Attachment C - Drought Contingency Planning.pdf

Attachment C - Drought Contingency Planning Projects

A. Project Requirements Drought contingency plans (new plan development and plan update) funded under this NOFO must are required to address the six elements of a drought contingency plan outlined below in Section B, Required Elements for New Plans or Plan Updates. In developing these required elements, successful applicants will be required to follow procedural steps outlined below in Section A.1 and A.2.

Once the applicant has been informed that a proposal submitted under this NOFO has been selected for funding, Reclamation will enter into a cooperative agreement with the applicant, documenting the requirements and conditions related to the provision of financial assistance. The cooperative agreement will be divided into two phases: Phase I for the establishment of a drought planning task force and development of a detailed work plan and Phase II for development or update of a drought contingency plan. The cooperative agreement will require the following drought contingency planning:

A.1 Phase I Requirements Phase I must include the establishment of a drought planning task force and the development of a detailed work plan that includes a communication and outreach plan.

• Establishment of a Drought Planning Task Force — At the outset of the planning process, the planning lead will develop a Drought Planning Task Force (Task Force) made up of interested stakeholders within the planning area that want to actively participate in developing the Drought Contingency Plan. The Task Force must have diverse membership representing multiple interests in the planning area.

• Development of a Detailed Work Plan —The detailed work plan will be developed by the planning lead in consultation with Reclamation and will describe in detail how the various tasks included in developing or updating the plan will be accomplished, along with a detailed work schedule, and the responsibilities of Reclamation (Reclamation will provide input on this element), the planning lead, the Task Force, and other interested stakeholders. The work plan also includes a communication and outreach plan describing how stakeholders and the public will be involved in the planning process. The work plan must be submitted to Reclamation for review and acceptance before substantive work on the plan development or update may begin.

A.2 Phase II Requirements After the detailed work plan is reviewed and accepted by Reclamation, the planning lead will then develop the plan or plan update including the required elements described below.

B. Required Elements for New Plans or Plan Updates All new drought contingency plans must address each of the six elements described immediately below. Updates to an existing drought plan may focus on only those elements that have not yet been developed in the plan or that require further development or updating; however, completed plan updates must address each of these six elements.

The six required elements for drought contingency plans developed or updated under this NOFO are:

1. Drought Monitoring—The drought contingency plan must establish a process for monitoring near and long-term water availability, and a framework for predicting the probability of future droughts or confirming an existing drought.

2. Vulnerability Assessment—The drought contingency plan must include a vulnerability assessment evaluating the risks and impacts of drought. The assessment will drive the development of potential mitigation and response actions and must be based on a range of future conditions, including uncertainties related to changing hydrologic conditions.

3. Mitigation Actions—The drought contingency plan must identify, evaluate, and prioritize mitigation actions and activities that will build long-term resiliency to drought and that will mitigate the risks posed by drought.

4. Response Actions—The drought contingency plan must identify, evaluate, and prioritize response actions and activities that can be implemented during a drought to mitigate the impacts.

5. Operational and Administrative Framework—The drought contingency plan must identify who is responsible for undertaking the actions necessary to implement each element of the drought contingency plan, including communicating with the public about those actions.

6. Plan Development and Update Process—The drought contingency plan must describe the process that was undertaken to develop the plan, including how stakeholders were engaged and how input was considered. In addition, the drought contingency plan must also include a process and schedule for monitoring, evaluating, and updating the drought contingency plan.

For further guidance on approaches for meeting the program requirements, please see the Drought Response Program Framework, available at www.usbr.gov/drought.

C. Request for a Cost Share Reduction or Waiver Reclamation may reduce or waive the non-Federal cost share requirement upon request by the applicant if an overwhelming Federal interest and a significant financial need are identified. If http://www.usbr.gov/drought the funding plan identifies less than 50 percent non-Federal cost share match, please include the request for a cost-share reduction or waiver in the proposal. The request must include information and documentation addressing the factors set forth immediately below.

Reclamation will use the following factors when considering whether to reduce or waive the non-Federal cost share requirement. Please address each of the following criteria and provide an explanation for the applicability of each criterion with supporting documentation:

• Overwhelming Federal Interest. Reclamation will make a determination of whether an overwhelming Federal interest exists based on factors such as the programs and policies of the President and the Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

• Financial Hardship. In determining whether a significant financial need exists the following factors will be considered:

o The population-weighted median household income within the study area and the state based on the latest available data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/).

o Family poverty level for the state as estimated by guidelines published annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines) o The population-weighted average unemployment rate within the study area based on the latest available data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/) o A current financial statement of the applicant and a statement that the applicant does not possess sufficient funds or assets to pay for all or part of the required cost share

For more information regarding cost share waivers, please contact the Program Coordinator, Sheri Looper, slooper@usbr.gov, 916-612-7816.

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/ http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/

Attachment C - Drought Contingency Planning Projects