Provide funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to blue lake rancheria

This $11,498,810 Cooperative Agreement award, provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CFDA 66.046) program, supports the implementation of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures identified in the Blue Lake Rancheria's Priority Climate Action Plan.

The key activities funded under this award include land acquisition, management, and restoration to sequester carbon through wetland creation and forestland conservation. Specifically, the Blue Lake Rancheria plans to acquire approximately 250 acres of coastal land and 400 acres of forestland, creating 100 acres of new wetland habitats. This is expected to sequester an estimated 43,871 metric tons of CO2 from 2026-2030 and 274,196 metric tons from 2026-2050. The award also funds two Blue Lake Rancheria staff positions to support planning, permitting, and forestry management for these GHG reduction activities.

Description

The purpose of this award is to provide funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to blue lake rancheria. The recipient will implement greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs, policies, projects, and measures identified in a priority climate action plan (pcap) developed under a climate pollution reduction grants (cprg) planning grant. Activities conducted through this grant will benefit all residents of blue lake rancheria, through four main objectives: implementation of ambitious measures that will achieve significant cumulative GHG reductions by 2030 and beyond; pursuit of measures that will achieve substantial community benefits, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities; complementing other funding sources to maximize these GHG reductions and community benefits; and, pursuit of innovative policies and programs that are replicable and can be 'scaled up' across multiple jurisdictions. This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $11,498,810. See terms and conditions. Activities: blue lake rancheria (BLR) is applying for a green house gas (GHG) reduction measure to sequester carbon through land acquisition, management and restoration. Blue lake rancheria is applying for this funding under BLR's priority climate action plan (pcap) measure 1 'carbon sequestration and urban forestry'. Measure 1 is divided into sub-measures 1A (land acquisition) and 1B (land restoration and management). Under these sub-measures, BLR plans to acquire grassland and forestland around humboldt BAY (measure 1B). After acquisition BLR plans to manage and restore forestlands, and grasslands to wetlands. For measure 1A: land acquisition, BLR intends to formalize a project team the will identify parcels of land to acquire (1.a.1); BLR will hold community meetings to introduce land acquisition and restoration project to allow for community input (1.a.2); BLR will finalize list of target land parcels (1.a.3); BLR will research each parcel's legal, environmental health, and financial status, permit requirements, and then make offers for the land parcels (1.a.4); BLR will conduct land acquisition and transfer land parcels to a tribal trust or other appropriate ownership structure (1.a.5). For measure 1B: land manage and restore, BLR intends to survey purchased land parcels (1.b.1); BLR will create a land management and restoration plan (1.b.2); BLR will design specific restoration wetland and forestland activities and obtain necessary state and federal permits (1.b.3); BLR will manage wetland and forestland (1.b.4); and BLR will perform restoration activities in wetlands and forestlands (1.b.5). Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include an estimated 43,871 metric tons of CO2 (MTCO2) are expected to be sequestered between 2026 and 2030, and 274,196 MTCO2#8322; are expected to be sequestered between 2026-2050. Moreover, approximately 250 acres of coastal land and 400 acres of forestland and will be acquired by 2026. Approximately 100 acres of wetland will be created from the coastal land acquired. Last, the funding will support 2 BLR staff positions a planning and permitting specialist and a forestry specialist. The expected outcomes include: creation of wetland habitats from coastal lands; reduction in ghgs due to carbon sequestration by restoration and management of wet- and forestlands; expanded BLR tribal land holdings increasing blue lake rancheria's ability to manage and restore lands for carbon sequestration; increase access to fisheries for monitoring and research; conservation and restoration of forestland; the project will incorporate multiple community benefits and the intended beneficiaries include the BLR tribal community. Benefits to the community include: increased climate resilience from impacts of sea level rise; increased access to cultural resourc