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Talking Points Provided to General Assembly January 2008 re
<br />Tamarisk Control Cost-Sharing Grant Program
<br />HISTORY - CWCB's involvement has been substantial in developing a well planned strategy to solving
<br />Colorado's tamarisk problem. A brief history of CWCB's actions is provided below.
<br />1. Recognizing the severity of this problem, Executive Order D00203 directs DNR, the Dept. of
<br />Agriculture, and any other state agency ... to take measures necessary to eradicate tamarisk on
<br />public lands within l0 years ... "and to "submit a report ... outlining a viable plan.. .
<br />2. In January 2004 DNR submitted the required plan to Governor's office and it was accepted. The plan
<br />recommends a local watershed based approach to tamarisk control, with the state providing a technical
<br />assistance and coordinating role. CWCB took on this challenge.
<br />3. On Oct. 1 1, 2006 the President signed the Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Control Demonstration Act,
<br />PL 109-320. Sponsors included Rep. Udall and Salazar, and Sen. Allard and Salazar. The Act authorizes
<br />matching funding for large-scale demonstration projects. Colorado is now in the best position of any state
<br />to access this grant program when federal funding becomes available.
<br />4. In 2006 and 2007 CWCB completed the statewide mapping and inventorying of tamarisk.
<br />5. In 2007 the Colorado Headwaters Invasives Partnership (CHIP) plan was completed for the Colorado,
<br />Gunnison, and Dolores rivers and endorsed by Governor Ritter. Currently, companion plans for the
<br />Arkansas, Purgatoire, White, San Juan, Republican, and Yampa rivers are in various stages of
<br />completion. All are being completed through a grant for technical assistance from CWCB.
<br />6. A little over one year ago Russ George, previous DNR Director, was adamant that the state needed to
<br />"stop talking and start doing" something about the tamarisk problem in Colorado. CWCB is ready to
<br />move into "on-the-ground" tamarisk and Russian olive control efforts.
<br />COST-SHARING GRANT PROGRAM DETAILS - CWCB has included a provision in its 2008
<br />"Projects Bill" to allocate $1,000,000 from the severance tax trust fund operational account to the Board's
<br />Construction Fund to be used in implementing aCost-sharing Grant Program for Tamarisk Control.
<br />CWCB's intent for these funds is:
<br />1. Tamarisk and Russian olive control, revegetation, and monitoring to ensure successful restoration of
<br />riparian lands.
<br />2. Local match of a minimum of one half of the costs of restoration as non-state cost-sharing, which may
<br />consist of a combination of in-kind and cash match.
<br />3. Grants available to communities, conservation districts, non-profits, and other eligible entities through
<br />a competitive process with input from the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
<br />4. A portion of the appropriated fund, not to exceed 10 percent, will be used for grant program
<br />administration, scientific research, and monitoring to better target projects and assess their effectiveness.
<br />The supervisory financial management role shall remain with the CWCB.
<br />5. Use the Cost-sharing Grant Program as seed funds to take full advantage of other grant programs from
<br />Federal sources such as EPA, Corps of Engineers, and USDA; and from private foundations.
<br />It is CWCB's intent that upon demonstration of the grant program's success, the CWCB will request
<br />additional funding in future fiscal years.
<br />HB08-1346, as enacted
<br />SECTION 29. Tamarisk control cost-sharing grant program -appropriation.
<br />(1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the
<br />severance tax trust fund operational account not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural
<br />resources, for allocation into the Colorado water conservation board construction fund, for the fiscal year
<br />beginning July 1, 2008, the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000), or so much thereof as may be
<br />necessary, for the board to finance a tamarisk control cost-sharing grant program.
<br />(2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section shall remain available for the designated
<br />purposes until the project is completed and shall not be subject to the two-year reserve requirement
<br />contained in section 39-29-109 (1) (c) (III) (A), Colorado Revised Statutes.
<br />[Same at 2008 Session Laws, chapter 338, Section 29]
<br />Note: Staff and EDO have confirmed that Sen. Isgar and Rep. Curry understood and intended that the
<br />Board's Tamarisk Control Program would also address Russian olive control, despite silence as to Russian
<br />olive in section 29.
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