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| Information |
| TITLE: |
| Consideration and Approval of Contract: This Supplemental Project Agreement is between the City of Flagstaff and the U.S. Department of Agriculture,Coconino National Forest for the implementation of cultural resource surveys. |
| STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: |
Approve the Supplemental Project Agreement with the Coconino National Forest in the amount of $1,153,736.50.
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| Executive Summary: |
| This agreement is for the Coconino National Forest Supplemental Project Agreement Award 263-PA-11030400-261 which provides for cultural surveys, site revisits, reporting, data entry and management of Natural Resource Manager (NRM) cultural resource database of record, and other cultural resources work as needed in order to prepare priority areas across the Flagstaff Ranger District for prescribed fire operations. |
| Financial Impact: |
| The Supplemental Project Agreement is for a total project cost of $1,153,736.50. The Federal contribution is $1,081,604 and the City of Flagstaff is contributing $72,132.50 in non-cash staff and equipment time. This is a multiple year agreement/project. The agreement includes the USFS covering the indirect cost rate of 10% ($90,909.09). None of the reimbursable funds will be spent this FY. The Flagstaff Fire Department Wildfire Management (WFM) section has not budgeted for this agreement in FY2023-24. This agreement came together after the FY2023-24 budget was finalized. We will not be spending any funds related to this agreement until FY2024-25 and will budget accordingly moving forward. |
| Policy Impact: |
This agreement allows the City of Flagstaff to add significant capacity for wildfire risk reduction based cultural resource survey clearance work across the Flagstaff Ranger District. In addition, this agreement creates new partnership opportunities with the US Forest Service as we will be supporting prescribed fire planning in addition to operations.
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| Connection to PBB Priorities/Objectives, Carbon Neutrality Plan & Regional Plan: |
Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives
- High Performing Governance: Implement innovative local government programs
- Safe and Healthy Community: Ensure built environment is safe through the use of consistent
standards, rules and regulations, & land use practices
- Environmental Stewardship: Promote, protect & enhance a healthy, sustainable environment &
its natural resources
- Environmental Stewardship: Strengthen Flagstaff's resilience to climate change impacts on
built, natural, economic, health, & social systems
Carbon Neutrality Plan
- CR-1: Ensure all mitigation actions improve Flagstaff's ability to adapt to the future.
- CR-2: Strengthen existing community systems to create resilience to both short-term shocks
and long-term change.
Consolidating carbon stocks in fewer, larger trees reduces the risk of carbon loss from fire. The
pre-suppression forest structure provides the best target for maintaining sustainable carbon stocks and ecological function. Implementing prescribed fire after mechanical thinning treatments supports the maintenance of the restored natural tree structure and pattern.
Regional Plan
- Environmental Planning & Conservation – Vision for the Future: In 2013, the long-term health and viability of our natural resource environment is maintained through strategic planning for resource conservation and protection.
- Policy E&C.3.3 – Invest in forest health and watershed protection measures.
- Policy E&C.6.1 – Encourage public awareness that the region’s ponderosa pine forest is a
fire-dependent ecosystem and strive to restore more natural and sustainable forest composition, structure, and processes.
- Policy E&C.6.3 – Promote protection, conservation, and ecological restoration of the region’s
diverse ecosystem type and associated animals.
- Policy E&C.6.6 – Support collaborative efforts for forest health initiatives or practices, such as the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), to support healthy forests and protect our water system.
- Policy E&C.10.2 – Protect, conserve, and when possible, enhance and restore wildlife habitat on public land.
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| Has There Been Previous Council Decision on This: |
Council has not previously discussed this specific Supplemental Project Agreement.
This Supplemental Project Agreement is housed under the Master Participating Agreement that Council approved on April 19th, 2022.
A similar Supplemental Project Agreement for cultural resource surveys was approved by Council on January 3rd, 2023. |
| Options and Alternatives: |
| Approving this agreement will allow this important work to begin in a timely manner. Not approving the agreement will delay this work and possibly allow the funds to be diverted to USFS projects outside of the Coconino National Forest. |
| Background/History: |
Severe and destructive wildfire is an annual and ever-present threat to our forests and the community. Forested areas that have undergone science based ecological restoration treatments are healthier, more fire adapted, at a lower risk of carbon loss, and enhance public safety and infrastructure protection. A Master Participating Agreement (MPA) between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Coconino National Forest, and the City of Flagstaff was approved by Council on April 19, 2022. This
MPA allows for Supplemental Project Agreements based on watershed protection.
Before prescribed fires can be implemented on National Forest System lands, a thorough planning and clearance process must be completed. This Supplemental Project Agreement agreement will allow the City to add needed capacity to the USFS and manage contract to complete cultural resource surveys across the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project footprint and surrounding Flagstaff Ranger District priority areas. |
| Key Considerations: |
| Completion of ecological forest treatments within the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project (FWPP) footprint and Flagstaff Ranger District have proven highly effective in supporting the control of undesirable fire, while reducing the severity of fire and post-fire flood events. |
| Expanded Financial Considerations: |
All cultural survey contracts managed by the City will be fully reimbursed by the USFS.
This agreement includes a 10.0% indirect cost rate for the City ($6,557.50). |
| Community Benefits and Considerations: |
The Flagstaff community will experience improved forest management due to this agreement. Approval of this Agreement, and the forest treatment work which will result, will reduce wildfire risk to adjacent neighborhoods, recreational opportunities, and wildlife habitat, while promoting forest health and long-term ecological sustainability.
This agreement will also support forest management objectives that consolidate forest carbon stocks in fewer, larger trees, reducing the risk of carbon loss from catastrophic fire. |
| Community Involvement: |
Inform: Following the success of the 2012 bond election, FFD has continued to work at keeping the community informed of what we are doing, and why.
Involve: Project outreach efforts will go directly to the Flagstaff community. FFD staff are available to the public to address any concerns. |
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