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OWEB approves CREP technical-assistance awards, board debates stopgap request
Summary
The board approved allocating NRCS funds and additional lottery funds to fully fund 12 CREP technical-assistance applications, after a robust discussion about partial funding and a separate request from Jefferson County SWCD for ~$20,840 in gap funding.
The OWEB board voted to accept $200,000 from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and to reallocate internal spending-plan funds so the agency could fully fund the 12 CREP technical-assistance applications recommended by the technical review team. The motion added $162,532 to the CREP technical assistance line and moved $29,961 from the quantifying outcomes and outputs line item to cover the balance.
Courtney Schaff, OWEB's monitoring and reporting program manager, described the CREP TA program as a frontline service that helps producers enroll in CREP and design durable riparian and water-quality projects. She explained that review teams use anonymous voting (fund, fund-with-conditions, do-not-fund) and that staff generally avoid partial awards because creating revised scopes and budgets after reviews adds administrative burden and introduces uncertainty about outcomes.
Jefferson County SWCD submitted a public comment and a written letter asking for $20,840 in CAP GAP funding after the review team did not recommend their CREP TA application. Ellen Hammond (Jefferson SWCD) said the application contained strategic priorities and asked the board to consider a stopgap award so the district could maintain capacity while seeking new funds. Staff said they had discussed alternative funding paths with Jefferson SWCD, including applying to the next open solicitation, but cautioned that partially funding an application not recommended by the review team creates complex administrative and accountability issues.
Board members disclosed potential personal or organizational connections where relevant. One voting member said they planned to vote against funding so the board could consider the Jefferson SWCD request; most other voting members supported the staff recommendation and the awards passed. Staff said they will continue to work with Jefferson SWCD to identify alternative funding pathways and provide assistance with future applications.
The board also approved accepting separate external awards earlier in the meeting, including a PSMFC monitoring award and NRCS Farm Bill funds, and then used part of the spending plan to consolidate CREP TA funding for the current cycle.
