Lessons Learned - RCPP Shana Joy, Southcentral Regional Manager NASCA Annual Meeting October 2018

Focused on 2 resource concerns – water quality and salmonid habitat improvement 1 of the original round awards in 2015 The overarching concept is to coordinate investments in areas of the Puget Sound where we believe we can get the most bang for our buck in both water quality and salmonid habitat improvements. Worked with TNC to do a GIS analysis of available data which resulted in high priority areas of the Sound identified for implementation of this RCPP. Then we worked through 3 rounds of solicitations to identify projects that were required to bring local match to the table. 7 geographic project areas are currently ongoing. Precision Conservation for Salmon & Water Quality in Puget Sound (Puget Sound RCPP)

Puget Sound RCPP Projects - Advanced Waste Treatment - Dungeness Bay - Newaukum Creek - Nookachamps Basin - Skykomish River - Stillaguamish River - Thomas Creek Key partners on this RCPP are: conservation districts, TNC, AFT, and the Puget Sound Natural Resource Alliance

Lessons Learned Overview Flexibility / Innovation Geography EQIP Staffing Billing

Flexibility & Innovation 1st round RCPP award – rules not defined The Puget Sound RCPP seeks to make coordinated investments that fund several conservation practices within a specific watershed or portion of a watershed. Testing how EQIP would/could fit within a coordinated investment approach. No landowners or specific projects were identified at the time of award. Puget Sound RCPP proposed to identify landowners and practices over the duration of the 5 year agreement. Lack of flexibility overall TA restrictions - back & forth about what NRCS TA funding can pay for, when NRCS eligible TA begins – before an application is submitted? Only after an application is submitted? Innovation resistance – advanced distillation waste treatment process and private sector willingness to invest

The Puget Sound Basin is an enormous area for implementation of an RCPP focused on only 2 resource concerns. We solicited for coordinated projects in smaller geographic areas with an ability to measure or monitor for natural resource condition improvements. The pink areas on the map are current projects. The intent to test a coordinated investment approach with this RCPP artificially limited the implementation opportunity for the EQIP $ awarded – self-imposing a hurdle. Adaptive management actions taken have included expanded the defined geographic areas for 3 ongoing projects to increase implementation opportunity. Geographic lessons

EQIP rules/requirements – lack of detailed understanding/experience of EQIP implementation CNMP compliance Practice payment limitations not sufficient for the Puget Sound region - $20/foot fence cost vs. $6.50/foot NRCS will pay Per unit payment limitations on bridges Local regulations preclude installation of any riparian buffer greater than 25’ wide EQIP

Staffing Delays, delays, delays Staff turn-over at key partner organizations, NRCS, conservation districts, results in loss of understanding and knowledge about RCPP and EQIP Lack of dedicated staffing commitment for implementation at conservation districts leading implementation, NRCS staff shortages Lack of technical expertise to complete CNMPs Staffing

Billing & Reporting Time sink not resulting in projects completed on the ground. Changing billing documentation required has been an enormous time sink to access the NRCS TA funds awarded New RCPP Coordinator (back to staff turnover) Reporting periods and parameters changed

After 3 years have elapsed on this RCPP, of the $5 After 3 years have elapsed on this RCPP, of the $5.5 million in EQIP financial assistance awarded, only 10% of the funding is in contracts. Now a new system, CART, is coming at NRCS to replace the screening and ranking tools for EQIP applications and no solid information has been made available as to how this will impact RCPPs already in place…… So today…

Thank you! Contact: Shana Joy Southcentral Regional Manager sjoy@scc.wa.gov 360-480-2078