The FWS Carlsbad Field Office Grant: Assessing Montrose DDE Risk to California Condors via Marine Mammals

We are posting a "Notice of Intent to Award Discretionary Financial Assistance to a Single Source Without Competition".

We are posting a "Notice of Intent to Award Discretionary Financial Assistance to a Single Source Without Competition".

Award Data Description
1. Single Source Justification Criteria 2- Continuation: The DOI is responsible for the management and recovery of the California condor. As part of the condor recovery program, the DOI is currently funding the University of Santa Cruz (UCSC) to evaluate the role of contaminants (e.g., lead) and how that affects the management of this endangered species. UCSC has also been funded to assess the health of the central California condor flock. The proposed work is an important continuation of the currently funded activities that UCSC is performing in cooperation with the DOI. 4-Unique Qualifications: UCSC is uniquely qualified to conduct this study because of their on-going involvement with the Condor recovery program. UCSC is the primary university conducting research on the risks associated with contaminant exposure in California condors. UCSC has specific expertise with trace organic compounds and the ecology and movements of marine mammals. UCSC is uniquely qualified to conduct this work as they host an extensive research program (Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP)) that is involved with evaluating the movement and foraging behavior of marine mammals in California (e.g., California sea lions). UCSC also has access to: 1) archived tissue samples from marine mammals collected along the California coast, 2) unpublished movement data of California sea lions, and 3) archived tissue samples from California condors. The use of this data is necessary for the successful completion of the proposed study.

2. Recipient or Type(s) of Eligible Recipients University of California, Santa Cruz

3. Award Amount 79,578

4. Overview – Specific or Generic
In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of California, Santa Cruz will conduct the study entitled “Examining the long-term transport of Montrose DDE via marine mammals: Evaluating risks to California condors.” The overall goal of the project is to examine the risk to scavenging California condors from DDE discharged from the Montrose site in the Southern California Bight and transported via marine mammals along the California coast. This project will be accomplished by investigating DDE: PCB ratios, stable isotopes, and marine mammal foraging and movement. This study will also evaluate the risks of Montrose DDE to California condors along the California coast. This study is an important aspect to understanding and evaluating the success of the California condor recovery program. The potential impact of DDE on California condors is an issue that has recently received alot attention, but there are still substantial gaps in our understanding of impacts. This study will address an important data gap in the Condor recovery program. This assistance is provided under CDFA #15.608.

5. FWS Point of Contact
Sue Fahey, 760-431-9440 x286, sue_fahey@fws.gov

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: 1) provide technical information and data to UCSC during the study, 2) collaborate with UCSC in carrying out Scope of Work for study, 3) review and approve of work before next stage can begin, 4) compile all comments provided by Montrose Trustee Council agencies on review drafts of work products, and 5) provide funding for the project.

We are posting a "Notice of Intent to Award Discretionary Financial Assistance to a Single Source Without Competition".