Title
Consider recommendation from the Finance/Administrative Committee to approve an Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan FY2023 Funding Application Amendment submitted by the Edwards Aquifer Authority and associated 2023 EAA Operating Budget amendment by increasing the Habitat Conservation Plan fund by $517,282.
Body
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Move the board adopt Resolution and Order No. 04-23-048 of the Edwards Aquifer Authority Board of Directors approving an amendment to the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan FY2023 EAA Funding Application increasing the funding request from $19,844,684 to $20,361,966 and amending the 2023 EAA Operating Budget accordingly.
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this agenda item is for the board to consider a Finance/Administration Committee recommendation to approve an amendment to the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) FY2023 EAA Funding Application to increase funding for the Refugia Conservation Measure (EAHCP § 5.1.1) by $517,282 and the associated increase to the 2023 EAA Operating Budget Habitat Conservation Plan Fund appropriation for Professional Technical Services for the same amount.
On November 8, 2022, the EAA board approved the original Funding Application for FY2023 for the Edwards Aquifer Authority. The budget amount presented in the original Funding Application represented the costs contained in the original Work Plan. However, this amended Funding Application would re-appropriate unspent contractual funds in the Refugia Conservation Measure (EAHCP §§ 5.1.1) to pay for continued and additional research project and operations expenses. The total amount to be added to the FY2023 Funding Application is $517,282.
Attached to this summary is a red-lined version of the amended Funding Application and proposed EAA operating budget amendment. Resolution and Order No. 04-23-048, which has been reviewed by legal counsel, is also attached.
The amended Funding Application was presented and approved by the EAHCP Implementing Committee at the March 23, 2023 meeting. At the meeting on March 28, the Finance/Administrative Committee voted to recommend the board approve the amended funding Application and the 2023 EAA Operating Budget amendment.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
This agenda item helps build and/or create Assuredness in Regulatory Programming - a key objective in achieving the EAA’s goals identified in the 2021-30 Strategic Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This proposed amendment would increase funding for the Refugia Conservation Measure by $517,282 and decrease the EAHCP reserve balance by the same amount. Since this amendment includes a re-appropriation of $252,218 of funds originally estimated but not spent in 2022, there is only a $265,064 related net decrease to the reserve balance.