This contract was created to discreetly allocate and track funding and implementation of remediation actions for the Pipeline and Sage fires at Wenas WLA, as a result of a BOG request, tentatively approved 8/5/2020 and supported by final comments from Crystal Ball and Patty O'Toole below. Administrative support for this contract will come from the standing O&M contract for Wenas (74314 REL 110 FY20-21), and reporting for these activities will be called out separately, as described in specific milestones, in the annual report for that contract.

The Pipeline and Sage fires burned close to 7,000 acres of the Wenas WLA and its vulnerable shrub steppe habitat. Activities related to restoration of these lands include:
- purchase of drill seeding and forbs mixes for replanting
- drill seeding and harrowing where appropriate based on topography
- application of herbicide to reduce early successional invasive species dominance
- staff time and resources to perform aforementioned activities

Notes from BOG communication to support this contract:  

(on 9/4/20, BPA F&W Director Crystal Ball emailed the following) "Bonneville concurs with the recommendation from BOG to address the damage caused by the wildfires. Bonneville will fund the work for the three-year time frame. Bonneville is negotiating a separate contract under this project to fund and track this work specifically. The resulting budget and Statement of Work (SOW) will be posted to cbfish.org so that it can be viewed by all interested parties. In general, Bonneville will continue to work with the Council to ensure the Program’s investments are maintained for the benefit of fish and wildlife.

Thanks,
Crystal"

(On 9/2/20 Council F&W Director Patty O'Toole emailed the following)
"I support one year of funding for the urgent action regarding Budget Oversight Group (BOG) request #573, Wenas Wildlife Mitigation, Project #2006-004-00. The request is important and necessary to fully address the damage caused by the wildfires and maintain the goals and intent of this wildlife project and ratepayer investments.

The following excerpt from the request provides compelling evidence of the implications for the Program:

“Across the almost 7,000 acres burned, BPA lost virtually all habitat investments. Uncontrolled wildfires in shrub-steppe habitat can significantly alter the landscape by eradicating sagebrush which shrub-steppe obligate species, such as sage grouse, sage thrasher, and sage sparrow, depend upon for both food and cover (big sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata, is killed by fire). In areas that have been heavily disturbed in the past, such as the Cottonwood drainage and areas along roads, it’s imperative to follow a wildfire event with the planting of native species of grasses and forbs, to reduce the risk of invasion by weeds.”