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Clean Water Commission approves letters supporting three Department of Ecology grant applications
Summary
On Aug. 6 the Clark County Clean Water Commission voted to approve letters of support for three grant applications to the Washington State Department of Ecology: two stormwater financial-assistance projects on Highway 99 corridors and a community-based public-private partnership (CBP) program to maintain bioretention facilities.
The Clark County Clean Water Commission approved letters of support on Aug. 6 for three grant applications Clark County planned to submit to the Washington State Department of Ecology.
Devin (Clean Water Division staff) summarized the three planned applications as (1) Northeast Hazel Dell Ave (stormwater financial assistance), (2) 78 Cougar Creek (stormwater financial assistance) and (3) a community-based public-private partnership (CBP) program to implement maintenance and repairs for bioretention facilities. Devin said the two stormwater financial-assistance projects are identified in the county's capital plan and typically must be implemented to remain compliant with the county's stormwater permit; project-specific names and descriptions were provided in the meeting packet.
The commission also heard that the CBP program is a follow-up implementation request: the county has funding to develop the program model and is now seeking funds to implement maintenance and refurbishment of about 600 bioretention facilities. Staff said the Phase 1 award funds program design, procurement templates and performance measures; Phase 2 would support on-the-ground repairs using the performance-based contracting approach described in the packet.
Vote and timing The commission approved the letters by voice vote; no nays were recorded. Staff said grant applications are due in early September (applications referenced a Sept. 3 submittal window) and explained Ecology's timeline: applicants typically learn of draft offers in January (Ecology's draft recommended list) and final offers after the Legislature completes budget decisions around the following June. Staff cautioned that draft offers are not final until the state completes appropriation and final allocation processes.
Why it matters If funded, the two stormwater projects will complete long-standing Highway 99 stormwater-treatment work for a corridor the county has targeted for years, staff said. The CBP program is intended to create a performance-based contracting pathway for private contractors to implement and maintain retrofit stormwater work; staff and commissioners discussed procurement challenges, contractor risk-sharing and the potential to coordinate with regional peers (King County, City of Seattle) to learn procurement approaches and contract structures.
Ending: staff said they will route the signed letters to Ecology as part of the Sept. submittal and will report back to the commission when Ecology posts draft-offer lists in January and final offers in June.
