Agmt 2007 California State Coastal Conservancy

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INVASIVE SPARTINA PROJECT (ISP) stakeholders have identified control of invasive species as the top priority for the restoration and protection of the Estuary. 4. Location This project is located in the nine San Francisco Bay Area Counties to benefit the restoration of the San Francisco baylands. 5. Need: Augmentation of fundIng for ISP's existing grants for treatment and eradication of invasive Spartina, are needed because of the aggressive eradication strategy planned for 2005/2006 combined with the surprisingly high costs of the herbicide imaZapyr and of applicator specialists. 6. Greater-than-Iocal interest: Introduced Spartina threatens to move up stream in the San Francisco Bay-Delta, and down the coast to southern California. In the San Francisco Bay, introduced Spartina threatens to displace state and federally listed species, such as the endangered California clapper rail, California black rail, and the salt marsh harvest mouse. Additional Criteria 5. Urgency: As confirmed at the Third International Invasive Spartina Conference, experts from the region and around the world believe that ifthe spread of introduced Spartina is not controlled within the next few years, the greater than exponential spread of the plants and extensive hybridization with the native Spartinafoliosa will preclude any chance for successful control in the future. If the Conservancy and its partners can address the problem with the appropriately stepped up level of treatment in the short-term, long-term maintenance expenses can be avoided. 6. Readiness: In 2006, ISP and partners treated 1,750 acres of invasive Spartina. Environmental service consultants and grantees are already fully engaged in the pre- treatment season planning, including updating the existing Site-Specific Plans, and are on board to continue treatment in 2007. 7. . Cooperation: Existing grantees (landowners and land mana,gers) are enthusiastically co!tlaborating in the updating and implementation ofthe Sitel-Specific Plans and for pepnittingthat is being coordinated by the ISP consultants. In addition, coordination with the regulatory agencies is ongoing with regard both to treatment and monitoring activities. CONSISTENCY WITH SAN FRANCISCO BAY PLAN: The ISP Control Program is consistent with the San Francisco Bay Plan, Policy 3( c), found in the section entitled "Marshes and Mudflats" (page 9), that states: "the quality of existing marshes should be improved by appropriate measures whenever possible." The main purpose of this project is to remove invasive Spartina to improve the long-term quality of existing marsh habitat in the baylands of the San Francisco Estuary. COMPLIANCE WITH CEQA: As part of the June 16,2005 ISP staff recommendation (Exhibit 2), the Conservancy authorized initial funding for each ofthe 23 treatment and eradication projects that are proposed for additional funding under this authorization. (The June 16, 2005 staff 10 1~5srr 4