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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Robert King High
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Miami, FL 33125  
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e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

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I & II. Status of Miami River Federal Navigable Channel Maintenance Dredging Project & Funding and Status of “Bank to Bank” Maintenance Dredging Project  – Mr. Luis Rene Perez, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), stated $4.5 million is anticipated to be made available for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project, from the appropriated Hurricane Wilma related supplemental budget bill, due to damages caused to the river’s federal navigable channel.  Mr. Eric Buermann, Chair of the MRC’s Dredging Subcommittee, asked how much would be available in Fiscal Year 2007 funding for the project, and Mr. Perez replied he would not know until the President makes that determination in his annual budget request.  Mr. Perez noted $3.5 million was appropriated in the FY ’06 budget, and over $1 million in leftover funding from the accepted Acceptance Sections 1-6 could potentially be used to award dredging in additional Acceptance Sections as well.  Mr. Perez noted it is the ACOE’s intention to award additional acceptance sections before the end of this fiscal year, possibly as early as July 2006, and the work would theoretically continue into FY ’07 (after September 30, 2006).

Dr. Fran Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group, noted the potential for the project to currently utilize $9 million ($4.5 million in the Wilma Supplemental Bill, $3.5 million in FY’06, and $1 million in left-over funding from Acceptance Sections 1-6).  Mr. Perez stated the project would likely receive the $4.5 million from the supplemental budget bill, and the $3.5 million appropriated in the FY’06 budget, during FY ‘06. Mr. Perez noted he would try his best to keep this available federal cost share funding from being reprogrammed to other projects.

Mr. Buermann asked for a copy of the Joint-Venture / ACOE dredging contract, and Mr. Perez noted that information is available online at the ACOE Jacksonville District website. Mr. Perez agreed to forward that web link to Ms. Ashley Chase, MRC Assistant Managing Director.

Under the conditions of the current contract, Mr. Perez noted the dredging contractors must be awarded some work during each fiscal year in order to avoid a termination of the dredging contract.  Mr. Perez stated the contractors had already performed some work in early FY ’06.  The contractors, added Mr. Perez, are required to re-mobilize within 60 days of an Acceptance Section being awarded by the ACOE.  Time extensions are potentially allowable, noted Mr. Perez, if requested in advance by the dredging contractors.

Mr. Buermann thanked Mr. Perez for his efforts in keeping the project going.

Mr. Bibeau cited the December 21, 2005 Dredging subcommittee minutes, thanking Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Governor Jeb Bush, State Representative Gus Barreiro, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, eleven County Commissioners, City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, 3 City of Miami Commissioners, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the Chamber of Commerce, nine shipping terminals, a Miami River mega-yacht boatyard, and three developers for writing letters to Mr. Josh Bolten, Director of the President’s Office of Management & Budget (OMB), requesting the $24.2 million pledged federal cost share balance due for the project be included in the President’s FY’07 Energy & Water budget submission. Mr. Bibeau added additional letters to OMB Director Bolten, requesting the $24.2 million federal cost share balance due be included in the President’s FY ’07 budget request, had recently been mailed by Senator Bill Nelson, one additional County Commissioner, the Miami River Marine Group, one additional international shipping terminal, and two additional Miami River developers.  Mr. Bibeau noted that the President’s FY ’07 budget submission is expected to be released on February 6.  Mr. Bibeau noted he would be traveling to Tallahassee on January 24-25 to meet with state legislators, supporting Miami-Dade County ’s $4 million Miami River maintenance dredging State cost-share request.

Mr. Bibeau distributed copies of the MRC’s 2005 Report, taking special note of the cover picture of Antillean Marine’s newest vessel, “El Habib Express.”, which is the largest and fastest shipping vessel on the Miami River .  The Dredging subcommittee noted the plume of contaminated sediments stirred into the water column behind the vessel in this “lower river” section, which is yet to be maintenance dredged.  Mr. Bibeau noted in the picture that the new vessel is heading to its U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) certified international shipping terminal in the “upper river” for the first time, without any cargo, and the completion of the Miami River maintenance dredging project to the River’s mouth is critical to allow the shipping vessels to fill cargo to full capacity, and traverse regardless of tide.  Dr. Bohnsack added that the USCG certified Betty K international shipping terminal had recently purchased a new larger vessel as well, which would be able to operate more effectively once the river’s maintenance dredging to restore the designated 15-foot-deep federal navigable channel is completed. 

V.  New Business – Mr. Skornick stated the SFWMD governing board approved the amendment to the dredging contract on January 11, 2006 . The SFWMD will execute the acceptance of the awarded $1.5 million Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) grant for their cost-share of Acceptance Sections 9-11.  Mr. Bibeau thanked Mr. Skornick, the SFWMD, and FIND for their continued support of the project.

Dr. Bohnsack noted she had been informed that the NW 12^th Avenue Bridge is slated for removal at the end of 2006. Dr. Bohnsack stated that, to her knowledge, the removal of the NW 12^th Avenue Bridge would be performed simultaneously with the removal of the NW 5^th Street Bridge.

The Dredging Subcommittee confirmed the next regularly scheduled third Wednesday of the month meeting for February 15, 2006, 10 am, Robert King High, 1407 NW 7 Street.

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