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USDA offers Carbon County an $800,000 disaster grant for Edgar lagoons; commission accepts letter of conditions
Summary
USDA reviewed a letter of conditions tied to an $800,000 disaster grant for Edgar lagoon improvements; the commission authorized staff to return required documents and move forward with engineering, permitting and bid preparations under the letter’s requirements.
The Carbon County Commission reviewed a USDA 'letter of conditions' for an $800,000 disaster grant intended to fund improvements to the Edgar lagoons and voted to authorize staff to return the requested documentation so agency funds can be obligated.
Steve, a USDA representative, told the board the letter itself does not constitute grant approval but lists conditions that must be met before funds are obligated. He said the grant request submitted to the agency was for $800,000 and emphasized the county must "understand and agree to the conditions" before moving forward. He warned, "If you don't meet the conditions, the letter conditions, we reserve the right to withdraw the funding." The agency representative said monthly draws for design costs are likely once the county’s engineering services agreement is approved, and that the agency has funds on hand to obligate the award.
Key technical and compliance requirements the USDA highlighted include: submission of the letter-of-intent and signed conditions (two separate PDFs preferred), agency-approved plans and specifications with DEQ concurrence, a design-bid-build procurement method, compliance with RUS instruction 1780 and EJCDC contract forms, and required right-of-way documentation (form 4-42-21 and the county attorney opinion form 4-42-22). The agency noted American Iron and Steel applies and that the project is exempt from BABA requirements for this application. The letter also includes environmental-review steps, including obligations under the Native American Graves Protection Act if artifacts are found.
Project-management and timing items discussed: the agency cited a three-year completion limit from obligation; the county was advised to submit a resident inspector resume and plan for preconstruction, pre-final and final inspections plus a one-year warranty inspection. County staff confirmed they would provide a county letter on operator status after a local participant said he is a "designated operator in training" and scheduled for certification testing in October. Steve said the agency is flexible on the construction schedule when groundwater concerns exist but asked the county to submit a revised project schedule if necessary so the agency can proceed without modifying the letter and delaying obligation.
After the presentation and questions from commissioners and local residents, the board voted by voice to proceed with the letter-of-conditions process and to authorize staff to return the required documents electronically so the agency can start the obligation process.
Next steps: county staff will gather the signed forms, rights-of-way documentation and engineering agreement for agency review; the county’s project administrator (Lynette) will oversee invoice submission and coordinate compliance milestones with the USDA representative to enable monthly draws for engineering and progress payments.
