In September 2014, BPA and the State of Idaho entered into the Southern Idaho Wildlife Mitigation Memorandum of Agreement Between The State of Idaho and Bonneville Power Administration (Agreement) to permanently address the protection, mitigation, and enhancement of wildlife habitat affected by the construction, inundation, and operation of federal dams in southern Idaho .  BPA will provide funding and other support to Idaho which Idaho will use to provide mitigation in perpetuity for their portion (50%) of the wildlife habitat losses associated with the four federal dams in Southern Idaho – Minidoka, Palisades, Black Canyon, and Anderson Ranch.   In addition, the Agreement addresses the operational impacts associated with Deadwood Dam, a Reclamation irrigation project that provides flow regulation for power production at Black Canyon Dam.   Over ten years, the Agreement will total just over $40 million: BPA will provide $22 million for the acquisition of a minimum of 8,588 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, $14 million for the stewardship of past IDFG mitigation properties (8,722), and $400,000/year (for a total of $4 million) for administrative funding.

The Agreement specifies that the administrative funding can be used for the following types of activities:
a. Personnel, services and supplies, equipment, professional services, contracts, and any other expense that Idaho determines is necessary to technically support and administer a robust wildlife habitat mitigation program;
b. Pre-acquisition and acquisition expenses, such as surveys, appraisals, baseline reports, relocation expenses, and title reports supporting the execution and recording of covenants for new acquisitions and acquisitions under the 1997 MOA between IDFG and BPA;
c. Intergovernmental coordination, including Federal, state, tribal, and local entities;
d. Initial site stabilization for new acquisitions as well as monitoring, evaluation, and restoration of wildlife habitat on Project Properties and, in Idaho’s sole discretion, on properties that others acquire under this Agreement;
e. Management of the Stewardship Account and all projects and programs associated with that Account;
f. Preparation of reports, management plans, and performance of other administrative responsibilities under this Agreement; and
g. BPA’s internal expenses for appraisal, survey, other realty services and environmental land audit work for Idaho’s acquisitions under this Agreement, excluding expenses for BPA’s Fish and Wildlife Division, legal, or environmental compliance.

Attachment 6 in the Agreement identifies the PISCES work elements that are appropriate for annual contracts for Administrative Funding.

***note: non anadromous water***