Agmt 2009 California State Coastal Conservancy

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INVASIVE SPARTINA PROJECT September 25, 2008, (Exhibit 4, September 25, 2008 Staff Recommendation), which is being utilized to conduct clapper rail monitoring. While the settlement funds can only be used to monitor the south Bay, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Point Reyes Bird Observatory have agreed to assist ISP complete clapper rail monitoring in the north and central Bay. Treatment will implement the updated site specific plans approved by the Conservancy (See Exhibit 3, Apri124, 2008 Staff Recommendation.) Depending on when federal funds are available and whether both or only one of the federal sources of funding is received before or during the treatment season, grantees will treat all or a portion of the 300 acres that remain infested. At a minimum, treatment will occur at a level sufficient to prevent the further spread of invasive Spartina; at a maximum, grantees will fully treat all infested sites. See Exhibit 5, Map of 2008-2010 Treatment Sites. For 2009, FWS is able to provide settlement funds that can be provided for treatment to implement the site specific plans on its property. The bay-wide coordinated effort will also ensure treatment assistance to FWS by neighboring land managers cooperating with ISP. PROJECT FINANCING: A. Financing for this Authorization: CIAP grant to the Coastal Conservancy $400,000 EPA grant to the Coastal Conservancy $165,454 Contributions (in-kind and cash) by Treatment Grantees $100,000 Total $665,454 Funding for the proposed disbursement of $400,000 for invasive Spartina treatment and eradication projects is expected to be provided under a grant from the United States Minerals Management Service's (MMS) Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) by which MMS may provide funds to the Conservancy for projects for conservation, protection or restoration of coastal areas including wetlands, and for implementation of afederally-approved comprehensive conservation management plan. Treatment and eradication activities are critical to the long-term health of the San Francisco Estuary and to the species which inhabit and rely upon the salt marshes and tidal flats along its perimeter. The project also implements specific Actions in the Wetlands Chapter of the San Francisco Estuary Project's 2007 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). Specifically, Action Wetlands Management - 4.2 of the COMP calls for the prevention of the establishment ofnon-native plant species in wetland restoration; and Action Wetlands Management -1.2 encourages geographically focused cooperative efforts to protect wetlands. The Invasive Spartina Project's goal is to eradicate invasive Spartina from the San Francisco Estuary to ensure it will not become established in wetland restoration projects; and ISP is a model for unifying state, federal, local and non-profit entities around the Bay to effectively work together to implement coordinated treatment of the bay-wide infestation. While the total CIAP grant to the Conservancy for ISP is in the amount of $700,000, only $400,000 will be used for 2009 treatment activities. Staff will return to the Conservancy for authorization to spend the remaining $300,000 over the next three years, consistent with the budget approved by the federal grantor. Page 5 of 8 *~~~~~ ~r, :~