CREATING AND LEVERAGING PUBLIC RECREATION PARTNERSHIPS BRUCE BUGBEE, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN LANDS, NWHA FEBRUARY 18, 2014
FERC LICENSE 2188: UPPER MISSOURI RIVER AND MADISON RIVER, MONTANA
9 DAMS, 8 WITH GENERATING FACILITIES PRODUCING 304 MW, 324 RIVER MILES
PROJECT SETTING
MISSOURI MADISON RIVER FUND OPERATING ASSUMPTIONS:
THE NEED
• SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
• AVOID SOLE SOURCE SOLUTIONS
• INTRODUCE AND MAINTAIN A PUBLIC SUPPORT THRESHOLD TEST FOR EACH PROJECT’S APPROVAL
• LEVERAGE TOTAL PUBLIC BENEFITS
MISSOURI MADISON RIVER FUND:WHAT IS IT?
• THE LICENSE-DIRECTED MEANS OF IDENTIFYING AND FUNDING CONTINUING RECREATION NEEDS IN THE MISSOURI-MADISON RIVER CORRIDOR.
• THE FUND IS AN INDEPENDENT TAX-EXEMPT NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ADVISED BY A RECREATION PLAN
• IT HAS AN ELEVEN MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS (BLM, FS, MDFWP, LICENSEE, SIX COUNTIES, AND ONE PUBLIC MEMBER)
• PPLM PROVIDES STAFF SUPPORT TO MMRF, RECREATION PLANNING, ANNUAL COUNTER SURVEYS, RECREATION USER SURVEYS, AND ANNUAL O&M
Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Partnership project with Lewis & Clark National Forest, City of Great
Falls, Cascade County, PPLM and private sourcesCompleted in 2000
FUNDING
LICENSEE CHALLENGED ITS PARTNERS TO SHARE THE COSTS OF THE INITIAL PROJECTS. IF:
• PPLM CONTRIBUTED $5.4 MILLION FOR NEW SITES,
• PUBLIC AGENCIES CONTRIBUTED $5.1 MILLION, THEN
• AFTER FIVE YEARS, PPLM WOULD PLACE $5.1 MILLION IN A RECREATION PROJECT REVOLVING FUND, PLUS
• AFTER SIX YEARS, PPLM WOULD MATCH NEW PARTNER CONTRIBUTIONS 100% FOR QUALIFIED EXPENDITURES ON RESERVOIR RECREATION SITES AND 25% ON RIVER SITES, UP TO THE AMOUNT OF INCOME EARNED BY THE REVOLVING FUND.
HOW HAS IT WORKED?
• MMRF BOARD MEETS ANNUALLY TO AWARD GRANTS BEGINNING IN 2006 FOR PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED IN 2007
• PARTNERS MEET 2X PER YEAR TO PROPOSE, RANK PROJECTS AND RECOMMEND PROJECTS TO THE BOARD
•Annual counter surveys and manager surveys, and recreation user surveys every 6 years advise new proposals and plan updates
River Fund grants43%
($2.3 million)
PPL Montana matching funds
15% ($831,000)
Agency and Partner con-tributions
41%($2.2 million)
$5.4M in Recreation Improvements 2007-2014
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEGoqoMOo2A•http://thetrail.org
http://www.missourimadison.com/AMERICAN LANDS * 125 BANK STREET, #610
MISSOULA, MONTANA 59802 * ( 406) 728-4176