Title
Consider recommendation from the Finance/Administrative Committee to approve the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan FY2021 Funding Application Amendment submitted by the Edwards Aquifer Authority and associated 2021 EAA Operating Budget amendment by increasing the Habitat Conservation Plan fund by $52,000.
Body
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Move the board adopt Resolution and Order No. 02-21-995 of the Edwards Aquifer Authority Board of Directors to approve an amendment to the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) FY2021 Funding Application for the Edwards Aquifer Authority increasing the funding request from $11,815,625 to $11,867,625 for the Edwards Aquifer Authority and amend the 2021 EAA Operating Budget accordingly.
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this agenda item is for the board to consider a Finance/Administrative Committee recommendation to approve an amendment to the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) FY2021 Funding Application for the Edwards Aquifer Authority increasing the Water Quality Monitoring Conservation Measure (EAHCP § 5.7.2) by $52,000 and the associated increase to the 2021 EAA Operating Budget Habitat Conservation Plan Fund appropriation for Professional Technical Services for the same amount.
On November 10, 2020, the board approved the initial Funding Application for FY2021 for the Edwards Aquifer Authority. The budget amount presented in the original Funding Application represented the costs contained in the original workplan. However, the revised Funding Application includes the reallocation for unspent funds for FY2020 in the Water Quality Monitoring Conservation Measure to pay for additional water sampling laboratory expenses. The total amount that would be added to the FY2021 Funding Application is $52,000.
The amended funding application was presented and approved by the EAHCP Implementing Committee at the December 17, 2020 meeting. Attached to this summary is a red-lined version of the amended funding application. Resolution and Order No. 02-21-995, which has been reviewed by legal counsel, is also attached. Finally, a summary of the proposed EAA budget amendment is also attached.
At the meeting on January 26, the Finance/Administrative Committee voted to recommend the board adopt a resolution and order of the Edwards Aquifer Authority Board of Directors to approve an amendment to the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) FY2021 Funding Application for the Edwards Aquifer Authority increasing the funding request from $11,815,625 to $11,867,625 for the Edwards Aquifer Authority and amend the 2021 EAA Operating Budget accordingly.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
This agenda item supports the EAA’s policy direction to sustain Federally protected aquifer dependent species.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This proposed amendment would increase funding for the Water Quality Monitoring Conservation Measure by $52,000 and decrease the EAHCP reserve balance by the same amount. Since this amendment is a re-appropriation of funds originally estimated but not spent in 2020, there is essentially no net fiscal impact. Following the EAA’s 2020 financial audit, the budgeted 2021 EAHCP reserve balance is projected to reflect no net change.