BOARD02073

• Board Meeting Date: 9/22/2003
• Description: ISF Section - Fish & Wildlife Mitigation Account Request
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

To: Colorado Water Conservation Board September 12,2003
From: Jerry Curtis, Past President LBPOAlDirector SJWCD
Subject: Funding for the Rio Blanco Project

Ladies and Gentlemen of the CWCB Board,

I regret that I could not personally appear before you today but I know my good
friend and neighbor, Frank Zellner, will be an excellent and capable spokesman
in representing the LBPOA in our request for assistance on Phase 2 of the
Blanco River Project. Several of the valley neighbors have also indicated they
will be here today and Frank may call upon some of them to speak to you as
well.

I recently provided the CWCS with a copy of the September Semi-Annual Report
to the EPA submitted for the period ending September 15th. I realize that you
may not have had an opportunity to really delve into the report and I wanted to
emphasize a point that just came to surface on the final day I submitted the
reports. We received the final billing statement from our contractor for work
completed in July that ended at the R. V. Park Bridge where many of you met for
the River Tour during your July meeting held in Pagosa Springs. The
Contractor's statement along with the "retainage" statement will amount to a
deficit of $8735.00 when paid. I have been given an estimate of $80,000.00
needed to finish the remaining % mile or so of Phase 2. The LBPOA has asked
the CWCB for $80,000.00 so we may finish the project. We also are asking the
NRCS for a $50,000 Grant. You may think we are asking for a total of $130K but
that is not the case. We have emphasized we are only wanting enough funding
to complete the 2nd Phase. If we are successful in getting the NRCS Grant
[which is a 50-50 Cash Match Grant], then we will not need the entire amount for
which we are asking. If, however, that NRCS Grant were not successful, then it
will be up to the SJWCD, SWWCD, and the LBPOA to make up the remaining
difference. The brunt of the initial $72,500 cash match came from these ,
organizations. The Board should also keep in mind we have [6] more miles of i
river to restore and other matching requirements in the years ahead. To add
additional funding requirements on these entities at this time would be a
hardship, yet one we are willing to make if the NRCS Grant does not happen. "

I respectfully request the CWCB grant the $80,000.00 funding request submitted
by the LBPOA with the understanding that if the Federal NRCS Grant is
successful, and the estimated completion costs are overstated, any unused
funding will be returned to both the NRCS and the CWCB.

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