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National Park Service (NPS)/Water Resources Division (WRD) Water-Quality Monitoring and Assessment (WQMA) Partnership for fiscal year (FY) 2001
National Park Service (NPS)/Water Resources Division (WRD) Water-Quality Monitoring and Assessment (WQMA) Partnership for fiscal year (FY) 2001
In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 412 March 23, 2000
OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 2000.03
Subject: National Park Service (NPS)/Water Resources Division (WRD)
Water-Quality Monitoring and Assessment (WQMA) Partnership for
fiscal year (FY) 2001
The NPS/WRD WQMA Partnership (see WRD Memorandum 99.17;
wwwoper.er.usgs.gov/memos/99/auto.html) is anticipated to continue in FY
2001 (pending congressional approval). This memorandum prescribes the WRD
process to propose, select, and fund water-quality work for NPS. District
Chiefs should be the primary liaison to the Parks regarding projects in the
NPS/WRD WQMA Partnership.
The selection of NPS/WRD water-quality work begins with discussions among
NPS Park Superintendents and staff and WRD managers and scientists. Ideas
for new projects can be pursued in several ways. Districts can expect
contacts from Park Superintendents who wish to do water-quality assessment
and monitoring projects as part of this program. The Park Superintendents
will be asking for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assistance in developing
preliminary project proposals. In addition, District and National Research
Program (NRP) scientists are encouraged to propose and discuss new research
topics with appropriate Park staff and should inform the appropriate
District Chief(s)of any decisions made in order to pursue formal proposals.
NRP scientists are expected to work collaboratively with District
scientists on projects funded by this program. Also, please note that
fixed-station monitoring is planned to occur on a 2- to 3-year rotation.
Thus, long-term (for example, permanent discharge gaging stations)
data-collection sites are not expected to be part of the program.
The process begins with the development of preliminary project proposals
which are limited to annual funding levels ($85,000 for intensive studies
and $42,500 for synoptic or fixed-station monitoring studies) as suggested
in the NPS, "Natural Resources Stewardship and Science FY2001 Unified
Project and Technical Assistance Call" that was sent out by NPS on February
25, 2000. Each preliminary proposal should follow standard guidelines and
protocol determined by the respective District and clearly reserve
appropriate funds for anticipated products. The resulting preliminary
project proposals will be submitted through District Chiefs (with approval
through the respective Region where necessary) to Park Superintendents to
NPS for internal screening and initial prioritization using criteria
described in Attachment 1. Keep in mind that this is a Partnership Program
and the NPS must submit preliminary proposals (referred to as "project
statements" by NPS) using their own guidelines and protocol. Attachment 1
contains the pertinent portions of the NPS Unified Call to help you
understand the NPS procedures and evaluation criteria (the entire Unified
Call can be found in Attachment 2 if you're interested) for your use in
developing the preliminary proposals.
Upon completion and submittal of the preliminary project proposals,
approximately 43 will be submitted to an NPS-USGS work group (3 NPS and 3
USGS members) for final prioritization and funding in FY 2001. Up to 50
percent of the 43 proposals may be selected for funding. If a proposal is
selected for funding, the responsible District must prepare a fully
detailed, Region-approved proposal/work plan for final acceptance and
funding.
It is suggested that preliminary project proposals address all the criteria
outlined in attachment 1 and should include:
(1) A statement of how the proposed work contributes to and focuses on an
enhanced understanding of Park water-quality management issues. In
addition,
proposals that include state-of-the-art water-quality methods
or enhance process understanding are preferred;
(2) Statements about collaboration with scientists from NRP, other
Districts,
National Water-Quality Laboratory, or other USGS Divisions and
academia;
Multi-year projects funded in previous years and proposed for FY 2001
funding will be subject to annual review and approval. Continuing projects
must prepare and submit a progress report following the suggested format
(see Attachment 3). The timeline for the steps of the preliminary proposal
prioritization, selection process, and progress reports is detailed in
Attachment 4. The first deadline will be May 26, 2000, when the
preliminary proposals (i.e., project statements) and progress reports are
to be submitted to the NPS Regions and Headquarters. Note, the sequence of
NPS internal screening and initial prioritization of preliminary project
proposals includes NPS clusters and regions and finally NPS headquarters.
Districts should coordinate with Park Superintendents to insure meeting NPS
cluster and region timelines for submitting proposals.
Questions concerning the NPS/WRD Partnership should be directed to
Mike Focazio (703-648-6808, mfocazio@usgs.gov).
Janice R. Ward
Acting Chief, Office of Water
Quality
Attachments (4)
Attachment 1--Background and Guidance for Project Statements (from
Sections of Unified Call for FY 2001 Natural Resource Project Funding
Proposals and for Natural Resource Program Center Technical Assistance
in FY 2001)
Attachment 2--Entire Unified Call for FY 2001 Natural Resource
Project Funding Proposals and for Natural Resource Program Center
Technical Assistance in FY 2001
Attachment 3--FY 2000 Continuing Project Progress Report Format
Attachment 4--Timeline for Submission, Review, and Selection of
Preliminary Proposals (i.e., "Project Statements"), Workplans, and
Progress Reports.
The memorandum does not supersede any other Office of Water Quality
Technical Memorandum.
Distribution: A, B, DC, NAWQA Study Unit Chiefs (1991, 1994, 1997)
===========================================================================
==
Attachment 1. Selected portions of the NPS "Natural Resources Stewardship
and Science FY2001 Unified Project and Technical Assistance Call"
Taken from Pages 2-12
I. Instructions and Criteria
I.A. General Instructions
These instructions apply to all the natural resources funding programs that
follow. Note that some individual programs also have other specific
requirements or criteria that may apply.
Number of Projects Submitted per Region: For competitive project funding,
the NR-MAP workload analysis is used to determine how many projects or the
total cost of projects that may be submitted by each region. Regions with
greater NR-MAP workloads, determined by the extent and complexity of
natural resources managed, may submit more projects or projects of a higher
estimated cost than regions with relatively smaller workloads.
Project Duration: To be eligible for Natural Resources funding, projects
must:
· Be non-recurring,
· Be funded and completed within the specified 1 to 3 year time limit,
and
· Provide useful results even if no follow-up work is undertaken.
In unusual circumstances and with WASO approval, project duration may be
extended an additional year where necessary for such things as completion
of reports; however, no additional funding will be provided. The proposal
should justify schedules exceeding three years and, in general, such
requests should not relate to the need for additional field seasons.
Continuation of previously funded projects may be submitted as new projects
only if adequate justification is provided.
Subject of Projects: All natural resource management projects are eligible,
except those projects funded through other Servicewide natural resource
programs. That is, eligible projects are those that may focus on any
natural resource other than:
· Air as an entity (e.g., visibility and pollutant monitoring and
meteorological monitoring are not eligible, while the natural resource
impacts of air resource threats are eligible),
· Acid precipitation as an entity (e.g., monitoring of precipitation and
water body acidification changes are not eligible, while natural resource
impacts of acidification on species or habitats are eligible),
· Water as a commodity (e.g., determining the location and amount of
water available for human consumption is not eligible), or
· Biological research (if a project is dependent upon biological
research, the research component and its cost must be listed separately).
Exclusions: Natural Resources project funds may not be used for:
· Salaries of permanent NPS employees,
· Maintenance of existing structures, or
· Construction or rehabilitation of structures that are not directly
related to preservation or restoration of natural resources.
Projects with Research Components: Biological research is not eligible for
Natural Resources Program funding, except through NRPP-Research funds
managed through USGS-BRD. If a natural resource management project is
dependent upon the results of biological research, the project statement
must delineate that portion which is ineligible research from the eligible
natural resource management component. The proposal should discuss how the
biological research component is going to be accomplished and address the
certainty of the research results being available for carrying out the
natural resource management portion of the project. This information will
be used in ranking the project in terms of information available on the
problem and project feasibility.
Non-biological research is eligible for Natural Resources Program funding,
and may be combined with follow-up management or mitigation. Also eligible
are pilot field-testing, methods refinement, or monitoring components.
Such projects must meet the duration limit above and must:
· Support in annual reports the amount of resource management or
mitigation funding that will be needed, and
· Be reviewed after research is completed and before the resource
management or mitigation funds are allotted.
Documentation: All proposals for Servicewide natural resource funding are
to be submitted in the form of Project Statements in the format prescribed
in the December 1994 RMP instructions. Project statements may not exceed
the 12-page length that is the maximum provided in the RMP software. The
12-page maximum should be obtained using standard 12-pt-sized fonts;
non-conforming proposals will not be considered. Two additional pages may
be appended to provide a map and graphic, if these contribute substantially
to explaining the project. Submitters are encouraged to be as succinct as
possible. Past experience has shown that length does not necessarily
contribute to the quality of a proposal.
Proposal documentation should include the following:
1) In the upper right corner of the project statement indicate:
· Name of Regional Office submitting proposal
· PMIS number(s) of the project
· Reference to any proposal submitted earlier that is modified, updated,
or changed by this submission
· Do not include regional priority ranking.
2) A project title clearly stating the project. An abstract, not to
exceed 10 lines, that describes the project purpose and expected
results. Pages should be numbered.
3) For a Regional Office proposal that involves multiple parks, one
project statement describing the combined project should be provided
that references all relevant park project statements. Attach a cover
sheet briefly describing the justification for and benefits of the
multi-park proposal and a list of the parks involved.
Multi-regional Projects: Proposals may be submitted that includes parks in
more than one region. The proposal should identify the lead responsibility
and the proportion of funding attributable to each region, where regions
are given a funding cap. Where regions have a maximum number of projects,
the proposal must identify which region's total the project counts against.
Also, attach a cover sheet that includes the names of regions involved, the
lead region, and a brief justification for and benefits of the multi-region
approach.
FY 2001 Natural Resources Funding Schedule
May 26, 2000: Project proposals for all Natural Resources funding
categories are due to NPS national program office.* Region
nominations for evaluation panels are also due. (NOTE:
Regions may have earlier dates for project submittals to
allow regional review and ranking.)
June 12-16, 2000: Panels convene to evaluate Water Resources and
AML/Disturbed Lands Restoration projects.
September 15, 2000: Technical assistance requests for FY 2001 are due to
Natural Resources Program Center Division Chiefs
October 2, 2000: Detailed implementation plans submitted for projects
expected to be funded in FY 2001.
December 30, 2000: Progress reports for all projects are due. Detailed
implementation plans revised as appropriate and approved.
WASO Budget Office requested to transfer funds to the
respective regions for new and continuing projects, if
eligibility criteria and progress reporting requirements are
met. Fund transfer date is contingent on approval of the
program office financial plans.
I.B. Natural Resources Project Ranking Criteria
These criteria are to be addressed and included with proposals for all
Natural Resources funding programs.
1. Significance of the Resource or Issue to the Park: How important is
the resource or issue to the park involved, relative to it's other
resources and issues? (Weighting Factor = X2)
5 High significance: resource or issue is one of the most
significant in the park, defined as unique, the subject of the
enabling legislation, fundamental to this park's ecosystem and
purposes (as opposed to basic resources such as air and water
that are fundamental to all parks), high priority in park RMP (is
not sufficient in itself), on federal or state lists as
endangered or threatened, required by statute, etc. A "5" will
generally require several of these criteria to be met.
3 Moderate significance: resource or issue is important, but not
singularly so for that park.
1 Resource or issue only peripherally related to park's purposes or
uses.
2. Severity of Resource Threat, Problem, or Need(s): (Weighting Factor =
X3)
5 Resource threat, problem, or need is current or imminent, and is
extensive, persistent, immediate, complex, likely irreversible, a
current or imminent risk to public health or safety, and/or
hazardous. Delaying the project will result in, or continue,
significant resource degradation.
3 Resource threat, problem, or need is potential, or moderate in
extent, persistence, and/or complexity. Delay of the proposed
project may result in, or continue, limited resource degradation.
A potential public health or safety threat exists.
1 Resource threat, problem, or need is minor, infrequent, remote,
and/or temporary. Immediate action is not necessary to protect
resources. Delaying the project will not result in, or continue,
significant resource degradation. Public health/safety is not an
issue.
3. Problem definition and information base: How well is the problem
defined? (Weighting Factor = X2)
5 The project statement clearly defines the problem. The
information base regarding the problem is well described and
provides sound foundation for problem resolution. If problem is
lack of information, project statement clearly documents extent
of existing information or lack thereof.
3 The project statement describes the problem in general terms.
The information base is mentioned but only moderately well
described.
1 Problem is poorly defined and/or availability of information is
not addressed.
4. Feasibility: (Weighting Factor = X3)
5 Objectives are clear; methodologies, procedures, and proposed
actions are technically sound; and time frame is reasonable to
accomplish project objectives.
3 Objectives are fairly clear; or methodologies, procedures, and
proposed actions are more or less technically sound; or project
objectives may not be accomplished within time frame.
1 Objectives are not clearly stated; or methodologies, procedures,
and proposed actions are not technically sound; or project cannot
be accomplished within time frames.
5. Problem resolution: Will the proposed use of funds contribute directly
to decisions or actions that, when implemented, will meaningfully
resolve a management issue? (Weighting Factor = X3)
5 The proposed project implements [for USGS...or develops
information for implementing...] specific management
prescriptions that will result in the final resolution of a
natural resource issue or threat [for USGS.. once the management
phase is implemented...]; no additional actions other than
follow-up monitoring are anticipated.
3 The proposed project will contribute to the future resolution of
a natural resource issue or threat by clarifying management
issues, articulating techniques or procedures, supporting an
inter-agency or regional strategy, etc. Additional studies,
management actions, and/or planning will be necessary to
completely resolve the stated issue or threat.
1 The proposed project is not directly related to the development
of management actions to resolve a specific issue or threat, but
will contribute basic information about park natural resources.
The focus here is on collection of baseline data, rather than
implementation of a management action.
6. Transferability: How widely will the project protocols or results be
useful? (Weighting Factor = X1)
5 The protocols or results of the project can contribute to
tangible needs at the national level (NPS or other organization),
and the park demonstrates the intention and ability to make the
information available widely.
3 The protocols or results of the project can contribute to
tangible needs at several parks or other organizations. The park
demonstrates the intention and ability to make the information
available to other units or organizations.
1 The project's tangible benefits are limited to the park.
7. Cost effectiveness: Given problem statement and proposed methodology,
are cost estimates realistic and commensurate with the results to be
produced? (Weighting Factor = X2)
5 Costs are realistic, well researched, clearly spelled out, and
defensible.
3 Costs appear reasonable given stated project objectives and
procedures, but proposal does not provide supportive data to
indicate how they were determined.
1 Costs appear disproportionately high or low in relation to the
stated project objectives and procedures; proposal does not
indicate that costs have been accurately evaluated.
8. Project Support: What resources (including in-kind contributions) are
the park, region or other partner(s) willing to commit to this project? A
detailed description of total project costs, including contributions is
required. (For NRPP projects, if matching non-federal funds contribute at
least 10% of the total project cost the weighting factor is = 2X.)
5 70% or more of the project costs covered by park, region or
partner(s)
4 51% - 69% of the project costs covered by park, region, or
partner(s)
3 39% - 50% of project costs covered by park, region, or partner(s)
2 38% - 10% of project costs covered by park, region, or partner(s)
1 less than 10% of project costs covered by park, region, or
partner(s)
9. Scientific Merit: What is the technical and scientific value of the
project?
NOTE: This criterion is applicable only to the NPS-USGS Geologic
Science and Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Partnerships.
(Weighting Factor = X3)
5 The proposed project exhibits superior scientific merit by
applying existing or new techniques to study unique and/or
complex park problems, and by providing high quality information
to managers and the public in useful and original products.
3 The proposed project exhibits scientific merit by applying
existing techniques to address park problems, and by providing
quality information to park managers and the public.
1 The proposed project does not exhibit scientific merit but will
provide basic water resource information to park managers and the
public.
Fee Demo Adjustment Factor: After proposals are scored on a technical
basis, each proposal's total point score will be adjusted based on the
park's fee collection status as follows: add 5 points for non-fee parks, 3
points for parks with less than $100,000/year in fee collections, and 0
points for parks with $100,000/year or more in fee collections.
Taken from Pages 30-35:
NPS-USGS Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Partnership
In FY 2001, funding is available from the U.S. Geological Survey's Water
Resources Division (USGS-WRD) to address NPS identified water quality
assessment and monitoring needs. Contingent on Congressional approval,
approximately $2.0 million will be allocated in FY 2001 to implement new
and continuing water quality projects in parks. While total project funds
are lower than last year due to budget restructuring in USGS, it is
expected that net project funds will remain about the same for project
activities. Project funds are not transferred to participating parks.
Rather, parks collaborate with USGS District Offices that will conduct the
water quality assessments and monitoring studies needed to satisfy the park
needs.
Funding Amounts for Project submittals:
Intensive Studies: $85,000/project/year
Synoptic Studies: $42,500/project/year
Fixed-Station Monitoring Studies: $42,500/project/year
Technical Assistance Requests: $10,000/request
Project duration: Not to exceed three years.
Number of projects per region: Based on NR-MAP workload. The number of
submissions is intended to allow funding for approximately 50% of projects.
The region may adjust the submissions among categories, but not exceed the
total project number.
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| | | Recommended Category Distribution |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| | Total # |Intensive/ Synoptic |
| Region | Project |StudiesFixed-Station Monitoring |
| | Statements|StudiesTechnical Assistance |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| Alaska | 5 | 221 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| Intermountain | 10 | 442 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Midwest | 5 | 221 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|National Capital| 3 | 111 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Northeast | 5 | 221 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Pacific West | 10 | 442 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Southeast | 5 | 221 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| TOTALS | 43 | 17179 |
|----------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
Subject of Projects: Projects will be accepted in the four categories
below. Project are encouraged to include a data analysis and
interpretation component by USGS to make the information immediately
applicable by NPS resource managers and also make specific provisions for
park interpreters and the USGS to present the information to the public.
1. Intensive Studies: Relatively large projects of that require in-depth
study of park water quality. Designed to characterize known or
suspected water quality problems, these will also focus on understanding
causes of contamination and the implications of water quality impairment
to aquatic biota. Most intensive studies are strongly issue-driven and
oriented towards priority water quality issues confronting the National
Park Service.
2. Synoptic Studies: Short-term investigations of water quality from
several sites during selected seasonal periods or hydrologic conditions.
Designed to focus on park-specific issues that may have broader regional
implications. Synoptic studies are intended to provide a quick
assessment of aquatic conditions at selected locations and to evaluate
the spatial relationships or contributions to those conditions, or to
provide baseline data and information where little exists.
3. Fixed-Station Monitoring: Monitoring that documents long-term trends in
water quality and determines if management actions are achieving water
quality objectives. Fixed-station monitoring will be designed to enable
park managers to know the health of nationally significant NPS water
bodies, know the effects of remediation actions, and document whether
external activities adversely affect park water quality. Generally,
fixed-station monitoring will be implemented using a "site rotation"
concept.
4. Technical Assistance: USGS technical assistance will consist of
evaluating water quality information and issues to assess watershed
management, engineering, maintenance or regulatory actions to protect,
mitigate or restore park water quality conditions.
USGS Coordination: Early in the process of assembling project proposals for
submission, parks must contact local USGS offices to inform them of park
needs, discuss strategies, and receive assistance in writing or revising
project statements and addressing the ranking criteria. The local USGS
District Chief should certify each submission, indicating that the work is
feasible and the schedule and costs are appropriate.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Standard requirements for proposals to the national program office are
presented in section I.A. General Instructions. For this partnership
program, an NPS-USGS work group will evaluate the project statements
submitted to the national office using the standard NR criteria plus
criteria #9, Scientific Merit, below. The NPS-USGS work group will develop
a list of priority projects for each funding category. The NPS Water
Resources Division will participate on the work group and will provide
assistance to parks during all stages of the process.
Criterion 9. Scientific Merit: What is the technical and scientific
value of the project? This is applicable only to the NPS-USGS
Geologic Science Partnership and the Water Quality Assessment and
Monitoring Partnership. (Weighting factor = X3)
5 The proposed project exhibits superior scientific merit by
applying existing or new techniques to study unique and/or
complex park problems, and by providing high quality information
to managers and the public in useful and original products.
3 The proposed project exhibits scientific merit by applying
existing techniques to address park problems, and by providing
quality information to park managers and the public.
1 The proposed project does not exhibit scientific merit but will
provide basic water resource information to park managers and the
public.
Detailed Implementation Plans: For the projects chosen for funding,
detailed implementation plans (or scopes of work) must be developed. The
implementation plans will be evaluated for technical adequacy by each park
and participating USGS District Office, then submitted for approval by the
applicable USGS Regional Office. The NPS-USGS work group will then review
USGS-approved implementation plans, with the assistance of independent
reviewers as appropriate. Implementation plans requiring revision will be
returned to the USGS offices and/or parks. Projects will not be initiated
until implementation plans have received final approval from the NPS-USGS
work group.
Proposal Submission: Send proposals to Dan Kimball, Chief, Water Resources
Division, 1201 Oak Ridge Drive, Suite 250, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80525.
Technical assistance: Guidance is available from the NPS-WRD and the
USGS-WRD in selecting project statements for submission, preparing the
overall project proposal submissions, and facilitating coordination with
USGS. To obtain assistance or information (including USGS District
personnel who can assist your park), please contact Barry Long, NPS-WRD, at
(970) 225-3519 (barry_long@nps.gov) or Mike Focazio, USGS-WRD, at (703)
648-6808 (mfocazio@usgs.gov).
==========================================================================
NATURAL RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP AND SCIENCE
FY 2001 UNIFIED PROJECT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CALL
40
NATURAL RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP AND SCIENCE
FY 2001 UNIFIED PROJECT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CALL
ATTACHMENT 2
Table of Contents
I. Instructions and Criteria 2
I.A. General Instructions 2
FY 2001 Natural Resources Funding Schedule 7
I.B. Natural Resources Project Ranking Criteria 8
I.C. Natural Resource Project Ranking Criteria Form 12
I.D. Parks as Classrooms Grants Related to Natural Resource Proposals
13
Parks as Classrooms Funding Criteria 13
II. Natural Resources Unified Project Call 15
II.A. Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP) 15
NRPP/ Resource Management 15
NRPP/Disturbed Land Restoration 16
NRPP/Threatened and Endangered Species 17
NRPP/Regional Small Park Block Grants 18
NRPP/Research 18
II.B. Biological Resources 19
Biological Resource Management Projects 19
USGS-BRD Species at Risk Program 20
II.C. Geologic Resources 22
Abandoned Mineral Lands (AML) Reclamation Projects 22
NPS-USGS Project Funding Partnership: Geological Science for Parks
23
USGS Geology Projects Linked To Parks 25
II.D. Water Resources 27
Water Resources Management Projects 27
Recreational Fisheries Restoration 29
NPS-USGS Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Partnership 30
Level 1 Water Quality Inventories 32
III. Natural Resource Program Center Technical Assistance 35
III.A. Air Resources Division 35
III.B. Biological Resource Management Division 36
III.C. Environmental Quality Division 37
III.D. Geologic Resources Division 38
III.E. Water Resources Division Technical Assistance 39
IV. External Funding and Assistance Programs 41
IV.A. Forest Pest Management Program 41
IV.B. Native Plant Conservation Alliance Initiative 43
IV.C. Pulling Together Initiative 45
I. Instructions and Criteria
I.A. General Instructions
These instructions apply to all the natural resources funding programs that
follow. Note that some individual programs also have other specific
requirements or criteria that may apply.
Number of Projects Submitted per Region: For competitive project funding,
the NR-MAP workload analysis is used to determine how many projects or the
total cost of projects that may be submitted by each region. Regions with
greater NR-MAP workloads, determined by the extent and complexity of
natural resources managed, may submit more projects or projects of a higher
estimated cost than regions with relatively smaller workloads.
Resource Management Plans (RMPs) and PMIS requirement: To be eligible for
Servicewide funding programs in past years, a park was required to have a
current resource management plan (RMP) in place. Due to ongoing changes in
the RMP, this requirement is suspended for FY 2001 funding only. However,
projects submitted for funding must be entered in the Project Management
Information System (PMIS), reflect the same funding level as the PMIS
project (may be reflected as part A, part B, etc., of a project), and
assigned a PMIS number. Regions and parks are advised that beginning in
FY2002, RMPs must be up to date at the time a project proposal is submitted
in order to be eligible for funding.
Project Duration: To be eligible for Natural Resources funding, projects
must:
· Be non-recurring,
· Be funded and completed within the specified 1 to 3 year time limit,
and
· Provide useful results even if no follow-up work is undertaken.
In unusual circumstances and with WASO approval, project duration may be
extended an additional year where necessary for such things as completion
of reports; however, no additional funding will be provided. The proposal
should justify schedules exceeding three years and, in general, such
requests should not relate to the need for additional field seasons.
Continuation of previously funded projects may be submitted as new projects
only if adequate justification is provided.
Subject of Projects: All natural resource management projects are eligible,
except those projects funded through other Servicewide natural resource
programs. That is, eligible projects are those that may focus on any
natural resource other than:
· Air as an entity (e.g., visibility and pollutant monitoring and
meteorological monitoring are not eligible, while the natural resource
impacts of air resource threats are eligible),
· Acid precipitation as an entity (e.g., monitoring of precipitation and
water body acidification changes are not eligible, while natural resource
impacts of acidification on species or habitats are eligible),
· Water as a commodity (e.g., determining the location and amount of
water available for human consumption is not eligible), or
· Biological research (if a project is dependent upon biological
research, the research component and its cost must be listed separately).
Exclusions: Natural Resources project funds may not be used for:
· Salaries of permanent NPS employees,
· Maintenance of existing structures, or
· Construction or rehabilitation of structures that are not directly
related to preservation or restoration of natural resources.
Projects with Research Components: Biological research is not eligible for
Natural Resources Program funding, except through NRPP-Research funds
managed through USGS-BRD. If a natural resource management project is
dependent upon the results of biological research, the project statement
must delineate that portion which is ineligible research from the eligible
natural resource management component. The proposal should discuss how the
biological research component is going to be accomplished and address the
certainty of the research results being available for carrying out the
natural resource management portion of the project. This information will
be used in ranking the project in terms of information available on the
problem and project feasibility.
Non-biological research is eligible for Natural Resources Program funding,
and may be combined with follow-up management or mitigation. Also eligible
are pilot field-testing, methods refinement, or monitoring components.
Such projects must meet the duration limit above and must:
· Support in annual reports the amount of resource management or
mitigation funding that will be needed, and
· Be reviewed after research is completed and before the resource
management or mitigation funds are allotted.
Projects with Cultural Resource Elements: Projects dealing with the natural
resource component or processes of historic scenes or cultural resources
are eligible if their purposes are to focus specifically on the natural
resource components.
Projects with Social Science Elements: Social science projects are eligible
if they relate to a need to protect or interpret natural resources. The
NPS Social Science Program can provide limited technical assistance in
developing project proposals and/or can help locate social scientists that
can provide needed expertise. Contact Visiting Chief Social Scientist Gary
Machlis at 202-208-5391 for assistance.
Parks as Classrooms Grants: To encourage interpretation of natural
resource management issues to the public, -the NPS -Parks as Classrooms
(PaC) initiative will provide matching funds for appro-priate educational
components of pro-jects (See section I.D.). The total cost of the
educational element should not be more than 20% of the total project
funding, with a maximum educational element cost of $25,000. The request
for matching funds should be no more than 50% of the cost of the
educational element (e. g., 10% of the total project cost.) Since this is
a cost-matching program with Interpretation, the proposal must include
concurrence from the park interpretation division.
The PaC -application must be submitted with the overall project proposal.
The project proposal should identify the specific educational element and
its funding. Since the possibility exists that a project could be selected
and approved for funding from the Natural Resources Program but not be
approved for funding from PaC, please provide information on whether or how
the educational component of the project could be accomplished with only
half the amount requested.
Documentation: All proposals for Servicewide natural resource funding are
to be submitted in the form of Project Statements in the format prescribed
in the December 1994 RMP instructions. Project statements may not exceed
the 12-page length that is the maximum provided in the RMP software. The
12-page maximum should be obtained using standard 12-pt-sized fonts;
non-conforming proposals will not be considered. Two additional pages may
be appended to provide a map and graphic, if these contribute substantially
to explaining the project. Submitters are encouraged to be as succinct as
possible. Past experience has shown that length does not necessarily
contribute to the quality of a proposal.
Proposal documentation should include the following:
1) In the upper right corner of the project statement indicate:
· Name of Regional Office submitting proposal
· PMIS number(s) of the project
· Reference to any proposal submitted earlier that is modified, updated,
or changed by this submission
· Do not include regional priority ranking.
2) A project title clearly stating the project. An abstract, not to
exceed 10 lines, that describes the project purpose and expected
results. Pages should be numbered.
3) For a Regional Office proposal that involves multiple parks, one
project statement describing the combined project should be provided
that references all relevant park project statements. Attach a cover
sheet briefly describing the justification for and benefits of the
multi-park proposal and a list of the parks involved.
Multi-regional Projects: Proposals may be submitted that includes parks in
more than one region. The proposal should identify the lead responsibility
and the proportion of funding attributable to each region, where regions
are given a funding cap. Where regions have a maximum number of projects,
the proposal must identify which region's total the project counts against.
Also, attach a cover sheet that includes the names of regions involved, the
lead region, and a brief justification for and benefits of the multi-region
approach.
Natural Resources Project Ranking Criteria: A set of criteria and a
response form to be included with all proposals for all funding sources are
included in section I.B. The response to each criterion is limited to 200
words. Responses exceeding this limit will not be accepted. The responses
must be submitted as an attachment to the project statement. This
procedure is designed to facilitate fair and objective comparisons among
competing projects. However, project statements must still stand on their
technical merit.
Matching Non-Federal Funds: The Administration has directed the NPS to seek
matching non-federal funds for NRPP funds. Therefore, NRPP projects
demonstrating matches with non-federal dollars will receive additional
credit (See Criterion #8).
Fee Demo Adjustment Factor: To encourage parks to use fee demo funds for
natural resource management and restoration work, in FY 2000 we will adjust
proposal scores based on the park's fee status. This continues a practice
begun in FY 1999. NPS management has made it clear that fee demo funds are
available for natural resource projects, and many parks are using fee funds
for resource management projects. Proposals that include fee funds as part
of the budget presently get point credit under ranking criterion #8,
Project Support. To "level the playing field" for parks with limited or no
access to fee money, an adjustment to the proposal point scores will be
made as follows (after projects are ranked on a technical basis): add 5
points for non-fee parks, 3 points for parks with less than $100,000/year
in fee collections, and 0 points for parks with $100,000/year or more in
fee collections. This adjustment will be applied to all Natural Resources
Program administered Servicewide funds.
Proposal Submission, Selection, and Approval Process: Proposals should be
submitted to the program contacts indicated in each funding section.
Electronic submittals are strongly encouraged to facilitate compilations.
However, hardcopy submittals are acceptable and some fund sources may
request a hardcopy. For each fund source, an independent panel of regional
representatives will be convened to evaluate proposals and develop a ranked
Servicewide list. Regions are requested to submit panel member nominations
to the appropriate program contacts.
Detailed Implementation Plans: Regions/parks submitting projects proposals
that are selected for possible funding will be required to develop a
detailed implementation plan. These plans must include a statement of the
problem, specific objectives to be addressed, approach and methods, tasks,
schedule, deliverables, principal project managers and their
qualifications, staffing needs and costs, products, and budget.
Implementation plans should address quality assurance and quality control
(QA/QC) planning, and consideration should also be given to including
specific plans for data management, analysis, and interpretation to the
public.
Implementation plans will be evaluated for technical adequacy by the
responsible funding office, with the assistance of independent reviewers as
appropriate. Implementation plans requiring revision will be returned to
the regional offices and/or parks. Funds will not be transferred until
detailed implementation plans have been approved and eligibility
requirements have been met.
Reporting Requirements: All natural resource funding sources measure
accountability through project accomplishment reports. Annual
accomplishment reports are due by December 30th of each year and should be
completed using the RMP accomplishments reporting process, the
Investigator's Annual Report submissions for research, or other similar
formats approved in the detailed implementation plan. For projects going
into a second or third year, an acceptable progress report must be received
before second or third year funds are transferred. Also, accomplishment
reports for previously funded projects must be completed before funds are
allocated for new projects in a particular park.
FY 2001 Natural Resources Funding Schedule
May 26, 2000: Project proposals for all Natural Resources funding
categories are due to NPS national program office.* Region
nominations for evaluation panels are also due. (NOTE:
Regions may have earlier dates for project submittals to
allow regional review and ranking.)
June 5-9, 2000: Panel convenes to evaluate Biological Resource
Management projects.
June 12-16, 2000: Panels convene to evaluate Water Resources and
AML/Disturbed Lands Restoration projects.
June 19-23, 2000: Panel convenes to evaluate NRPP/Resource Management and
T&E projects.
June 30, 2000: Regional small park allocation requests due to Associate
Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science.
September 15, 2000: Technical assistance requests for FY 2001 are due to
Natural Resources Program Center Division Chiefs
October 2, 2000: Detailed implementation plans submitted for projects
expected to be funded in FY 2001.
December 30, 2000: Progress reports for all projects are due. Detailed
implementation plans revised as appropriate and approved.
WASO Budget Office requested to transfer funds to the
respective regions for new and continuing projects, if
eligibility criteria and progress reporting requirements are
met. Fund transfer date is contingent on approval of the
program office financial plans.
-----------------------------
* For external funding sources, the following national deadlines apply:
USGS Geology Project Preproposals - April 7, 2000
Plant Conservation Alliance Initiative - June 2000
Forest Pest Management Program - September 5, 2000
Pulling Together Initiative - October 2000
USGS-BRD Species at Risk Program - Unknown; likely after January
2001
I.B. Natural Resources Project Ranking Criteria
These criteria are to be addressed and included with proposals for all
Natural Resources funding programs.
1. Significance of the Resource or Issue to the Park: How important is
the resource or issue to the park involved, relative to it's other
resources and issues? (Weighting Factor = X2)
5 High significance: resource or issue is one of the most
significant in the park, defined as unique, the subject of the
enabling legislation, fundamental to this park's ecosystem and
purposes (as opposed to basic resources such as air and water
that are fundamental to all parks), high priority in park RMP (is
not sufficient in itself), on federal or state lists as
endangered or threatened, required by statute, etc. A "5" will
generally require several of these criteria to be met.
3 Moderate significance: resource or issue is important, but not
singularly so for that park.
1 Resource or issue only peripherally related to park's purposes or
uses.
2. Severity of Resource Threat, Problem, or Need(s): (Weighting Factor =
X3)
5 Resource threat, problem, or need is current or imminent, and is
extensive, persistent, immediate, complex, likely irreversible, a
current or imminent risk to public health or safety, and/or
hazardous. Delaying the project will result in, or continue,
significant resource degradation.
3 Resource threat, problem, or need is potential, or moderate in
extent, persistence, and/or complexity. Delay of the proposed
project may result in, or continue, limited resource degradation.
A potential public health or safety threat exists.
1 Resource threat, problem, or need is minor, infrequent, remote,
and/or temporary. Immediate action is not necessary to protect
resources. Delaying the project will not result in, or continue,
significant resource degradation. Public health/safety is not an
issue.
3. Problem definition and information base: How well is the problem
defined? (Weighting Factor = X2)
5 The project statement clearly defines the problem. The
information base regarding the problem is well described and
provides sound foundation for problem resolution. If problem is
lack of information, project statement clearly documents extent
of existing information or lack thereof.
3 The project statement describes the problem in general terms.
The information base is mentioned but only moderately well
described.
1 Problem is poorly defined and/or availability of information is
not addressed.
4. Feasibility: (Weighting Factor = X3)
5 Objectives are clear; methodologies, procedures, and proposed
actions are technically sound; and time frame is reasonable to
accomplish project objectives.
3 Objectives are fairly clear; or methodologies, procedures, and
proposed actions are more or less technically sound; or project
objectives may not be accomplished within time frame.
1 Objectives are not clearly stated; or methodologies, procedures,
and proposed actions are not technically sound; or project cannot
be accomplished within time frames.
5. Problem resolution: Will the proposed use of funds contribute directly
to decisions or actions that, when implemented, will meaningfully
resolve a management issue? (Weighting Factor = X3)
5 The proposed project implements [for USGS...or develops
information for implementing...] specific management
prescriptions that will result in the final resolution of a
natural resource issue or threat [for USGS.. once the management
phase is implemented...]; no additional actions other than
follow-up monitoring are anticipated.
3 The proposed project will contribute to the future resolution of
a natural resource issue or threat by clarifying management
issues, articulating techniques or procedures, supporting an
inter-agency or regional strategy, etc. Additional studies,
management actions, and/or planning will be necessary to
completely resolve the stated issue or threat.
1 The proposed project is not directly related to the development
of management actions to resolve a specific issue or threat, but
will contribute basic information about park natural resources.
The focus here is on collection of baseline data, rather than
implementation of a management action.
6. Transferability: How widely will the project protocols or results be
useful? (Weighting Factor = X1)
5 The protocols or results of the project can contribute to
tangible needs at the national level (NPS or other organization),
and the park demonstrates the intention and ability to make the
information available widely.
3 The protocols or results of the project can contribute to
tangible needs at several parks or other organizations. The park
demonstrates the intention and ability to make the information
available to other units or organizations.
1 The project's tangible benefits are limited to the park.
7. Cost effectiveness: Given problem statement and proposed methodology,
are cost estimates realistic and commensurate with the results to be
produced? (Weighting Factor = X2)
5 Costs are realistic, well researched, clearly spelled out, and
defensible.
3 Costs appear reasonable given stated project objectives and
procedures, but proposal does not provide supportive data to
indicate how they were determined.
1 Costs appear disproportionately high or low in relation to the
stated project objectives and procedures; proposal does not
indicate that costs have been accurately evaluated.
8. Project Support: What resources (including in-kind contributions) are
the park, region or other partner(s) willing to commit to this project? A
detailed description of total project costs, including contributions is
required. (For NRPP projects, if matching non-federal funds contribute at
least 10% of the total project cost the weighting factor is = 2X.)
5 70% or more of the project costs covered by park, region or
partner(s)
4 51% - 69% of the project costs covered by park, region, or
partner(s)
3 39% - 50% of project costs covered by park, region, or partner(s)
2 38% - 10% of project costs covered by park, region, or partner(s)
1 less than 10% of project costs covered by park, region, or
partner(s)
9. Scientific Merit: What is the technical and scientific value of the
project?
NOTE: This criterion is applicable only to the NPS-USGS Geologic
Science and Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Partnerships.
(Weighting Factor = X3)
5 The proposed project exhibits superior scientific merit by
applying existing or new techniques to study unique and/or
complex park problems, and by providing high quality information
to managers and the public in useful and original products.
3 The proposed project exhibits scientific merit by applying
existing techniques to address park problems, and by providing
quality information to park managers and the public.
1 The proposed project does not exhibit scientific merit but will
provide basic water resource information to park managers and the
public.
Fee Demo Adjustment Factor: After proposals are scored on a technical
basis, each proposal's total point score will be adjusted based on the
park's fee collection status as follows: add 5 points for non-fee parks, 3
points for parks with less than $100,000/year in fee collections, and 0
points for parks with $100,000/year or more in fee collections. This
adjustment will be applied to all Natural Resources program administered
Servicewide funds.
I.C. Natural Resource Project Ranking Criteria Form
Responses are mandatory and are limited to no more than 200 words for each
criterion. Responses that exceed this limit will not be accepted.
1. Significance of the Resource or Issue to the Park: How important is
the resource or issue to the park involved, relative to it's other
resources and issues?
2. Severity of Resource Threat, Problem, or Need(s):
3. Problem definition and information base: How well is the problem
defined?
4. Feasibility:
5. Problem resolution: Will the proposed use of funds contribute directly
to decisions or actions, which, when implemented, will meaningfully
resolve a management issue?
6. Transferability: How widely will the project protocols or results be
useful?
7. Cost effectiveness: Given problem statement and proposed methodology,
are cost estimates realistic and commensurate with the results to be
produced?
8. Project Support: What resources (including in-kind contributions) are
the park, region or other partner(s) willing to commit to this
project? A detailed description of total project costs, including
contributions is required.
9. Scientific Merit : What is the technical and scientific value of the
project? (Only applicable to the NPS-USGS Geologic Science and
NPS-USGS Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Partnerships.)
I.D. Parks as Classrooms Grants Related to Natural Resource Proposals
To encourage inter-pretation to the public of critical natural resource
management and research concerns, -the NPS Interpretation Division's Parks
as Classrooms (PaC) program will provide matching funds for appro-priate
inter-pretive and educational components of natural resources pro-jects.
The PaC criteria are explained below and the PaC application form is
included. For additional information, contact the natural resource staff
listed in the specific portions of this call, or Bob Huggins in the WASO
Interpretation Division at (202) 565-1056.
For natural resource projects that include education/interpretation
elements, the project statement should identify the specific educational
element and its funding. The description must include information on how
the resource managers plan to develop and implement the educational or
interpretive project, including how the interpretive and/or educational
staff in the park will be involved. The PaC application must be filled out
and submitted with the overall project proposal. The Division of
Interpretation and Education will review these proposals based on the
criteria listed below.
The total cost of the educational element cannot exceed 20% of the total
project funding requested, with a maximum cost of $25,000. Those projects
chosen for funding can receive matching funds from PaC of no more than 50%
of the cost of the educational element. That is, the Natural Resources
Program will fund half of the educational/interpretive component of the
project and PaC will fund half. Parks selected to receive PaC funding must
include the educational component of the project in the required progress
reports.
Parks as Classrooms Funding Criteria
Servicewide Implications - What direct effect will the project have on the
National Park Service and what benefits will be provided to the public and
other park areas? The operative words are direct effect and the response
should be quantitative. Simply stating the "other Civil War parks can use
the product" does not demonstrate any widespread use, nor do justifications
such as "because it will be published on our Web Site, everybody in the
world could benefit from it."
Curriculum Based - (Natural resource educational projects that are not
curriculum-based will not be penalized. However, if the project is
curriculum-based, this criterion must be addressed.) How does the proposal
relate to established school curriculum? Is there a direct relationship
between the park and a school or school district? Curriculum based
programs are those in which the park and the school(s) are working together
to establish a program or product that will become an integral part of the
teaching/learning process in the school(s) for an extended period of time.
Program Impact - This criterion looks at both quantity and quality. The
total number of individuals that will be impacted is important
statistically, but the quality of the experience must also be taken into
consideration. A high quality program that reaches a relativity small
audience may have a greater overall impact (benefit to the NPS) than a more
"generic" program that reaches a large audience. One question to ask with
any program or product is "are we getting the best value (cost:benefit
ratio) for the buck?"
Program Outreach - The program is responsive to under-represented or
non-traditional audiences. These are programs specifically designed to
provide high quality educational experiences to audiences that
traditionally do not participate in the park or park service programs.
Longevity and Sustainability - What is the "lifetime" of the program and
how will it be sustained after the initial funding period? We are looking
for programs or products that have strong park and community support and
are able to sustain themselves for the anticipated life of the program.
(Examples: Video = long; curricula = long; three-year personal services
program = medium; one event = short)
Cost Support - How much support does the project have from the park and
community? What attempts have or will be made to secure additional funding
sources. Program funding could include park operating funds; in-kind
donations; outright donations of money, products, services and equipment;
National Park Foundation Grants; cooperating association funds; etc.
Normal park operating expenses and salaries of employees who would
otherwise be employed should not be counted. The proposal must contain a
detailed budget.
FY 2001 PARKS AS CLASSROOMS/NR FUNDING PROPOSAL
Park Name: __________________________Region:
_______________________________
Program Title: _______________________________________________
Park Contact Person: Phone:
Audience:
Program Description:
Identify the products that will result from this program:
Number of anticipated audiences and participants served:
Students Teachers School Districts Park
Visitors_____ Other ____ (explain)
Please address the applicable PaC criteria:
Budget Description ? Amount Requested and Matching Funds:
II. Natural Resources Unified Project Call
II.A. Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP)
NRPP/ Resource Management
This program call solicits proposals for funding to begin in FY 2001, or
later.
The FY 2000 budget increased the NRPP base funding level. This increase
will fund general resource management projects. Also, a portion of the
increase will fund projects in two specific categories: a) disturbed lands
restoration, and b) threatened and endangered species approved recovery
plan actions assigned to the NPS. Procedures for submitting proposals for
these two categories are described in the following sections of this call.
Funding Amount: Each proposal must be at least $50,000, but not more than
the lesser of $900,000 or the funding limit for the respective region
listed below.
Number of Projects Eligible For Submission: Regions may submit proposals
not to exceed the dollar amount specified below. To ensure that a
sufficient number of high quality projects are submitted, the total dollar
amount represents approximately twice the funding expected to be available
in 2001.
Alaska $451,000
Intermountain $1,465,000
Midwest $845,000
National Capital $225,000
Northeast $733,000
Pacific West $1,296,000
Southeast $902,000
Project Duration: Projects must be completely fundable within three fiscal
years.
Subject of Projects, Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval
Process, and Schedule: Requirements for proposals to the national program
office are presented in section I.A., General Instructions.
Parks as Classrooms Grants: Educational elements are eligible for -Parks
as
Classrooms (PaC) matching funds, as explained in section I.D.
Proposal Submission: Submit proposals to Mr. Gary Johnston, Biological
Resource Management Division, National Park Service, Room 3223-MIB, 1849 C
St. NW Washington, DC 20240.
Reporting Requirements: Annual accomplishment reports are due by December
30th and should be submitted to Mr. Gary Johnston, at the address above.
NRPP/Disturbed Land Restoration
This call solicits proposals for project funding to begin in FY 2001.
Funding Amount: Each proposal must be at least $50,000, and not more than
$250,000 total project cost.
NOTE: Restoration projects over $250,000 should be submitted to the
NRPP/Resource Management category. When appropriate, projects under
$50,000 may be submitted to the Abandoned Mineral Lands, NRPP/Threatened
and Endangered Species, or Water Resources Restoration categories.
Number of Requests per Region: Based on NR-MAP estimates, expected
available funding and average cost. We anticipate funding 30% to 40% of
the submitted projects.
|---------------+-----------|
| Region | Number of |
| | projects |
|---------------+-----------|
| Alaska | 1 |
|---------------+-----------|
|Intermountain | 3 |
|---------------+-----------|
|Midwest | 2 |
|---------------+-----------|
|National | 1 |
|Capital | |
|---------------+-----------|
|Northeast | 2 |
|---------------+-----------|
|Pacific West | 3 |
|---------------+-----------|
|Southeast | 2 |
|---------------+-----------|
| TOTAL | 14 |
|---------------+-----------|
Subject of Projects: Disturbed Land Restoration Projects involve actions to
reestablish natural processes or to correct resource damage caused by human
developments that have significantly altered the landscape structure and
function. Examples of such disturbances include abandoned structures;
abandoned mineral lands; abandoned or unauthorized roads; disrupted natural
stream channels, floodplains, wetlands, or shoreline processes; and other
abandoned developments or facilities (excluding prescribed fire, fire
rehabilitation, and grazing). Restoration activities should address the
biological and physical components of impaired natural systems as necessary
to reestablish naturally functioning terrestrial and aquatic habitats and
processes. Site-specific activities may include mitigating impaired soil
conditions; reestablishing natural hydrologic patterns, original contours,
and native vegetation; and reestablishing critical habitat elements.
Activities connected to site restoration, such as characterization,
compliance, design etc., are eligible as long as the primary project
purpose is the mitigation of natural resource impacts caused by human
development.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Requirements for proposals to the national program office are presented in
section I.A. General Instructions.
Parks as Classrooms Grants: Educational elements of restoration projects
are eligible for -Parks as Classrooms (PaC) matching funds, as explained in
section I.D.
Proposal Submission: Submit proposals to Dave Shaver, Chief, Geologic
Resources Division, via cc:Mail. Electronic submittals are strongly
preferred. Hardcopies are acceptable if necessary for maps, photos, etc.,
mailed to NPS-GRD, P.O. Box 25287, Lakewood, Colorado, 80225.
Reporting Requirements: Annual accomplishment reports are due by December
30th and should be submitted to Dave Steensen via cc:Mail or at the address
above.
Technical assistance: Guidance is available from the Geologic Resources
Division in developing, preparing, or revising project proposals. To
obtain such assistance and/or information, please contact Dave Steensen via
cc:Mail or phone at 303-969-2014.
NRPP/Threatened and Endangered Species - Approved Recovery Plan Actions
Funding Amount: Approximately $500,000 will be available in FY 2001. Total
project costs may not exceed $150,000.
NOTE: Threatened and Endangered Species projects over $150,000 should be
submitted to the NRPP/Resource Management category.
Number of projects to be submitted by each Region: Based on NR-MAP regional
workload.
Alaska 2
Intermountain 5
Midwest 3
National Capital 1
Northeast 3
Pacific West 5
Southeast 3
Subject of Projects: Each project proposal must identify the listed
species, the specific recovery action that it will implement, and reference
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service
approved recovery plan.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Requirements for proposals to the national program office are presented in
section I.A. General Instructions.
Proposal Submission: Submit proposals to Loyal Mehrhoff, Biological
Resources Management Division, via cc:Mail or mail to NPS-BRMD, 1201 Oak
Ridge Drive, Suite 200, Fort Collins, CO 80525.
Reporting Requirements: Annual accomplishment reports are due by December
30th and should be submitted to Loyal Mehrhoff via cc:Mail or at the
address above.
NRPP/Regional Small Park Block Grants
In FY 2001, $1,000,000 in Servicewide NRPP funding is available for block
grants to regions for projects in small parks. For regional planning
purposes, the FY 2001 allocation is listed below. These funds are
allocated to regions based on the number of parks listed in the "lower
third" of parks in the current year Budget Justification (for 2001, the FY
2000 justification was used). As a rule of thumb, parks under 10,000 acres
are considered small parks for purposes of this funding, but regions may
modify this criterion as appropriate to their region.
Regional Allocations for FY 2001: The allocation is proportionate to the
NR-MAP workload needs analysis of eligible parks.
|-----------------+---------------|
|Region |FY2001 Funding |
|-----------------+---------------|
|Alaska | $20,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
|Intermountain | $196,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
|Midwest | $168,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
|NCR | $82,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
|Northeast | $104,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
|Pacific West | $208,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
|Southeast | $222,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
|Total | $1,000,000 |
|-----------------+---------------|
Regional Submittal Process: Regions should submit allocation requests to
the Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science by June
30, 2000, to avoid end of year problems with fund transfers. This request
must be accompanied by a list of park projects to be funded. Projects
should have a descriptive title and dollar amount, and included the PMIS
number where applicable. Regions should submit the allocation request and
project list to Debby Peck via cc:Mail. As in prior years, small park
funds will be released by the Associate Director upon receipt from the
region of a list of parks and projects fitting the criteria.
NRPP/Research
Procedure for FY 2001 Project Proposals: The call for proposals, review
and rating of proposals, and transmittal to USGS-BRD of approved proposals
for the biological research NRPP will be made by each collaborative group
of NPS regions that was established in partnership with each BRD region.
Each collaborative group of NPS regions will announce its own specific
requirements as a follow up to this unified call. Contact whomever in your
regional office serves as your NPS regional science advisor for information
about your region's or your collaboration of regions' specific requirements
for the biological research NRPP proposal submission, evaluation, and
reporting process.
II.B. Biological Resources
Biological Resource Management Projects
The Biological Resource Management Division (BRMD) plans to fund biological
resource management projects in FY 2001.
Funding amount and duration: no more than $50,000 per project, two year
project maximum.
Number of Submitted Projects per Region: Based on NR-MAP workload
percentages, expected funding available, a $50,000/project average, and a
multiplier to provide a sufficient pool of projects. Regions may decide
the project category, but the total number of projects submitted may not
exceed the number of projects listed below.
Alaska 3
Intermountain 10
Midwest 6
National Capital 2
Northeast 5
Pacific West 9
Southeast 6
Total 41
Subject of Projects: Projects may include, but are not limited to,
integrated pest management, wildlife and vegetation management, exotic
species, wildlife health and disease, threatened and endangered species,
and ecosystem restoration. Projects will be funded in the following three
categories:
1. Species and Population Status: Projects in this category will be
designed to provide information about the number of species present, their
range, and distribution in the park. Proposed projects can supplement or
provide more detailed findings than inventories done under the Inventory
and Monitoring Program, but projects must not duplicate or overlap I&M
efforts. For example, projects could undertake specialized surveys to
determine if there are obligate insects on endangered host plants,
determine reproductive rates, or identify migration corridors. This
category will not fund recurring monitoring processes.
2. Assessment and Planning: Projects in this category will be designed to
assess the extent of a biological resource management issue, identify
management alternatives, prepare related management plans, and undertake
public review and comment on proposed actions.
3. Management Actions: Projects in the category will focus on the actual
management of species or ecosystems in parks. These projects must
implement priority management actions identified in management plans or
other planning documents.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Requirements for proposals to the national program office are presented in
section I.A. General Instructions.
Parks as Classrooms Grants: Educational elements of biological resource
management projects are eligible for -Parks as Classrooms (PaC) matching
funds, as explained in section I.D.
Proposal Submission: Submit proposals to Chief, Biological Resource
Management Division, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 200, Fort Collins, CO
80525.
Reporting Requirements: Annual accomplishment reports are due by December
30th and should be submitted to the Chief, Biological Resource Management
Division.
USGS-BRD Species at Risk Program
The USGS-Biological Resources Division (BRD) Species at Risk Program offers
opportunities for parks to solicit inventory and research projects that
address sensitive or listed species. For a park to be eligible for this
program, the park's species of concern must be included on lists maintained
by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Regional Offices. Parks wishing
to benefit from this program must recruit prospective researchers in BRD,
other federal organizations, Native American Tribes or Nations, state
organizations, private organizations, or academia to submit pre-proposals
in response to the annual call issued by BRD.
Subject of Projects: Species at Risk (SAR) projects are survey and research
activities that produce scientific information on the status of sensitive
species or groups of species for which there is concern but limited
information regarding abundance, distribution, and/or status. Projects
deal with the relationship of species abundance and distribution to habitat
conditions and stresses. Projects that focus on multiple species of
concern within the same habitat or ecosystem are encouraged. Projects
optimize partnerships with Federal agencies, states, universities, and the
private sector; and are conducted by investigators who have identified
small but critical gaps in our biological knowledge. The resulting
information will support development by Federal agencies of conservation
agreements, action plans, management alternatives, etc., that provide for
the protection of species and their habitats and thereby preclude the need
for listing species as threatened or endangered.
Funding amount and duration: In the FY 2000 SAR program, BRD provided
$740,000. The call for FY 2001 likely will approach the same amount of
funding. Projects are short duration, lasting no more than 18 months from
the date of initiation.
Proposal Submission and Review Process: Applicants submit Species at Risk
pre-proposals in response to, and according to the requirements of, the BRD
annual call. Pre-proposals are subjected to a screening process for
determining relevancy to meet high priority management needs. The authors
of top-rated pre-proposals are requested to develop full proposals. Fully
developed proposals are evaluated by peer reviewers for scientific merit,
technical capability, and technical feasibility. The timing and specific
requirements of this proposal preparation, submission, and review process
are identified in the annual call for proposals.
Schedule: BRD's annual call for FY 2001 funding is expected in early FY
2001.
Evaluation criteria: BRD evaluates projects on how well they identify or
develop useful information; focus on areas of particular concern identified
by the USFWS; are of short duration; can be completed for no more than
$80,000; meet format and P.I. requirements; clearly summarize methods and
expected results; and include partnerships. Pre-proposals and proposals
will be evaluated by BRD against evaluation criteria regarding their
scientific merit or technical innovation; technical feasibility;
qualifications of personnel; budget; partnerships; matching funds;
products; timing; and opportunity for information transfer.
Species at Risk Program Contact: Dr. Al Sherk at al_sherk@usgs.gov or at
(703) 648-4076.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Contacts for Identifying Species of
Particular Concern:
Region 1 - Contact: Denny Lassuy at 503-872-2763; denny_lassuy@fws.gov
Region 2 - Contact: Kathy Granillo at 505-248-6818; kathy_granillo@fws.gov
Region 3 - Contact: Sean Kelly at 612-713-5470; sean_kelly@fws.gov
Region 4 - Contact: Jim Brown at 404-679-7125; jim_brown@fws.gov
Region 5 - Contact: Jay Hestbeck at 413-253-8527; jay_hestbeck@fws.gov
Region 6 - Contact: John Nickum at 303-236-7917 ext 409;
john_nickum@fws.gov
Region 7 - Contact: Janet Hohn at 907-786-3544; janet_hohn@fws.gov
NPS Contact: Loyal Mehrhoff, Biological Resource Management Division, Fort
Collins, CO. Voice: 970-225-3521; Fax: 970-225-3585; email:
loyal_mehrhoff@nps.gov (Loyal Mehrhoff on cc:Mail).
II.C. Geologic Resources
Abandoned Mineral Lands (AML) Reclamation Projects
This call solicits proposals for project funding to begin in FY 2001.
Funding Amount: $5,000 to $50,000 per project, 2 years maximum.
NOTE: AML projects over $50,000 should be submitted to the
NRPP/Disturbed Lands Restoration category, or if over $250,000 to the
NRPP/Resource Management category.
Number of Requests per Region: Allocation is based on workload estimates
from the Servicewide AML database. Considering available funding and
expected average project cost, we anticipate funding about 50% of submitted
projects.
|--------------+----------------|
| Region | # of AML |
| | Projects |
|--------------+----------------|
| Alaska | 4 |
|--------------+----------------|
|Intermountain | 4 |
|--------------+----------------|
|Midwest | 2 |
|--------------+----------------|
|National | 1 |
|Capital | |
|--------------+----------------|
|Northeast | 2 |
|--------------+----------------|
|Pacific West | 5 |
|--------------+----------------|
|Southeast | 3 |
|--------------+----------------|
| TOTAL | 21 |
|--------------+----------------|
Subject of Projects: Abandoned mineral lands projects may involve
reclamation, restoration, or mitigation actions on NPS-administered sites
related to abandoned mineral exploration or development. Abandoned mineral
lands include surface and underground mines, oil and gas well-sites,
mineral material sites (e.g., sand and gravel) and ancillary disturbances,
such as access roads, structures, dams, etc. Specific activities may
include reclamation of mining-related disturbances to naturally functioning
conditions and processes, plugging abandoned oil and gas wells, mitigating
off-site natural resource degradation, conserving critical habitats, and
mitigating safety hazards. Activities connected to site reclamation, such
as inventory, characterization, contaminants screening, compliance, and
design, are eligible as long as the primary project purposes are the
resolution of natural resource impacts and/or safety problems.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Requirements for proposals to the national program office are presented in
section I.A. General Instructions.
Parks as Classrooms Grants: Educational elements of restoration projects
are eligible for -Parks as Classrooms (PaC) matching funds, as explained in
section I.D.
Proposal Submission: Submit proposals to Dave Shaver, Chief, Geologic
Resources Division, via cc:Mail. Electronic submittals are strongly
preferred. Hardcopies are acceptable if necessary for maps, photos, etc.,
mailed to NPS-GRD, P.O. Box 25287, Lakewood, Colorado, 80225.
Reporting Requirements: Annual accomplishment reports are due by December
30th and should be submitted to Dave Steensen via cc:Mail or at the address
above.
Technical assistance: Guidance is available from the Geologic Resources
Division in developing, preparing, or revising project proposals. To
obtain such assistance and/or information, please contact Dave Steensen via
cc:Mail or phone at 303-969-2014.
NPS-USGS Project Funding Partnership: Geological Science for Parks
The FY 2001 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) budget proposal includes $750,000
to address NPS needs for geologic mapping, research, and interpretation.
Contingent on Congressional approval, USGS will fund new geology projects
in parks. Similar to the current USGS-WRD partnership, no project funds
will be transferred to participating parks. Rather, parks will collaborate
with USGS Regional Offices and USGS geologists who will conduct the work
specified in the project statements.
Funding Amounts and Duration: Maximum annual cost per project is $150,000
(from this funding source; but other funding sources, including other USGS
funds, may be used to cover additional costs of larger projects.) Projects
may not exceed three years.
Total Projects per Region: Based on NR-MAP workload and expecting to fund
about 40% of the project submittals.
|-----------------+------------------|
| Region | Total for All |
| | Projects |
|-----------------+------------------|
| Alaska |$160,000 |
|-----------------+------------------|
|Intermountain | $460,000 |
|-----------------+------------------|
|Midwest | $290,000 |
|-----------------+------------------|
|National Capital | $ 70,000 |
|-----------------+------------------|
|Northeast | $270,000 |
|-----------------+------------------|
|Pacific West | $430,000 |
|-----------------+------------------|
| Southeast | $350,000 |
|-----------------+------------------|
Subject of Projects: Proposals should address one or more of the following
themes:
- Production of digital bedrock or surficial geologic maps to address
park resource management or planning needs, including compilation or
digitization of existing maps.
- Assessment, mapping, or monitoring of surficial processes and geologic
hazards potentially affecting parks, particularly volcanic, earthquake, and
landslide hazards.
- Characterization of coastal processes, including baseline data on
shoreline morphology, impacts of human changes to the shoreline, and the
effects of sea or lake level change.
- Studies of the dynamics of and threats to cave and karst systems,
including regional studies.
- Geological components of local or regional geohydrological studies.
- Studies linking geology to park and regional ecosystem processes.
- Analyses of the potential impacts of mineral extraction.
- Development of geologic education materials for park management or the
public, including producing interpretive products, website development, and
training of park interpretive staff.
Projects are encouraged that include an educational component by USGS to
make information immediately pertinent to NPS resource managers and also
make specific provisions for interpreting the information to the public.
USGS Coordination: In developing proposals, parks should work closely with
USGS scientists to help target projects toward one or more of the
programmatic strengths of the USGS. Geological expertise in the USGS is
focused in several broad thematic areas: Geologic Mapping, Geologic
Hazards, Coastal and Marine Processes, Surficial Geologic Processes,
Mineral Resources, and Energy Resources. Proposals are also encouraged
that would involve emeritus geologists and USGS interpretive specialists.
Early in the process of developing proposals for submission, parks should
contact local USGS offices to inform them of park needs, discuss
strategies, and receive assistance in preparing proposals.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Standard requirements for proposals are presented in section I.A. General
Instructions. For this partnership, an NPS-USGS work group will evaluate
the project statements submitted to the national office using the standard
criteria plus criteria #9, Scientific Merit, below. The NPS Geologic
Resources Division will participate on the work group and will provide
assistance to parks during all stages of the process.
Criterion 9. Scientific Merit: What is the technical and scientific
value of the project? This is applicable only to the NPS-USGS
Geologic Science Partnership and the Water Quality Assessment and
Monitoring Partnership. (Weighting factor = X3)
5 The proposed project exhibits superior scientific merit by
applying existing or new techniques to study unique and/or
complex park problems, and by providing high quality information
to managers and the public in useful and original products.
3 The proposed project exhibits scientific merit by applying
existing techniques to address park problems, and by providing
quality information to park managers and the public.
1 The proposed project does not exhibit scientific merit but will
provide basic water resource information to park managers and the
public.
Detailed Implementation Plans: For projects selected for funding, the lead
USGS geologist must develop detailed implementation plans. The
implementation plans will be evaluated for technical adequacy by each park
and participating USGS program, then submitted for approval by the
applicable USGS Regional Office. The NPS-USGS work group will then review
USGS-approved plans, with the assistance of independent reviewers as
appropriate. Projects will not be initiated until implementation plans
have received final approval from the NPS-USGS work group.
Proposal Submission: Send proposals to Dave Shaver, Chief, Geologic
Resources Division, via cc:Mail. Electronic submittals are strongly
preferred. Hardcopies are acceptable if necessary for maps, photos, etc.,
mailed to P.O. Box 25287, Lakewood, Colorado, 80225.
Technical assistance: Guidance is available from the NPS-GRD and the USGS
in selecting project statements for submission, preparing the overall
proposal submission, and facilitating NPS coordination with USGS. To
obtain assistance or information (including USGS personnel who can assist
your park), contact one of the NPS liaisons to the USGS: Lindsay
McClelland, USGS headquarters and eastern region, (202-208-4958); Bruce
Heise, USGS central region (303-969-2017); or Judy Rocchio, USGS western
region (415-427-1431).
USGS Geology Projects Linked To Parks
USGS Call for Project Proposals: In 2001 the USGS Geologic Division will
continue working with the NPS to develop a process to identify park
geology-related needs, and link them to ongoing USGS geology projects.
Since this is part of the ongoing USGS program, these park projects
generally need to be incorporated in broader USGS projects. The USGS
program does not provide direct funding to the NPS. Instead, USGS staff is
assigned to the geologic projects. Parks are expected to provide
appropriate in-kind and logistical support, including facilitation of the
permit process. Geologic projects that parks have found useful in the past
include geologic mapping, geologic hazards and resource assessments,
studies of coastal processes, and work with interpretive programs. For FY
2001, the NPS and USGS will jointly select new projects through the process
outlined below, designed to target the highest priority park needs.
NOTE: This is a different process from the one used for park projects
submitted under the new NPS/USGS Geologic Science Support for Parks
(described in the previous section), which is part of a proposed program in
the Department's FY 2001 budget. Parks should not submit the same or
similar proposals through both processes. NPS contacts can provide advice
on selection of the appropriate process for a given proposal.
Proposal Development: Parks interested in USGS geology projects need to
coordinate directly with USGS scientists to develop proposals. The USGS
uses a 2-stage internal process to select projects. More than a year is
often required to develop an approved project, typically involving
workshops and other consultation between USGS scientists, parks, and other
potential project collaborators and beneficiaries. Although proposals
initiated now are unlikely to be funded before FY 2002, parks are
encouraged to submit preproposals to begin the process of project
development.
For each project, USGS geologists submit a brief preproposal, which USGS
management reviews and suggest improvements or refinements. These
suggestions are incorporated into full proposals, which USGS geologists
submit through the USGS Geologic Division annual planning process. To be
successful, full proposals must demonstrate that effective science will be
used to address important management issues. To facilitate the process,
copies of preproposals and proposals should be provided via cc:mail to
Lindsay McClelland, the NPS liaison with the USGS national office.
Proposal format: The USGS proposal format must be used and is available
through USGS contacts. A park manager and the appropriate USGS Team Chief
Scientist are required to approve preproposals and proposals. Potential
permitting concerns (such as collecting methods and locations, access to
project sites, and wilderness issues) should be addressed in the proposal.
Proposal topics: A unified prospectus for the USGS Geologic Division
outlining project opportunities and requirements may be obtained from USGS
geologists or one of the NPS liaisons to USGS in early March. Projects may
involve a single geologic topic, such as landslide hazards, coastal
erosion, or geologic mapping, or geology may be an element of a larger
project such as ecosystem assessment, disturbed land restoration, cave and
karst management, or park planning. Interdisciplinary proposals that
involve more than one program or USGS Division are encouraged, as are
cooperative projects that involve state geological surveys and/or
university-based scientists. Where appropriate an interpretation or
education component is also encouraged.
Evaluation and ranking: The USGS scientific partner is responsible for
submitting the joint USGS-NPS proposal. USGS Chief Scientists and Program
Coordinators evaluate preproposals for mission relevance and USGS
capabilities, and provide feedback to USGS investigators and parks to
refine and develop full proposals. A joint NPS/USGS review panel will
evaluate the full proposals for new projects and work plans for ongoing
projects using USGS criteria that emphasize scientific merit and linkage to
USGS program priorities.
Schedule: Preproposals due to NPS WASO and USGS ? mid-April 2000
Preproposal evaluation to principal investigators and parks ?
mid-May 2000
Full proposals due to NPS WASO and USGS ? mid-June 2000
USGS project evaluation ?- summer 2000
More specific dates will be available upon release of the geologic
component of the USGS integrated prospectus.
NPS Contacts: Parks with potential projects should contact the NPS liaisons
to USGS:
Lindsay McClelland, USGS headquarters and eastern region,
(202-208-4958);
Bruce Heise, USGS central region (303-969-2017); or
Judy Rocchio, USGS western region (415-427-1431).
They can facilitate USGS coordination and provide assistance on proposal
preparation.
II.D. Water Resources
Water Resources Management Projects
This call solicits proposals to begin in FY 2001.
Funding Amount and Duration: $50,000 maximum per project, 2 years maximum.
NOTE: Water resources/wetlands restoration projects in the $50,000
to $250,000 range should be submitted to the NRPP - Disturbed Land
Restoration category. Restoration projects greater than $250,000
should be submitted to NRPP - Resource Management.
Number of projects allowed per region: Based on NR-MAP workload. The
project limit is intended to result in about 50% of submitted projects
receiving funding. Regions may adjust the number of submis-sions among
categories, but may not exceed the total projects number.
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
| | Total | |
| Region | Projects | Recommended Category Distribution |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
| | | Water Quality Mitigation, Restoration, |
| | | and AssessmentWetlands Restoration, |
| | | Inventory, and ProtectionHydrology, |
| | | Watershed Management and Planning |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
|Alaska | 6 | 222 |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
|Intermountain| 12 | 444 |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
|Midwest | 6 | 222 |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
|National | 3 | 111 |
|Capital | | |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
|Northeast | 6 | 222 |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
|Pacific West | 12 | 444 |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
|Southeast | 6 | 222 |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
| TOTALS | 51 | 171717 |
|-------------+----------+------------------------------------------|
Subject of Projects: Projects will be accepted in the following three
categories:
1. Water Quality Mitigation, Restoration and Assessment: Projects support
park-based activities, including the design of information management
systems, regulatory assessments, riparian/stream and watershed restoration
and protection projects with water quality goals or other water quality
improvement projects. May also include design and implementation of Best
Management Practices required to improve water quality to meet
state-mandated polluted runoff or nonpoint source pollution control or
other park water quality goals and objectives. In addition, projects that
encompass one-time assessments or inventories of water quality baseline
conditions or contaminants may be submitted. Project statements requesting
more than $50,000 for monitoring, complex assessments of water pollution,
and other special study needs must be submitted to the NPS-USGS Water
Quality Assessment and Monitoring Partnership program.
2. Wetlands Restoration, Inventory, and Protection: Projects include
wetland restoration design and implementation, impact or condition
assessments, inventories, functional assessments, applied research,
protection efforts, monitoring, and other wetland projects consistent with
NPS policies, directives, and procedures.
3. Hydrology, Watershed Management and Planning: Projects include
groundwater assessment and monitoring, well and spring inventories, stream
and riparian habitat restoration, stream function assessments, channel and
bank stability investigations, stream type classifications, watershed
condition assessments, watershed management, surface water hydrology
studies, floodplain assessments, river management, water resources
management planning, and other water resources-related projects.
Note: Water resources funding for monitoring in these categories is
intended for: 1) design and establishment of new monitoring programs that
would subsequently be sup-ported by base funds or other sources, or 2)
short-term, issue-specific monitoring efforts which could be completed
(including data analysis) as part of the project. This funding is not
intended to serve as a source of "soft money" to keep long-term monitoring
programs running for two or three years.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Requirements for proposals to the national program office are presented in
section I.A. General Instructions.
Parks as Classrooms Grants: Educational elements of restoration projects
are eligible for -Parks as Classrooms (PaC) matching funds, as explained in
section I.D.
Reporting Requirements: For projects going into year two, the Water
Resources Division must receive acceptable progress reports before
second-year funds are transferred.
Proposal Submission: Send proposals to Dan Kimball, Chief, Water Resources
Division, 1201 Oak Ridge Drive, Suite 250, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80525.
Technical assistance: Technical Assistance and guidance are available from
the Water Resources Division in evaluating and revising project proposals.
To obtain assistance or information, please contact Dan Kimball at
970-225-3501 (General Inquiries), Gary Rosenlieb at 970-225-3518 (Water
Quality), Joel Wagner at 303-969-2955 (Wetlands), Gary Smillie at
970-225-3522 (Hydrology), or Mark Flora at 303-969-2956 (Planning).
Recreational Fisheries Restoration
NPS Funding: No funding is available in the Water Resources program for
fisheries restoration projects, but fisheries projects may qualify for
funding under the NRPP/Resource Management, NRPP/Disturbed Lands
Restoration, and NRPP/Threatened and Endangered Species categories.
Recreational Fisheries Restoration Partnership: Proposals submitted to the
Water Resources Division will become part of the Heritage Fisheries
Restoration Program and the division will seek funding through the American
Sportfishing Association and the National Park Foundation. To be eligible
for funding by these organizations, projects must provide direct benefits
to recreational fisheries, must be completed within three years, and must
involve on-the-ground improvements of fish populations and/or habitats, or
fishing access facilities.
Partnership Funding Amount and Duration: Total project not to exceed
$30,000 ($10,000/year maximum) with 3 year maximum duration.
Proposal Format: No special format is required for projects in the
Recreational Fisheries category. RMP project statements or PMIS statements
that include a description of the work, benefits to recreational fisheries,
a proposed budget and a list of cooperators or partners will be adequate
for review purposes.
Number of Projects per Region: For FY 2001, each region may submit no more
than the following number of Water Resources Recreational Fisheries
Restoration project statements:
Alaska 2
Intermountain 4
Midwest 2
National Capital 1
Northeast 2
Pacific West 4
Southeast 2
Proposal Submission: Dan Kimball, Chief, Water Resources Division, 1201 Oak
Ridge Drive, Suite 250, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80525.
Technical assistance: Technical Assistance and guidance are available from
the Water Resources Division in evaluating and revising project proposals.
To obtain assistance or information, please contact Jim Tilmant at
970-225-3547.
NPS-USGS Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Partnership
In FY 2001, funding is available from the U.S. Geological Survey's Water
Resources Division (USGS-WRD) to address NPS identified water quality
assessment and monitoring needs. Contingent on Congressional approval,
approximately $2.0 million will be allocated in FY 2001 to implement new
and continuing water quality projects in parks. While total project funds
are lower than last year due to budget restructuring in USGS, it is
expected that net project funds will remain about the same for project
activities. Project funds are not transferred to participating parks.
Rather, parks collaborate with USGS District Offices that will conduct the
water quality assessments and monitoring studies needed to satisfy the park
needs.
Funding Amounts for Project submittals:
Intensive Studies: $85,000/project/year
Synoptic Studies: $42,500/project/year
Fixed-Station Monitoring Studies: $42,500/project/year
Technical Assistance Requests: $10,000/request
Project duration: Not to exceed three years.
Number of projects per region: Based on NR-MAP workload. The number of
submissions is intended to allow funding for approximately 50% of projects.
The region may adjust the submissions among categories, but not exceed the
total project number.
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| | | Recommended Category Distribution |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| | Total # |Intensive/ Synoptic |
| Region | Project |StudiesFixed-Station Monitoring |
| | Statements|StudiesTechnical Assistance |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| Alaska | 5 | 221 |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| Intermountai| 10 | 442 |
| n | | |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Midwest | 5 | 221 |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|National | 3 | 111 |
|Capital | | |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Northeast | 5 | 221 |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Pacific West | 10 | 442 |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
|Southeast | 5 | 221 |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
| TOTALS | 43 | 17179 |
|--------------+------------+--------------------------------------|
Subject of Projects: Projects will be accepted in the four categories
below. Project are encouraged to include a data analysis and
interpretation component by USGS to make the information immediately
applicable by NPS resource managers and also make specific provisions for
park interpreters and the USGS to present the information to the public.
1. Intensive Studies: Relatively large projects of that require in-depth
study of park water quality. Designed to characterize known or
suspected water quality problems, these will also focus on understanding
causes of contamination and the implications of water quality impairment
to aquatic biota. Most intensive studies are strongly issue-driven and
oriented towards priority water quality issues confronting the National
Park Service.
2. Synoptic Studies: Short-term investigations of water quality from
several sites during selected seasonal periods or hydrologic conditions.
Designed to focus on park-specific issues that may have broader regional
implications. Synoptic studies are intended to provide a quick
assessment of aquatic conditions at selected locations and to evaluate
the spatial relationships or contributions to those conditions, or to
provide baseline data and information where little exists.
3. Fixed-Station Monitoring: Monitoring that documents long-term trends in
water quality and determines if management actions are achieving water
quality objectives. Fixed-station monitoring will be designed to enable
park managers to know the health of nationally significant NPS water
bodies, know the effects of remediation actions, and document whether
external activities adversely affect park water quality. Generally,
fixed-station monitoring will be implemented using a "site rotation"
concept.
4. Technical Assistance: USGS technical assistance will consist of
evaluating water quality information and issues to assess watershed
management, engineering, maintenance or regulatory actions to protect,
mitigate or restore park water quality conditions.
USGS Coordination: Early in the process of assembling project proposals for
submission, parks must contact local USGS offices to inform them of park
needs, discuss strategies, and receive assistance in writing or revising
project statements and addressing the ranking criteria. The local USGS
District Chief should certify each submission, indicating that the work is
feasible and the schedule and costs are appropriate.
Documentation, Criteria, Selection and Approval Process, and Schedule:
Standard requirements for proposals to the national program office are
presented in section I.A. General Instructions. For this partnership
program, an NPS-USGS work group will evaluate the project statements
submitted to the national office using the standard NR criteria plus
criteria #9, Scientific Merit, below. The NPS-USGS work group will develop
a list of priority projects for each funding category. The NPS Water
Resources Division will participate on the work group and will provide
assistance to parks during all stages of the process.
Criterion 9. Scientific Merit: What is the technical and scientific
value of the project? This is applicable only to the NPS-USGS
Geologic Science Partnership and the Water Quality Assessment and
Monitoring Partnership. (Weighting factor = X3)
5 The proposed project exhibits superior scientific merit by
applying existing or new techniques to study unique and/or
complex park problems, and by providing high quality information
to managers and the public in useful and original products.
3 The proposed project exhibits scientific merit by applying
existing techniques to address park problems, and by providing
quality information to park managers and the public.
1 The proposed project does not exhibit scientific merit but will
provide basic water resource information to park managers and the
public.
Detailed Implementation Plans: For the projects chosen for funding,
detailed implementation plans (or scopes of work) must be developed. The
implementation plans will be evaluated for technical adequacy by each park
and participating USGS District Office, then submitted for approval by the
applicable USGS Regional Office. The NPS-USGS work group will then review
USGS-approved implementation plans, with the assistance of independent
reviewers as appropriate. Implementation plans requiring revision will be
returned to the USGS offices and/or parks. Projects will not be initiated
until implementation plans have received final approval from the NPS-USGS
work group.
Proposal Submission: Send proposals to Dan Kimball, Chief, Water Resources
Division, 1201 Oak Ridge Drive, Suite 250, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80525.
Technical assistance: Guidance is available from the NPS-WRD and the
USGS-WRD in selecting project statements for submission, preparing the
overall project proposal submissions, and facilitating coordination with
USGS. To obtain assistance or information (including USGS District
personnel who can assist your park), please contact Barry Long, NPS-WRD, at
(970) 225-3519 (barry_long@nps.gov) or Mike Focazio, USGS-WRD, at (703)
648-6808 (mfocazio@usgs.gov).
Level 1 Water Quality Inventories
As part of the Servicewide Inventory and Monitoring Program, the Water
Resources Division will assist the parks listed below in the initiation and
completion of "Level I" water quality inventories. Several basic water
quality parameters for "key" water bodies within park boundaries are
required for a complete inventory including alkalinity, pH, conductivity,
dissolved oxygen, temperature, and flow. Other constituents (as determined
on a case-by-case basis) may include toxic elements, clarity/turbidity,
nitrate/nitrogen, phosphate/phosphorous, chlorophyll, sulfates, and
fecal-indicator bacteria.
Targeted Level I Parks for FY 2001 Funding: Using an assessment of over 200
Baseline Water Quality Data Inventory and Analysis Reports prepared to
date, WRD has identified the parks with the least water quality information
on surface-water resources. Based on this
information, the following 19 parks are invited to submit Inventory Project
Plans for conducting Level I water quality inventories in FY 2001:
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
|Intermountain |Golden Spike National Historic Site |
|Region | |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Hovenweep National Monument |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Yucca House National Monument |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Petrified Forest National Park |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Coronado National Memorial |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Canyon De Chelly National Monument |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Casa Grande Ruins National Monument |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Fossil Butte National Monument |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
|Midwest Region |Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Fort Union Trading Post National Historic |
| |Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Fort Larned National Historic Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Fort Scott National Historic Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Herbert Hoover National Historic Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Mount Rushmore National Memorial |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
|Northeast Region |Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
|Pacific West Region|Manzanar National Historic Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| |Fort Vancouver National Historic Site |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
|Southeast Region |Russell Cave National Monument |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
| | |
|-------------------+---------------------------------------------|
Due Date: August 14, 2000
Funding Amounts: $5,000 per key waterbody, NTE $30,000 per park
Project Duration: One year
Inventory Project Plan Requirements: Each park electing to conduct the
Level I inventory must submit a project plan that includes the following
elements:
1. Introduction: Include a description of each key water body (such as
stream, spring, or river), its significance to the park, and a map
depicting the location of each of the key water bodies where water quality
inventories will occur.
2. Principal Investigators: Describe who will be responsible for
supervising and conducting the inventory. The Principal Investigators can
be members of the park staff, university professionals, other government
agency staff (see technical assistance below), or a contracted consultant.
The laboratory that will be used for any chemical analysis should also be
identified.
3. Sampling Plan: Include a listing of the Level I parameters that will be
inventoried, the frequency that each key water body will be sampled, and a
sampling schedule that considers seasonal variations in flow and climate.
Quarterly sampling should be sufficient for most park inventories.
However, higher frequencies will be permitted if justified by unique or
unusual hydrologic or climatic conditions in the park. A brief discussion
of the Quality Assurance/ Quality Control procedures should also be
included.
4. Field and Analytical Protocols: Describe sampling and analytical
methods that will be employed. Inventories should use established
protocols such as those in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the
Examination of Water and Wastewater. WRD has a publication that summarizes
several suitable protocols for the inventory of freshwater environments
entitled Water Quality Inventory Protocol: Riverine Environments that will
be provided on request.
5. Data Management and Archiving: All water-quality inventory data
(physical, chemical, and biological) collected during this project must be
permanently archived in the Environmental Protection Agency's STORET
Version 1.1 water quality database. This will be a primary responsibility
of the Principal Investigator. To fulfill this requirement, Principal
Investigators may directly archive the data in STORET themselves or elect,
in writing, for the NPS Water Resources Division to archive the data in
STORET. Irrespective of who archives the data, the Principal Investigator
must furnish (on disk with the final report) the following four files:
Water Quality Inventory Data
Water Quality Parameter Definitions
Water Sampling Location Information
Project Background Information
6. Budget: A tabular summary of salaries, equipment, analytical cost,
travel, and the total cost of the inventory is required.
Reporting Requirements: Upon completion of the field portion of the
inventory, an administrative report shall be prepared and submitted to the
Park Superintendent and the NPS Water Resources Division. The report must
contain a brief description of the inventory process, goals, and
objectives; a map depicting the sites inventoried; tables depicting the
results of the laboratory and field analyses; and a 3.5" diskette
containing the four files documenting the water-quality inventory results
as outlined in Data Management and Archiving above.
Technical Assistance: Technical assistance is available from the Water
Resources Division for developing Level I inventory project plans. If the
park does not have the staff to develop an inventory plan, or otherwise
conduct the work necessary to complete the Level I inventory requirements,
the WRD will negotiate an agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey to
complete the inventory in FY2000. Questions should be directed to Gary
Rosenlieb of the Water Resources Division (970-225-3518). For answers to
questions concerning the content or format of the four files for archiving
water-quality inventory data in STORET, Principal Investigators should
contact Dean Tucker (970-225-3516).
Send inventory project plans to: Gary Rosenlieb, Water Resources Division,
National Park Service, 1201 Oak Ridge Drive, Suite 250, Fort Collins,
Colorado, 80525.
III. Natural Resource Program Center Technical Assistance Requests
III.A. Air Resources Division
Requests for Air Resources Division (ARD) technical assistance should be
forwarded to Chris Shaver, Chief, ARD, by September 15, 2000. No special
format is required; however, a prioritized list from each region is
requested. The ARD will cover travel and staff costs associated with
technical assistance provided by the ARD. As in the past, the ARD will
evaluate the response to this call and, depending on staff availability,
respond to as many of these technical assistance requests as possible. The
ARD will identify the planned FY 2001 technical assistance activities in
its FY 2001 Work Plan.
There is no Servicewide funding for new monitoring sites or research
projects, but a moderate amount of funding is expected to be available for
interpretive projects and for preparing inventories and control strategies
for emissions sources within parks. There is not sufficient funding to
warrant a formal competitive process, but regions are asked to prioritize
requests for interpretive projects and to identify up to 3 parks, in
priority order, where in-park emission inventories or control strategies
would be helpful.
The Air Resources Division has technical expertise in all areas of air
resource management, including air quality modeling, monitoring,
interpretation, planning, regulatory development, effects of air pollution
on biological resources and visibility, emission control technology, and
smoke management. Assistance in areas that are part of the ARD's
Servicewide program need not be specifically requested (e.g., federal
legislative and regulatory processes, permit reviews for major new sources
wishing to locate near Class I areas, maintaining air quality monitoring
network and central databases, development of modeling techniques for
assessing the impact of single or multiple sources on air quality or air
quality related values). However, assistance with site-specific
information needs or legislative, regulatory or policy issues should be
requested in advance if the need for such assistance is known.
The Division can provide technical assistance to the parks in the specific
areas listed below.
Impacts of New Air Pollution Sources. For projects that may affect air
quality in NPS units, review of environmental impact statements (EISs) for
adequacy of pollution control technology, air quality modeling analysis
(pollution concentra-tion estimates), and potential for effects on
sensitive resources in the parks; guidance for potential EIS preparers;
review of construction permit applications for new air pollution sources
proposing to locate near NPS units not designated as Class I areas.
State Interaction. Coordination with state air agencies and assistance in
the development of state air programs that are consistent with the
preservation and protection of NPS units; coordination with lead
superintendent/region on state air activi-ties.
NPS Planning, Operations, Training, and Interpretation. Coordination of
air quality portions of park management plans and associated environmental
compliance documents (e.g., general management plans, resource management
plans, fire/smoke management plans); inventories of emission sources within
parks; pollution prevention and control strategies for in-park pollution
sources; development of air quality interpretive materials and
coordination of their use with field; development of a public health air
quality advisory program; development of air quality training programs and
materials for NPS personnel. As noted above, funding is available to
support some these projects.
Information Management and Data Analysis. Provide assistance in
incorporating park-specific air quality-related data into the air resource
portion of "Synthesis" (the natural resource information management
system); perform statistical analysis of air quality and air quality
related data; provide technical assistance to parks in the collection,
analysis, reporting, and interpreta-tion of air quality data; application
of GIS technology to air resource management issues and problems; prepare
and disseminate to the parks, regions, the Directorate, and the public
periodic reports of air quality information obtained from the research and
monitoring programs.
Analyses of Visibility Conditions. Application of analytic/mathematical
methods to determine causes and sources of visibility impairment; conduct
and assess studies on the causes of visibility impairment and to identify
remedial strate-gies to reduce documented impairment.
Analyses of Ecological Effects. Assessment of the effects of air pollution
on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in parks; assessment of the
sensitivities of elements in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with
respect to air pollution; development of models to predict ecosystem
changes that might result from increases in pollution stress resources;
assistance in developing project proposals and identifying funding sources,
including, liaison with the U.S. Geological Survey's Biological Resources
and Water Resources Divisions.
Please contact the Air Resources Division if assistance is needed in
identifying and/or developing technical needs.
III.B. Biological Resource Management Division
Requests for Biological Resource Management Division (BRMD) technical
assistance should be forwarded to the Chief, BRMD, 1201 Oak Ridge Drive,
Suite 200, Ft. Collins, Colorado, 80525. BRMD will provide technical
assistance in the areas of exotic species and integrated pest management,
restoration ecology, threatened and endangered species, and wildlife
management (including wildlife capture, chemical anesthesia, and health and
disease).
Requests should be received by September 15, 2000. Although no special
format is required, a prioritized list from each region is requested.
Travel and staff costs associated with technical assistance is funded by
BRMD. The BRMD will evaluate each request and depending upon staff
availability and expertise, will respond to as many technical assistance
requests as possible.
III.C. Environmental Quality Division
Requests for Environmental Quality Division (EQD) technical assistance in
FY99 should be forwarded to Jacob Hoogland, Chief, EQD, by September 15,
2000. No special format is required; however, a prioritized list from each
region is requested. The EQD can provide technical assistance to parks in
any of the areas described below, depending on staff availability. The
division can also facilitate access to specialists in non-governmental
organizations, academic institutions, and other agencies.
Environmental Impact Analysis and Conservation Planning: Under the National
Environmental Policy Act, federal agencies may have an obligation to
conduct and prepare environmental analysis of their proposed activities.
The Division can provide advice and assistance in preparing these documents
as well as integrating other state or federal requirements into a single
analysis. Assistance can also be provided on issues such as cumulative
impact analysis, alternative development, and related issues. These
include but are not limited to: environmental justice issue analysis,
environmental impact analysis training, interagency coordination,
environmental mediation, evaluation of environmental documents, federal
energy regulatory commission processes, external review processes, public
participation, and impact analysis and consultation under section 4(f).
Emergency Response: Assistance and on-site support for oil spills and
hazardous substance releases under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), Clean Water
Act (CWA), and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act (CERCLA) when emergency actions are required or recommended
under the National Contingency Plan (NCP) including: NPS policy guidance,
emergency spill response contractor (on-call nationally 24 hours),
emergency medical response/monitoring for chemical exposures (contracted
service), Federal funding support, financial management and cost
reimbursement, liaison with USCG/USEPA/other federal and state response
agencies, certified on-scene coordinator (OSC) and unified command support,
emergency response checklists and guidance (24 hour in-house service),
spill response training, and national and regional response team support
(NRT & RRT).
Contingency Planning: Technical and financial assistance on pre-spill
planning and internal compliance requirements under the Oil Pollution Act
(OPA), CERCLA, and RCRA including: NPS policy and guidance, national
emergency response plan, regional and area planning under OPA and NCP
mandates, vessel management and facility management plans, new EPA one-plan
support, PREP exercises.
Natural Resource Damage Assessment: Direct support and technical assistance
on natural resource damage claims under OPA, CWA, CERCLA, and the National
Park System Protection Act (16 USC 19jj) including: Natural resource damage
assessments (NRDA) training, case management, and contract support; NPS
policy and NPS authorized official; DOI NRDAR funding support, regulatory
process and guidance; restoration planning and implementation; liaison and
coordination with SOL, DOJ; coordination with other federal, state and
tribal natural resource trustees; economic valuation procedures and
methodologies; injury determination and quantification criteria; natural
resource damage settlements and covents not to sue; damage assessment cost
recovery; negotiations with responsible parties and insurers; memorandum of
agreements and funding agreements with responsible parties.
III.D. Geologic Resources Division
Requests for Geologic Resources Division (GRD) technical assistance in
FY2000 should be forwarded to Dave Shaver, Chief, GRD, by September 15,
2000. No special format is required; however, a ranked list of all
projects is requested from each region. Successful technical assistance
requests generally involve services that can be provided by GRD staff and
completed within a relatively short time. The division can provide
assistance directly or