CC SR 20221115 I - BRIC Local Match Fund Commitment Letter
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 11/15/2022
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to commit matching funds supporting the City’s two
applications for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Funding
from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Authorize the Mayor to sign two commitment letters of matching funds for the BRIC
sub-applications to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
(CalOES) for the Portuguese Bend Landslide Infrastructure and Community
Resiliency Project and the Power Line Undergrounding Fire Mitigation Utility
Protection Project
FISCAL IMPACT: Submitting the grant applications has no fiscal impact. However,
should FEMA award the BRIC grants, a 25% (30% for the
Portuguese Bend Landslide Infrastructure and Community
Resiliency Project) match of up to a combined $13,750,000 may be
required that may be partially or fully funded by the Capital
Improvement Program Fund depending on state and county funding
opportunities.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Jesse Villalpando, Emergency Services Coordinator
REVIEWED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Local Match Fund Commitment Letters (page A-1)
BACKGROUND:
FEMA’s BRIC grant program provides funding to state, local, tribal and territorial
governments to reduce or mitigate future disaster losses in their communities. When a
Federal Disaster Declaration is issued in the State of California, a percentage of dollars
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is set aside to provide funding for hazard mitigation projects through BRIC. The federal
funding for BRIC is provided under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act). The BRIC program for California is
administered through Cal OES who is responsible for identifying BRIC project priorities,
reviewing applications, and forwarding recommendations for funding to FEMA, which has
the final approval on funding an eligible activity or project.
On September 15, 2022, the City submitted a Notice of Interest (NOI) to Cal OES seeking
BRIC funds for two projects. The first NOI focuses on securing funding for the Portuguese
Bend Landslide Remediation Project (referred to as the Portuguese Bend Landslide
Infrastructure and Community Resiliency Project in the grant application), which includes
a series of recommended mitigation measures to remediate the landslide. The second
NOI addressed undergrounding of power lines within and adjacent to the City's open
space areas with the intent to mitigate the threat of a fire hazard resulting from downed
electrical power lines. Cal OES recently notified Staff that the City’s NOIs for the two
proposed projects are eligible BRIC activities and formally invited the City to submit a full
sub-application for consideration of funding. The grant application is due December 2,
2022, which includes letters from the lead agency committing to the required matching
fund using non-federal dollars. The City Council is being asked this evening to authorize
the Mayor to sign the required commitment letters of matching funds.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed BRIC projects are as follows:
Portuguese Bend Landslide Infrastructure and Community Resiliency Project
The Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project will minimize land movement by
reducing surface water entering the landslide through filling fissures , re-establishing
defined runoff paths to convey storm water to the ocean via drainage swales, and by
removing ground water using hydraugers. The project will, among other things, lower
annual roadway repair costs on Palos Verdes Drive South, protect the integrity of the
sewer trunk lines that cross the landslide, improve conditions for the many homeowners
in the area, minimize fragmented and on-going disturbance to protected habitat, and
provide many other benefits to the community and natural environment.
Power Line Undergrounding Fire Mitigation Utility Protection Project
The utility undergrounding project is intended to reduce the threat of a fire hazard caused
by downed utility lines within the City's open space areas. Overhead electrical wires are
vulnerable to damage caused by natural conditions (such as high winds, lightning, and
human-caused conditions), resulting in power outages and the potential to ignite a wildfire
if severed or broken. Undergrounding protects overhead utility lines from wind and fire
damage and is the most comprehensive and effective method of reducing the risk of a
significant fire caused by downed or damaged powerlines. Undergrounding utility lines is
an action item in the City's Hazard Mitigation Plan and contributes to the plan's goal of
"Protection of Life and Property. ”
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BRIC Matching Fund Requirement
FEMA’s BRIC program is a cost-share program that requires a non-federal match to the
funding that is awarded. The current cost-ratio for BRIC grants is 75:25, meaning that the
BRIC program covers 75% of an approved project’s cost, and if awarded, the City is
required to fund a minimum of 25% of the cost of the project using non-federal sources.
To ensure the city's competitiveness in the grant application process, it is recommended
that a 30% match rather than a 25% match be made for the Portuguese Bend Landslide
Infrastructure and Community Resiliency Project, as this will earn the city additional
qualification points for the FEMA BRIC grant program.
The proposed project amounts are as follows:
• Portuguese Bend Landslide Infrastructure and Community Resiliency
Project
o The total project cost submitted is $33 million, of which the City’s share
(30%) would be $10 million
• Power Line Undergrounding Fire Mitigation Utility Protection Project
o The total project cost submitted is $15 million, of which the City’s share
(25%) would be $3.75 million.
A non-federal match requirement will apply to the City only if FEMA approves the City's
sub-application. If the City receives both grants, the City would receive $34.25 million in
grant funds. If this were to occur, the City’s tota l grant matching cost-share responsibility
would be $13.75 million. It is important to note that a significant portion of the required
local match could be met through a combination of non-federal funding sources, including
state and county funding, staff/consultant time dedicated to program management, and
donated resources of in-kind materials and services to name a few.
Local Match Fund Commitment Letters
FEMA’s BRIC program requires the City to provide a letter affirming that the City will
commit a minimum of 25% of project costs as matching funds to the federal grant
(Attachment A). This letter simply tells Cal OES that the City understands there is a
minimum 25% commitment and that if the project is approved, the City is willing to
contribute that matching amount of the funding (including in-kind materials and services).
Should the application be approved, Staff will return to t he City Council to accept the grant
funds and to determine if there are any concerning strings attached. Since grant funds
are typically appropriated by the City and reimbursed by the grant source, Staff would
also request an appropriation of the grant funds at the same time as requesting
acceptance of the grant. The full details of the project scope would be provided at that
time.
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CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign letters of commitment for
the BRIC federal funding for the two accepted NOIs. This would enable Staff to proceed
with submission of the two sub-applications and potentially secure funding for these two
wildfire hazard mitigation projects.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not authorize the Mayor to sign one or both of the attached letters of
commitment, thereby not authorizing the submittal of the sub -applications.
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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November 15, 2022
California State Hazard Mitigation Officer
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
3650 Schriever Avenue
Mather, California 95655
SUBJECT: BRIC 2022 - Portuguese Bend Landslide Infrastructure and Community
Resiliency Project Match Commitment Letter
Dear Ms. Jennifer Hogan,
This letter serves as the City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ commitment to meet the non -federal cost
share requirement of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program for
the Portuguese Bend Landslide Infrastructure and Community Resiliency Project.
Source of Local Match Commitment
Funds:
Local
Agency
Funding
☒
Other
Agency
Funding
☐
Private
Nonprofit
Funding
☐
State
Agency
Funding
☐
Name of non-federal match commitment
funding sources:
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Fund and/or any
other Governmental Funds as approved by the City
Council.
Funds Availability Date: December 2, 2022
Requested Federal Share: $23,000,000
Non-federal Match Commitment: $10,000,000
Funding Type Combination of cash, agency personnel and donated
resources.
If additional federal funds are requested, an additional local match fund commitment letter
will be required. Please contact Jesse Villalpando, Senior Administrative Analyst at
Jvillalpando@rpvca.gov or (310) 544-5209 with any questions.
Sincerely,
David L. Bradley
Mayor, City of Rancho Palos Verdes
A-1
November 15, 2022
California State Hazard Mitigation Officer
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
3650 Schriever Avenue
Mather, California 95655
SUBJECT: BRIC 2022: Rancho Palos Verdes Power Line Undergrounding Fire Mitigation
Utility Protection Project
Dear Ms. Jennifer Hogan,
This letter serves as the City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ commitment to meet the non -federal cost
share requirement of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program for
the Rancho Palos Verdes Power Line Undergrounding Fire Mitigation Utility Protection Project.
Source of Local Match Commitment
Funds:
Local
Agency
Funding
☒
Other
Agency
Funding
☐
Private
Nonprofit
Funding
☐
State
Agency
Funding
☐
Name of non-federal match commitment
funding sources:
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Fund and/or any
other Governmental Funds as approved by the City
Council.
Funds Availability Date: December 2, 2022
Requested Federal Share: $11,250,000
Non-federal Match Commitment: $3,750,000
Funding Type Combination of cash, agency personnel and donated
resources.
If additional federal funds are requested, an additional local match fund commitment letter
will be required. Please contact Jesse Villalpando, Senior Administrative Analyst at
Jvillalpando@rpvca.gov or (310) 544-5209 with any questions.
Sincerely,
David L. Bradley
Mayor, City of Rancho Palos Verdes
A-2