Title
Consider recommendation from the Finance/Administrative Committee to approve an Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan FY2024 Funding Application Amendment submitted by the City of New Braunfels and associated 2024 EAA Operating Budget amendment by increasing the Habitat Conservation Plan fund by $72,000.
Body
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Move the board adopt Resolution and Order No. 03-24-082 of the Edwards Aquifer Authority Board of Directors approving an amendment to the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan FY2024 Funding Application for the City of New Braunfels increasing the funding request from $465,385 to $537,385 and amending the 2024 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) FY2024 Funding Application for the City of New Braunfels to increase the Old Channel Aquatic Vegetation Restoration Conservation Measure (EAHCP § 5.2.2.1/ 5.2.2.3) by $40,000, the Comal River/Landa Lake Aquatic Vegetation Restoration Conservation Measure (EAHCP § 5.2.2.2/ 5.2.2.3) by $30,000, and the Impervious Cover/Water Quality/LID Conservation Measure (EAHCP § 5.7.6) by $2,000, as well as, the associated increase to the 2024 EAA Operating Budget Habitat Conservation Plan Fund appropriation for Professional Technical Services for the total amount of these proposed amendments.
On November 14, 2023, the EAA board approved the initial Funding Application for FY2024 for the City of New Braunfels. The budget amount presented in the original Funding Application represented the costs contained in the original Work Plan. The revised Funding Application includes the addition of $70,000 in unspent monies from FY2023 in the Old Channel Aquatic Vegetation Restoration and Comal River/Landa Lake Aquatic Vegetation Restoration Conservation Measures as well as a cost increase of $2,000 for a professional service agreement with an awarded contractor in the Impervious Cover/Water Quality/LID Conservation Measure. The total amount that would be added to the FY2024 Funding Application is $72,000.
Attached to this summary is a red-lined version of the amended Funding Application and proposed EAA operating budget amendment. Resolution and Order No. 03-24-082, 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 February 1 meeting. At the meeting on February 27, the Finance/Administrative Committee voted to recommend the board approve the amended funding Application and the 2024 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 Old Channel Aquatic Vegetation Restoration, Comal River/Landa Lake Aquatic Vegetation Restoration, and Impervious Cover/Water Quality/LID Conservation Measures by $72,000. However, since this amendment includes $70,000 of re-appropriated funds, originally estimated but not spent in 2023, the net fiscal impact to the reserve balance will only be $2,000 due to the increase in the Impervious Cover/Water Quality/LID Conservation Measure.