1. Capacity Building for RCDs The Santa Cruz Countywide Partners in Restoration (PIR) Permit Coordination Program Prepared for the California Association of Resource Conservation District’s Annual Conference, November 10, 2011

2. Purpose  Seven Watershed Assessment and Enhancement Plans developed for Santa Cruz County  Restoration of Ecosystems  Fish Passage Improvement  Sediment Control  Wetland Enhancement  Species Recovery  Landowner interest-Grant funding-Permits

3. PIR… What is it? U. S. Army Corps of Engineers U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Coastal Commission Santa Cruz County Project Regional Water Quality Control Board CA Department of Fish and Game Program National Marine Fisheries Service

4. NRCS/ RCD Roles  RCD  Facilitator between landowner and agencies  Compliance, monitoring  NRCS  15 Practices in PIR are based on NRCS standards and oversight  Planning is based on Conservation Planning process  Technical expertise  Connection to Farm Bill/ EQIP

5. In-Stream Habitat Improvement: Barrier Removal

6. Water Quality Enhancement: Streambank Stabilization

7. Habitat Enhancement: Invasive Removal

8. Santa Cruz Countywide PIR Permit Coordination Projects | 2005-2011

9. Branciforte Dam Removal  http://rcdsantacruz.org/dam-removed-on-branciforte- creek http://rcdsantacruz.org/dam-removed-on-branciforte- creek

10. Challenges and Benefits  Challenges  Funding for Program Development  Funding to Manage/ Renew Program  Every Project is different  External Staff Turnover  Benefits  Environmental Improvement  Quick implementation  Relationships with Regulatory Staff  Fee for Service?  Grant Funding

11. Opportunities and Values  Relationships Matter  Regulators have to trust the RCD/ NRCS  RCD/ NRCS cross jurisdictions and can build that trust  Changing Regulations Support Streamlining  State level recognition of needing to ease permitting  Need NRCS oversight  Regulators have to give up control  Adaptability to Change  Changing science, best practices, etc.  Protocols to deal with changing staff (internal and external) and transferability

12. Contact  www.rdcsantacruz.org www.rdcsantacruz.org  Rich Casale  richard.casale@ca.usda.gov richard.casale@ca.usda.gov  Stacie Ruffoni  sruffoni@rcdsantacruz.org sruffoni@rcdsantacruz.org

13. Build and Manage  Cost to Develop, $125,000  Cost to Renew, $65,000  Cost per Staff (training), $4,000  Cost per Staff (per project), $4,500 # of staff required per project