Leveraging Carbon Offsets for Water Quality in the Deschutes Basin, Oregon Scott McCaulou, Deschutes Resources Conservancy Michael Ashford, The Climate Trust

DRC Mission “To restore streamflow and improve water quality in the Deschutes Basin utilizing incentives and market mechanisms”

Deschutes Basin Deschutes Basin 2nd Largest Watershed in Oregon 10,700 square miles 170 miles North to South 125 miles East to West Basin Population 171,482 Crook County 18,150 Deschutes County 109,600 Jefferson County 18,600 Wasco County 23,346 Sherman County 1,786 Population Growth Rate from 1990 to 2010 Crook - 42% Deschutes County - 99% Jefferson County - 76%

Deschutes Basin 303(d) Violations Total Reaches in Violation = 150 Parameter# of Reaches% of Total Temperature8657% Habitat Mod.2919% Sediment128% Totals12784%

Deschutes Riparian Restoration Project

Deschutes Riparian Restoration Project Objectives: Provide landowners with technical assistance and incentives to improve riparian areas in the Deschutes Basin Offset carbon dioxide emissions by restoring riparian areas using native vegetation

The Climate Trust: Promote climate change solutions by facilitating greenhouse gas offset projects and advancing sound offset policy.

Carbon Offsets and Oregon House Bill 3283 HB 3283 requires new energy facilities built in Oregon to avoid, sequester, or displace a portion of their previously unregulated carbon dioxide emissions

Any new gas- fired power plant must meet a net emissions rate of pounds of CO2 per kilowatt- hour This is 17% less polluting (in CO2) than the least-polluting such plant operating in the United States

A power plant developer may choose to meet part or all of its reduction target by paying mitigation funds to a "qualified nonprofit" such as the Climate Trust (formed in 1997) The funds are then used to carry out projects that avoid, sequester, or displace the carbon dioxide the plant will emit in excess of the required standard. $ offsets

Project Financing DRC: $780,000 for organizational capacity and program management The Climate Trust: $780,000 for market penetration, permanence, sequestration M&V, et al. Total project budget: $1,560,000. $780,000/233,333 metric tons C02= $3.34/metric ton selling price to The Climate Trust

CONTRACT: Deliver offsets totaling 233,333 metric tons of CO2. Provide long term (52-years) project site protection through site management plan, landowner agreement, and conservation easement with each landowner.

CONTRACT (cont): Provide monitoring and verification of offsets for the duration of the project. Restore an estimated 1900 acres of riparian habitat

DRRP Partners Mt. Jefferson Farms ERT

Foley Creek Riparian Restoration; Trout Creek Headwaters 303(d) limited for: –Habitat Modification –Temperature –Sediment ESA listed Steelhead run

DRRP Foley Site History

Foley Creek Riparian Restoration Objective: Restore approximately 7 miles of Foley and Martin Creeks Strategy: Install 10 miles of riparian fence, plant 72,000 native plants, and install two offsite watering facilities

ERT Project Components Project Scoping Site Restoration Plan Development Contract/Easement Negotiation CT Site Review and Approval Baseline Measurement Planting/Implementation Monitoring

Monitoring and Verification ERT to prepare and execute carbon offset Monitoring and Verification Plan including: –Evaluation of baseline conditions –Developing methodology to collect and analyze data –Determining tons of CO2 sequestered per site

Planting

Deschutes Resources Conservancy