22 ‎(10)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 5/20/2009
• Description: WSP Section - Tamarisk Control Cost Sharing Grant Pr9ogram - Transmittal of Grant Applications
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

.

.

.

II. Grant Approval Criteria

A. Competitive Process
The Board will select the projects to fund totaling $900,000 from those applicants best
meeting the following minimum requirements. The Board reserves the right to negotiate
with successful applicants to modify the scope and/or budget of their projects to better
meet CWCB objectives and fund availability. A four member evaluation team consisting
of a CWCB and CDA staff member, a Tamarisk Coalition representative, and an
environmental or volunteer organization representative, will review the applications and
provide a set of recommended projects to the Board. Any entity submitting an
application for funding will be excluded from participation on the evaluation team. The
CWCB will review and consider those recommendations and make final project
selections at a regularly scheduled Board meeting.

B. Reauired Proiect Elements
The TRO Program objective is to provide funding for on-the-ground activities necessary
for TRO control and subsequent restoration activities physically located in a watershed
covered by a State approved, watershed based TRO control plan. Applicants must
demonstrate consistency with that plan in order to assure a coordinated, efficient and
cost effective Program. "State approved TRO control plan" means a plan approved by
the State Weed Coordinator in the CDA, which is consistent with the Colorado Noxious
Weed Act and implementing regulations.

Projects must demonstrate that all four mandatory components of TRO control can be
reasonably achieved:
1. Control of TRO in priority infested areas through "integrated pest
management" (I PM) techniques optimized based on the extent of infestation
and on-site characteristics.
2. Native revegetation/restoration, as identified in the State approved TRO
control plan for the watershed. Revegetation may be through either natural
processes or through direct intervention (Le. reseeding or replanting)
depending on the existing ecological condition of the project area and
consistent with the TRO control plan. Revegetation shall meet the needs of
land owners' intended uses to the extent possible while protecting against re-
entry of invasive vegetation.
3. Monitoring of project effectiveness shall continue beyond project completion
for a minimum of five years. Development of a monitoring plan, including a
budget item for monitoring, must be included as part of each application.
Monitoring should continue for a longer period, but funding sources for this
longer period do not need to be identified or secured at this time. An annual
monitoring letter report shall be provided to the CWCB each year for a
minimum of five years after project completion. The reasonable estimated
costs of monitoring during the initial five year period will be credited as a
component of the applicant's matching fund obligation at project closeout and
final payment.
4. Maintenance of restored areas, which shall continue for a minimum of five
years beyond project completion. A maintenance plan will be developed and
included as part of each funded project. The reasonable estimated costs of

CWCB TRO Grant Guidance and Procedures

Page 3