Cooperative Agreement 02J57901

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO LANE REGIONAL AIR PROTECTION AGENCY (LRAPA). SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL FUND EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY-DEVELOPED SMOKE COMMUNITY RESPONSE PLAN; HIRE A WOOD WASTE PROGRAM COORDINATOR TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF A FIREWOOD PROGRAM THAT DELIVERS SEASONED FIREWOOD TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS; IDENTIFY ECONOMICALLY VIABLE USES FOR LOCAL FOREST STOCK THAT CAN HELP WITH REDUCING FOREST FUEL LOAD; CONDUCT A RESEARCH ASSESSMENT ON WILDFIRE SMOKE IN RURAL EASTERN LANE COUNTY FOCUSED ON HEALTH AND MORBIDITY IN RELATION TO THE LIMITATION OF PRESCRIBED FIRE IN THE WILLAMETTE NATIONAL FOREST; AND ULTIMATELY PUBLISH A LESSONS LEARNED/BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT THAT ENCOURAGES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN OTHER REGIONS.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE FIVE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES AND TASKS TO DESCRIBE THE PROGRAM DESIGN: TASK 1: HOME HARDENING AND SMOKE PROOFING HOMES WITH WILDFIRE AND SMOKE VULNERABILITIES; TASK 2: SMOKE COMMUNITY RESPONSE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WORK AND COORDINATION; TASK 3: WOOD WASTE PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND WOOD PRODUCTS FEASIBILITY STUDY; TASK 4: HEALTH AND MORBIDITY ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH OF WILDFIRE SMOKE ON EASTERN LANE COUNTY; AND TASK 5: BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED TOOLKIT. SUBRECIPIENT:SUBAWARD ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: DEVELOPING A SMOKE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: SUBAWARD TO SOUTH WILLAMETTE SOLUTIONS CONDUCTING A HEALTH IMPACT RESEARCH PROJECT: SUBAWARD TO LANE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH INITIAL WEATHERIZATION AUDIT (PRE-HOME HARDENING AND SMOKE-PROOFING): SUBAWARD TO SOUTH WILLAMETTE SOLUTIONS HIRING A WOOD WASTE PROGRAM COORDINATOR (WWPC): SUBAWARD TO SOUTH WILLAMETTE SOLUTIONS HIRING A HOME HARDENING OUTREACH COORDINATOR: SUBAWARD TO SOUTH WILLAMETTE SOLUTIONS HIRING A SMOKE PROOFING AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR: SUBAWARD TO SOUTH WILLAMETTE SOLUTIONSOUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, APPROXIMATELY 30 HOMES IN THE GREATER OAKRIDGE#8208;WESTFIR AREA BEING SMOKE#8208;PROOFED AND HARDENED AGAINST WILDFIRE RISKS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HOME INTERVENTIONS; IMPROVED HOUSING CONDITIONS FOR VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS; MAINTAINING A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY FIREWOOD PROGRAM; FURTHER IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMUNITY DEVELOPED SMOKE COMMUNITY RESPONSE PLAN; AND PUBLISHING A TOOLKIT OF BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED, PROVIDING PRESENTATIONS TO RURAL AREAS COMPARABLE TO OAKRIDGE SO THAT THEY MAY IMPLEMENT SIMILAR PROGRAMS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, IDENTIFYING SUCCESSFUL AND MEASURABLE RESULTS TO ALLEVIATE SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES; DEVELOPING FEASIBLE USES OF WOOD PRODUCTS THAT ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO PURSUE FUTURE USDA WOOD INNOVATION GRANTS AND OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING; IMPROVED AIR QUALITY AND REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF WILDFIRE SMOKE FOR RESIDENTS; AND REDUCED HEALTH CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH POOR AIR QUALITY FROM SMOKE AND WILDFIRES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE LOW#8208;INCOME, SENIOR, OR DISABLED RESIDENTS IN THE OAKRIDGE#8208;WESTFIR AREA.