Proposal Specifics • Two year program with a flex year – Year one: Studies – Year two: Design, Permitting, and Construction – Year three: Construction, if needed
Year One • Funding distribution occurs in October 2019 • Request – $20K Land and bathymetric survey work – $20K Natural resource assessment work – $20K Hydrology and hydraulics engineering work – $10K Sediment sampling – $20K Infrastructure assessment: upstream bridge, water withdrawals in the impoundment, and discharges in the impoundment … – $20K Alternatives Analysis Report: No action, Dam repair (cut and paste from existing report), dam removal, dam repair with fishway, dam removal with fishway at Hogan/Whitney ponds … • Match: – $30K town contribution (cash) – $5K town admin and oversight (in-kind) – $5K Trout Unlimited coordination and publicity (in kind)
Year Two • Request – $480K Execute chosen technical alternative • Cover costs of most expensive alternative • Match: – $30K town contribution (cash) – $5K town admin and oversight (in-kind) – $5K Trout Unlimited coordination and publicity (in kind) Note: Approved funding would be available for up to 3 years
S ELECTBOARD D ECISIONS Whether to authorize the Town Manager to pursue NOAA grant Alternatives – do nothing, town pay full cost of studies, proceed without studies Whether to authorize expenditure of up to $30K per year as matching funds Alternatives – authorize lesser amounts or no match
Supplemental Information
Example rock ramp fishway on Sedgeunkedunk Stream in Orrington, ME. Maintained water Levels of pond with dramatic restoration of fishery.
Example rock ramp fishway on Pierces Pond in Penobscot, ME. Maintained water Levels of pond with dramatic restoration of fishery.
Example dam removal on Marsh Stream in West Winterport, ME.
Before After Fish using ladder Harvesters collecting fish Example of a dam repair with technical fishway on Vassalboro Pond in ME.
FERC Flood Map
Depth Maps for Whitney and Hogan Ponds
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