Okaloosa County BOCC — February 26, 2015 — I.d. FWC Turtle Lighting Grant

TOURIST DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM DATE: February 26, 2015 TO: Tourist Development Council FROM: Ed Schroeder, Tourist Development Department Director Jim Trifilio, Coastal Management Coordinator SUBJECT: FWC/FDEP Sea Turtle Lighting Retrofit Grant STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Request approval to accept FL Dept of Environmental Protection (DEP) and FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) grant agreement to install wildlife friendly lighting on or near beachfront conservation lands at no cost to the County. BACKGROUND: FWC has identified the following beachfront conservation lands: James Lee Park, John Beasley Park, and Newman C. Brackin Park. Lights visible from the beach that could impact nesting and hatchling sea turtles on these conservation lands will be replaced with wildlife friendly lighting, which would qualify for Early Restoration funding pursuant to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Phase II Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Review. Some of the funds will also be used to maintain the lighting retrofits once replaced over the next three years. Funds are available for all County-owned conservation lands and the adjacent properties located 1,000 feet surrounding the nesting beach on the conservation land. The grant term is four years from date of execution, with an estimated total cost of $431,900. The County would be reimbursed 100% of the retrofit lighting costs for County-owned parks. FWC requests a 25% match for private properties located within 1,000 adjacent feet; however, the County is not involved in that element of the grant. OPTIONS: Approve or Disapprove RECOMMENDATION TO BCC: Accept the FWC/FDEP Sea Turtle Lighting Retrofit Grant.  DEP Agreement No. _____ FWC Agreement No. _____ GRANT AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT is entered into between the FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (hereinafter referred to as the “DEP”), the FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION (hereinafter referred to as “FWC”) and Okaloosa County (hereinafter referred to as “Grantee”), a local Comment [KKS1]: Needs to be identified by government, to provide financial assistance for appropriate lighting on or near beachfront conservation entity with contracting authority (e.g., the BOCC) lands located within Okaloosa County. This effort will protect nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings while still providing proper lighting for human health and safety. WHEREAS, the FWC has identified lights visible from the beach that could impact nesting and hatchling sea turtles on state and local conservation lands in Okaloosa County and seeks to minimize impacts from these lights by replacement with wildlife friendly lighting, which would qualify for Early Restoration funding pursuant to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Phase II Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Review; and, WHEREAS, Okaloosa County is committed to protection of threatened and endangered sea turtles nesting on County beaches and has adopted a local lighting ordinance to reduce lighting impacts to these species; and WHEREAS, the Fixed Capital Outlay Budget Authority for Early Restoration Projects was appropriated in the DEP FY 2011-2012 budget; and, WHEREAS, FWC does have Fixed Capital Budget Authority to spend the Early Restoration funds. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual benefits to be derived here from, the DEP, the FWC, and Grantee do hereby agree as follows: 1. Duties of the DEP, the FWC, and the Grantee shall be as follows: A. The Grantee does hereby agree to perform in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, A