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management strategies. An $80 million demonstration project grant program is authorized, but to date no funds have been appropriated for this purpose. Over the last 3 years CWCB has contributed $115,000 to the Tamarisk Coalition to support a statewide tamarisk and Russian Olive mapping and inventory project. Numerous local and federal agencies have contributed in-kind services to this now completed effort. In FY07-08 the CWCB will be providing $82,500 to the Tamarisk Coalition for local watershed planning efforts and asmall-scale control grant program. The Tamarisk Coalition, who staff proposes administer this new grant program, believes that using existing federal, local, and private funds and in-kind services, every state dollar can be leveraged 3-4 times, meaning that the state share of costs for these projects will be in the 25% range, even if significant federal funds for the Demonstration Act are not timely appropriated. By way of example, some current opportunities include: 1. Corps of Engineers 206 program for 50-mile reach of Colorado River, Palisade to CO/UT state line. $5,000,000 over 5 years requiring a 35% local match. This is the Corps highest priority project out the Sacramento region. City of Grand Junction is the sponsor. 2. Garfield County tamarisk control fund at $100,000 per year. 3. USDA Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) through the State Conservationist, Allen Green, is authorizing $1,000,000 per year for tamarisk control by agricultural producers in Colorado. 4. Oil & Gas industry voluntary wildlife habitat restoration program is focusing on riparian restoration efforts with tamarisk infestations. Initial involvement is estimated at $500,000 in 2008 and could easily be several million in later years. . 5. Miscellaneous grants from National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish & Wildlife Service and several foundations require a minimum of a 1 to 1 match which could bring additional funding to Colorado. Statewide Interest The problem of tamarisk and/or Russian Olive infestation reaches into all watersheds of the state. The grant program proposed herein would be available statewide. As noted above, past Gov. Owens issued an Executive Order mandating the elimination of tamarisk from all public lands in Colorado by 201 ;. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends the Board request that the General Assembly authorize $1,000,000 from the Construction Fund to be appropriated to the CWCB to establish and fund the Tamarisk Control Cost- sharing Grant Program. In the alternative the Board may want to consider a request to the legislature for a significant direct allocation of severance tax funds for amulti-year tamarisk control program as discussed at Agenda Item 24a. CWCB staff will be available to answer questions about this proposal. 2