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<br />Agenda Item 13, Native Species Conservation Trust Fund Recommendations
<br />January 24-25, 2006 Board Meeting
<br />Page 4 of 5
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<br />would be required for capital expenses and for O&M expenses, it is recommended at this time that
<br />$1,850,000 be for O&M and the balance ($3,150,000) allocated to capital.
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<br />3. Colorado Division of Wildlife Recommendation: $3,500,000 SCTF O&M Account to support
<br />$400,000 annual program
<br />The CDOW species conservation program is responsible for maintaining the health of 900+
<br />species. Currently the CDOW expends $7 million per year (excluding land acquisitions associated
<br />with species conservation) on species conservation work, concentrated on about fifty specific
<br />species. The CDOW species conservation projects are generally multi-year, ongoing projects.
<br />Funding is essential to their success and the CDOW believes that as a rule only the interest generated
<br />each year by the funds in the SCTF O&M account should be used to fund projects. If a portion of
<br />the principal is used each year to fund projects, it should be based on no less than a ten-year
<br />amortization ofthe funds in the O&M account. Assuming a ten-year amortization, a dedicated $3.5
<br />million in the SCTP O&M account would support ongoing species conservation projects of
<br />approximately $400,000 per year.
<br />Therefore the CDOW proposes that $3.5 million ofthe re-capitalized O&M account funds be
<br />used to provide financing for CDOW species conservation projects over a ten-year period, and that
<br />the FY 06-07 SCTP authorization bill include $400,000 of O&M account funds for the following:
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<br />a. Sagebrush-dependent species, including Gunnison Sage Grouse, Greater Sage Grouse,
<br />Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse, Gunnison Prairie Dog and others. Work includes enrolling ranches
<br />in Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAAs), regular ongoing monitoring of .
<br />CCAAs, population inventories, habitat assessments, habitat management, translocations, genetic
<br />analyses, surveys and population research.
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<br />b. South Platte River I Arkansas River Native Species, including plains minnow, brassy
<br />minnow, northern redbelly dace, common shiner, lake chub, suckermouth minnow, Arkansas darter,
<br />flathead chub, southern redbelly dace, and others. Work includes population inventories, genetic
<br />evaluation, population research, habitat assessments, habitat improvements, propagation, and
<br />population monitoring.
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<br />c. Shortgrass prairie-dependent species, including Mountain Plover, black-tailed prairie dog,
<br />burrowing owl, swift fox, and others. Work includes research into chick survival, nest clearing in
<br />fields, population monitoring, population inventories, habitat inventories, development and
<br />implementation of management plans, cooperative programs with private landowners to advance
<br />agricultural practices that minimize adverse impacts to the species, and population research.
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<br />Discussion
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<br />The capital account currently contains adequate appropriated funds to meet the anticipated
<br />expenditures of both the UCRIP and SJRIP through PY 05-06. Approximately $2,614,000 of
<br />appropriated funds remains in the SCTP capital account and that is earmarked for the Platte River
<br />Program. We have a foreseeable need for approximately $1.883 million over the next 2 or 3 years to
<br />complete Colorado's remaining cost share obligations under the UCRIP and SJRIP. In addition, we .
<br />anticipate a need for at least $24 million to complete the 1 ,t increment of the CA recovery program
<br />and that need could increase depending on the final program that is agreed upon and the outcome of
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<br />Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
<br />Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning
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