U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Grant: Salmon Kill Restoration and Enhancement

Description:

This is a Notice of Intent to award a Cooperative Agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Trout Unlimited, Arlington, VA, for the purpose of implementing Project # 24: “Salmon Kill Restoration and Enhancement.” This Single Source Award is being made in accordance with Department of the Interior Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(4), which allows for award without competition to an applicant who is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based on a number of criteria, in this case including location, property ownership, and technical expertise. This activity is being carried out in accordance with the Consent Decree issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Western Division, on October 27, 2000; and for the purpose of implementing natural resource restoration in the Housatonic River watershed in Connecticut as described in the “Housatonic River Basin Final Natural Resources Restoration Plan, Environmental Assessment, and Environmental Impact Evaluation for Connecticut, July 2009” (www.housatonicrestoration.org). This Restoration Plan was prepared by the Natural Resource Trustees for the Housatonic River natural resource damage assessment and restoration case in Connecticut (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection [CT DEP]) based on a request for project proposals (November, 16, 2006 – June 20, 2007) conducted by the CT DEP and in accordance with State procurement rules. The Restoration Plan was made available for public review and comment from March 11 to May 4, 2009. The restoration project will work to offset natural resource injuries associated with the release of hazardous substances from the General Electric facility in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to the Housatonic River watershed.

This Single Source Award is being made in accordance with Department of the Interior Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(4), which allows for award without competition to an applicant who is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based on technical expertise.

Substantial involvement on the part of the Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded. In particular, the Service will be responsible for the following: input and assistance in the design and implementation of riparian corridor and instream habitat enhancements along 1.8 miles of the Salmon Creek in Salisbury, Connecticut. In addition, the Service will assist with the development and implementation of a monitoring protocol for the project, including termperature monitoring, benthic macroinvertebrate suveys and habitat assessments. In accordance with 505 DM 2.9 B the Service will be substantially involved.