Folsom-Auburn Recreation Management | BOR MP 17 N018

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR MP 17 N018

The Folsom-Auburn Recreation Management grant is a discretionary Bureau of Reclamation funding opportunity designed to support day-to-day operations and long-term stewardship of major federal recreation areas in California, specifically the Auburn Project Lands, Folsom Reservoir, and Lake Natoma. The core purpose is to fund ongoing operations and maintenance work that keeps these heavily used public lands and waters safe, functional, and accessible. That includes law enforcement and ranger services, visitor management, and a broad range of recreation-related activities tied to the facilities and services the public relies on. The award is structured to align with, and implement, an existing long-term Managing Partner Agreement (MPA) that authorizes California State Parks to manage these federal project areas in coordination with Reclamation and consistent with the underlying purposes of the federal water project.

The primary recipient responsibilities sit with the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation. Under the agreement, the State is expected to carry out the full scope of work in compliance with the MPA and all applicable federal, state, and local requirements, including securing any permits and approvals needed for actions taken on the ground. A key administrative requirement is designating a single liaison or point of contact who can keep communication flowing, respond quickly to assignments, and help ensure ongoing compliance with the partnership terms. In addition to routine operations, the State must be transparent about environmental impacts associated with any future development or changes to recreation settings. If proposed actions trigger environmental review, the State must follow National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and/or California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) disclosure and public notice requirements, consistent with both Reclamation and State Parks policies.

On-the-ground expectations are extensive and centered on public safety, resource protection, and facility management. State Parks is responsible for planning, protecting, managing, developing, operating, and maintaining recreation services and facilities at Folsom Lake, Lake Natoma, and the Auburn Folsom South Unit. That includes ensuring that operational procedures are in place for search and rescue, emergency medical response, fire response, and incident coordination, particularly for serious events involving fatalities, major injuries, significant property damage, or other high-severity incidents. The agreement also assigns State Parks an initial responder role for hazardous material spills within the project areas. Under that requirement, the State must take immediate protective actions to safeguard public health and the environment using Standard Operating Procedures that Reclamation will develop shortly after the agreement is executed and update over time. The State must also report incident details to Reclamation emergency officials and follow notification, reporting, and remediation processes established under the MPA and Reclamation emergency planning.

Resource stewardship is another major component. State Parks is expected to consult with and assist Reclamation in protecting and managing natural and cultural resources, including providing an initial response when there is possible damage to sensitive resources to prevent additional harm. The State also plays a central role in administering third-party access and services through permits, agreements, contracts, and concessions. This includes issuing and managing concessions contracts that provide visitor goods and services, while coordinating with Reclamation and local agencies to ensure concessionaires and contractors secure all necessary approvals and permits. Financial sustainability is explicitly addressed as well: the State is expected to work with Reclamation to minimize or reduce operational deficits, and the partners commit to meeting annually to confirm that procedures for communication, administration, operations, maintenance, and development review remain effective.

Reclamation anticipates minimal direct involvement in implementation, meaning the day-to-day work is largely delegated to State Parks. Reclamation’s role is described as standard federal stewardship: monitoring performance, providing technical assistance when requested, and maintaining oversight consistent with federal responsibilities for lands and facilities under its control. The opportunity is intentionally structured as a single-source award rather than a competitive grant. The justification is twofold: it is a continuation of long-standing management arrangements dating back decades (with the current framework rooted in a 25-year MPA signed in 2012), and State Parks is considered uniquely qualified because it already manages adjacent state property integrated with these recreation areas, has demonstrated cost-sharing capability, and has established expertise in developing, operating, and maintaining recreation facilities at this scale.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.524 and is limited to eligible applicants that are state governments, with the California Department of Parks and Recreation being the intended recipient. The funding instrument is a grant, the activity category is natural resources, and the Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Department of the Interior) is the sponsoring agency. The opportunity record indicates an expected single award with an award ceiling of $12,500,000. It was originally posted on July 24, 2017, with an original closing date of August 7, 2017. The statutory authority cited is Public Law 89-72 as amended, including provisions associated with the Reclamation Recreation Management Act, which authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide for public outdoor recreation and related facilities on or near Reclamation reservoirs, coordinated with other project purposes, and implemented through formal agreements.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Folsom-Auburn Recreation Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.524.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 24, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 07, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $12,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for BOR MP 17 N018

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