Study Design for impacts of illegal marijuana cultivation on salmonids | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Study Design for impacts of illegal marijuana cultivation on salmonids."

What is the main purpose of the project?

The project supports the development of a rigorous and defensible study plan to evaluate whether, how, and to what extent illegal marijuana cultivation may be affecting aquatic ecosystems and salmonid fish (including anadromous fish) in northern California.

Why does the opportunity describe the work as difficult and sensitive?

Much of the suspected impact occurs at clandestine cultivation sites. Work at these locations can require coordination with law enforcement, careful attention to safety, and collection of evidence-quality environmental data that is scientifically credible and operationally usable.

What problem is this project trying to solve beyond "anecdotes"?

The effort is intended to move beyond assumptions by building a structured, non-biased assessment framework that can determine whether illicit cultivation contributes to measurable harm in streams and watersheds, and how those effects compare to other stressors.

How is the work organized?

The work is organized in two main phases: (1) identifying and defining potential environmental stressors linked to marijuana production using a formal causal analysis approach, and (2) collecting standardized field measurements at secured cultivation sites after enforcement actions to inform shared sampling protocols and defensible documentation.

What happens in Phase 1?

Phase 1 applies the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Causal Analysis approach to systematically examine existing information and identify which stressors associated with marijuana production are plausible drivers of ecological impairment in selected northern California stream systems.

Which streams or watersheds may be included?

The stream systems are still to be finalized. Example candidate systems mentioned include Mill, Deer, Antelope, and Butte Creeks in northern California.

Does the project assume marijuana cultivation is the only or main source of impact?

No. A key feature is an explicit comparison of risks from marijuana cultivation to those from other historical and current land uses in the same watersheds. The intent is to rank or contextualize illicit cultivation among competing stressors rather than treating it as automatically dominant.

What kinds of other watershed stressors are considered in the comparison?

The description notes competing stressors such as legacy land practices, ongoing development, agriculture, roads, and other watershed disturbances.

When does Phase 2 begin?

Phase 2 begins after likely threats are clarified relative to other land-use activities during the Phase 1 causal analysis process.

What happens in Phase 2 fieldwork?

Biologists and specialists accompany law enforcement personnel to marijuana cultivation sites that have been secured, typically after enforcement actions. Field teams then measure water quality conditions and physical habitat impacts using standardized methods to produce comparable data across sites.

Why does sampling occur at "secured" sites and after enforcement actions?

The description emphasizes that these locations can be dangerous and logistically challenging, and access can be constrained by enforcement operations. Secured-site sampling also supports safe entry and helps ensure time-sensitive measurements can be collected before conditions change or evidence is disturbed.

What types of measurements are collected during site visits?

The opportunity specifies measurement of water quality conditions and physical habitat impacts using standardized methods, with the goal of generating comparable data across sites.

How will the data be used?

Data are intended to directly inform specific sampling protocols that can be shared across agencies responsible for water resource protection, improving consistency in documentation and monitoring of impacts.

Does the opportunity build on earlier grant-funded work?

Yes. Prior work refined certain techniques and revealed discrepancies in the original process. This project aims to address those gaps and strengthen the overall study design.

What are the additional goals besides designing the study and collecting measurements?

Additional goals include improving understanding of how cultivation affects anadromous fish, identifying and prioritizing areas most important to protect and/or restore, and developing a process and/or dataset that can quantify effects in a scientifically and operationally defensible way.

What long-term outcomes does the opportunity aim for?

The long-term outcome is practical: reduce or eliminate negative effects of illicit cultivation on natural resources and improve law enforcement effectiveness in pursuing civil and environmental violations by providing timely, credible environmental measurements and documentation.

Which federal agency manages this grant?

This is a discretionary grant managed under the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI-FWS).

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 15.648.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to state governments.

Is this a competitive multi-award opportunity?

The opportunity is framed as a single-award effort with expected awards listed as 1.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $76,722.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is listed as F16 1.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted on March 31, 2016, with a closing date of April 6, 2016.

Why is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) described as the logical award recipient?

The description states that CDFW has relevant bioassessment and contaminants expertise and facilities capable of processing and analyzing samples. It also notes that awarding to CDFW enables trained biologists and toxicologists to enter secured sites under CDFW Warden protection shortly after a raid, improving safety and enabling time-sensitive sampling before conditions change or evidence is disturbed.

How does the project support coordination across agencies?

By generating standardized, comparable field data and using it to create sampling protocols that can be shared across agencies responsible for water resource protection, the project is designed to improve consistency and coordination in how impacts are documented and monitored.

What is meant by "defensible" or "evidence-quality" environmental data in this context?

The opportunity emphasizes collecting timely, credible environmental measurements and documentation, using standardized methods and appropriate site security and coordination, so the resulting information holds up scientifically and can support enforcement-related civil and environmental violation efforts.