2007-047 RES-Approving an application for a recreational trails grant through the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

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Texas Parks & Wildlffe Department Texas Recreational Trails Fund Acquisition of fee title land or easementllease Service contracts Direct labor costs (hired workers, current staff, force account) Materials (purchased) Equipment rental Purchase of trail hand tools and equipment Design, engineering and architectural services (not to exceed 10% of total project costs) Value of currently owned equipment (based on FEMA rates) Natural and cultural resource site assessments (not to exceed 15% of total project costs) Appraised value of donated land or easement Value of volunteer labor ($6.20 per hour) Value of donated materials or contribution of materials on hand Value of donated equipment Any of the reimbursable costs which are paid for by cash donations or sponsor's appropriations (to account for the required 20% match) Projects on Federal Land The re-authorization of this program in 1998 permits federal funds, in-kind labor of federal employees, and the value of federal equipment as match for TRTF funds up to 95% of the total project cost. The remaining 5 percent of the project cost must be provided by non-federal sources, typically through a partnership arrangement with a local government or non-profit group. Recreational Trail Grant funds will still not exceed 80% of the total project cost. If there are questions about projects involving federal lands or federal partners, please contact TPWD for clarification. Design Standards Trails and trailhead/trailside facilities should be attractive to the public and harmonious with the natural environment. In general, new development and improvements should be designed to avoid or minimize harm to the natural setting, accommodate the number and types of proposed uses, and be consistent with topographic limitations of the site. Emphasis should be given to public health, safety, the natural environment, barrier-free access, and the protection of recreational and community values of the area. Natural and Cultural Resource Review Projects recommended for funding will be submitted to the Texas Historical Commission for a cultural resource review and to TPWD resource staff for a natural resource review. If these reviews uncover sensitive resources at a proposed project site, the project applicant will immediately be notified as to the situation and what actions are necessary to mitigate the situation. The review by the Texas Historical Commission focuses primarily on whether the project will impact known archeological sites or if the site's location and character are likely to contain archeological deposits. If the site contains, or likely contains, archeological deposits, a field survey by a qualified archeologist is usually required. The review by the TPWD resource staff focuses primarily on whether the project site has known existence of animal and/or plant species listed as threatened or endangered, or habitat to support such species. If this is the case, a field survey by a qualified biologist is required and the project's impact on the listed species is assessed. If the rare species is federally listed, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must approve the project for it to proceed. If a site has not previously undergone natural and cultural resource survey, we recommend budgeting funds in the project proposal for surveys of the trail route. Applicants will be required to remedy all resource impact concerns prior to initiating work on the project. Sometimes a simple rerouting of the trail to avoid sensitive areas will allow a project to proceed, in other cases the remedy is much more time consuming and costly. If the remedy costs are too great (over 15% of total project costs), the sponsors will have the following options: a) cover the costs of the mitigation overruns themselves, b) relocate the project to a more suitable location, or c) withdraw their application. Barrier Free Access Applicants must ensure that support facilities in the area proposed for TRTF assistance will meet current barrier-free accessibility standards. i.e. make all