To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma, Sonoma County Public Infrastructure, and Sonoma County Regional Parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tennis Wick, 707-565-1925
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): First and Second
Title:
Title
Funding Agreement for the Environmental Protection Agency Grant Project: The North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project
End
Recommended Actions:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Director of Permit Sonoma to enter into a funding agreement with the City of Sonoma, and to receive grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund in the amount of $226,879.77 for a multi-agency water quality partnership grant titled the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project.
B) Adopt a Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to the Permit Sonoma Department Fiscal Year 2024-25 Final Budget in the amount of $49,909. (4/5th Vote Required)
C) Authorize the Director of Permit Sonoma to execute a contract with Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation to conduct vernal pool restoration and monitoring work in the Sonoma Valley Regional Park as part of Task 2.3 of the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Grant in an amount not to exceed $107,246 with a term ending October 7, 2029.
end
Executive Summary:
Permit Sonoma is requesting authority to enter into a funding agreement with the City of Sonoma to accept grant funds as part of an Environmental Protection Agency funded multi-agency grant project titled the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project. The intent of this project is to offset costs associated with the implementation of Federal and State ordered stormwater regulatory permit requirements through December 31, 2028 and aims to enhance resiliency against the impacts of climate change by promoting the development of native plants, optimizing the efficacy of interconnecting infrastructure, and implementing a robust stormwater outreach program specific to the local watersheds and requirements of the Phase II MS4 permit. The City of Sonoma will act as the fiscal agent for this grant, and the County of Sonoma is listed as a sub-awardee.
The department also requests Board authority to enter into a contract with Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation to fulfill Task 2.3-Sonoma Valley Regional Park Vernal Pool Habitat Restoration Expansion project activities under the North Bay Water Quality Partnership project, funded by the grant.
Discussion:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund offers funding grants for projects supporting and restoring water quality in the San Francisco Bay. On August 30, 2023, the City of Sonoma, in collaboration with Permit Sonoma Environmental Resources staff, the City of Petaluma, Counties of Napa and Marin and Sonoma Water, submitted the grant application titled the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project (NBWQPP) to the EPA. The grant was awarded in the amount of $1,526,621.21 on June 24, 2024 to help these partnering agencies fund efforts to improve water quality, meet current and future Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements, and develop restoration and flood capacity projects over a four-year period beginning August 2024. The County of Sonoma, a sub-awardee, was awarded $226,879.77 from those funds; with a 50% matching obligation provided through in-kind services from Permit Sonoma, Sonoma County Public Infrastructure and Sonoma County Regional Parks. Administrative responsibilities, including the demonstration of compliance with the grant provisions and quarterly financial and narrative reporting and invoicing, will be provided by Permit Sonoma.
Section 402(p) of the Federal Clean Water Act requires NPDES permits for storm discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) authorized General Permit coverage for storm water discharges for Small MS4s (Phase II communities) in Sonoma County by Water Quality Order No. 2013-0001-DWQ NPDES General Permit No. CAS000004 (Phase II Permit). Permit Sonoma administers the County MS4 permit and manages and performs the mandated stormwater program activities. Each year, Sonoma County is required to perform and report on State mandated actions and measurable goals under this permit to reduce impacts to water quality due to storm water runoff. Permit Sonoma collaborates with Sonoma County Public Infrastructure, Sonoma County Regional Parks, and other partner organizations to attain these goals.
The Phase II Permit requires compliance with all applicable TMDLs. TMDLs are numerical calculations of the maximum amount of pollutants that the Petaluma River and Sonoma Creek can assimilate and still meet the San Francisco Bay Basin Plan water quality standards. These TMDL requirements include monitoring and testing for sediment, pathogens, mercury, and PCB and pesticides.
Specific actions are required for watersheds that drain to the San Francisco Bay under the Phase II Permit. The Phase II Permit is anticipated for renewal in calendar year 2025, with additional permit requirements expected to include implementing actions under the State mandated Trash Provisions and compliance with TMDL action plans. To fund that work, the County of Sonoma is requesting approval to accept grant funding in the amount of $226,879.77 from the EPA San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund through the City of Sonoma, who is acting as the fiscal agent for the grant.
The project initiative aims to enhance resiliency against the impacts of climate change by promoting the development of native plants, optimizing the efficacy of interconnecting infrastructure, and implementing a robust stormwater outreach program specific to the local watersheds and requirements of the Phase II MS4 permit.
Specific tasks that will be accomplished under the grant include: 1) Install six small trash capture devices at two site locations in unincorporated County MS4 and monitor operation and maintenance of the devices to inform future installations; 2) Continue vernal pool restoration efforts in Sonoma Valley Regional Park; 3) Launch a multi-media outreach campaign to educate the general public on stormwater quality protection; and 4) General project management (see Attachment 4, the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project workplan, for additional details).
This project bolsters a growing partnership between the City of Sonoma, the City of Petaluma, the County of Napa, the County of Sonoma, Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water), the County of Marin, and the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation to implement three main project types: 1) Installation of large and small-scale trash capture devices in four separate municipal stormwater systems to meet Phase II MS4 permit requirements and improve water quality; 2) habitat restoration projects to improve water quality in riparian corridors and promote the establishment of Sonoma Sunshine, an endangered plant species; and 3) educational outreach throughout the partnering North Bay cities and counties with watersheds that drain to the San Francisco Bay.
The Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation (Foundation) joined the County of Sonoma in this grant proposal. The Foundation is a key partner in the scoping of Task 2.3 of the NBWQPP project, which will continue vernal pool restoration efforts in Sonoma Valley Regional Park, including the creation of more suitable habitat for the endangered plant, Sonoma Sunshine. To distribute funds as authorized in the grant award and to commence work on this project task, Permit Sonoma requests approval of the proposed contract with Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation in a not to exceed amount of $107,246. Funds will be used for site surveys, hydrological analysis, plant and soil studies, permitting, monitoring, reporting and conditional seeding of Sonoma Sunshine upon successful restoration.
Prior Board Actions:
10/13/2020: The Board authorized acceptance of a $1,055,323 grant from the EPA San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund for the Southern Sonoma Water Quality Improvement and Wetland Restoration Project and delegated its administration to the Director of Permit Sonoma.
04/07/2015: The Board authorized acceptance of a $991,119 grant from the EPA San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund for the Clean Streams in Sonoma County project, and delegated its administration to the Director of Permit Sonoma.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY 26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$58,990.26 |
$58,990.26 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$49,909.00 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$49,909.00 |
$58,990.26 |
$58,990.26 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
$49,909.00 |
$58,990.26 |
$58,990.26 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$49,909.00 |
$58,990.26 |
$58,990.26 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
This one-time grant will assist Permit Sonoma in covering costs associated with the State ordered stormwater regulatory permit and TMDL requirements over the course of four years. A budget adjustment is requested in the current fiscal year totaling $49,909 in the Permit Sonoma Natural Resources budget. Grant funds will be programmed in FY 2025-26, FY 2026-27 and FY 2027-28 though the annual budget process.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: North Bay Water Quality Funding Agreement with Exhibits:
Attachment 2: Budget Resolution
Attachment 3: Laguna de Santa Rosa Contract
Attachment 4: North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project Workplan
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None