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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
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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 & Funding – Mr. Rene Perez, Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), stated the President’s FY ’08 budget submittal includes $4.5 million for the Miami River maintenance dredging project.  Mr. Perez explained in the FY ’07 Continuing Resolution; the Corps may obtain 90% of the President’s $3.5 million budget submittal for the project, plus any approved “congressional ad” and noted the funding may be appropriated per ACOE program vs. project.  Mr. Perez reported after a conference call with the local project sponsors, they have delayed plans to award acceptance sections (AS) 7 & 8 from February to mid-late March 2007, followed by Notice to Proceed (NTP) in 1-30 days and 60 days for remobilization from issuance of NTP, therefore dredging will recommence this summer.  

Mr. Baker stated the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved authorizing the County Manager to execute the Local Advanced Funding Agreement for the project, which would allow the local cost share of dredging in the federal navigable channel to be spent ahead of the Federal Cost share, which if accepted by the ACOE would provide sufficient funding for AS 9.  Mr. Baker stated the County Attorney had informed him the ACOE’s Jacksonville District attorney had completed his review of the agreement and forwarded it to the ACOE’s South Atlantic Division (SAD) for review.  Mr. Perez stated he had received an e-mail from the ACOE Jacksonville District Attorney John Pax, stating he was still reviewing the agreement, and hadn’t submitted to SAD.  Mr. Baker replied the County’s revisions to the ACOE’s provided draft agreement were minor.  Mr. Baker noted the County’s top critical priority legislative requests in 2007 are the final $13 million local advanced funding and $800,000 requests to the State and a $26 million request from the Federal government to complete the Miami River maintenance dredging project.  Mr. Bibeau noted he will be attending the GMCC / Miami-Dade County Washington DC “Fly-In” on February 28- March 1, 2007 .  Mr. Bibeau added the Honorable Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and the Honorable Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz will be taking a Miami River boat tour with representatives from the MRC, County, City, MRMG, etc. on March 2, 2007 .  Mr. Bibeau distributed an updated Miami River Maintenance Dredging project funding status. 

Mr. Baker asked Mr. Jim Thomas, President of Bean Environmental, if the contractor was planning to bring the Boskalis dredge sediment processing plant back, which was averaging one acceptance section per month, and Mr. Perez added the ACOE sent a letter to the contractors over a month ago, asking the same question.  Mr. Thomas replied they do intend to bring back the same dredge and processing plant.  Mr. Thomas added they don’t want to remobilize to dredge only two acceptance sections, and would prefer remobilizing when 75% of the remaining funding had been secured.  Mr. Evan Skornick, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), stated he spoke with a representative from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) whom indicated FIND would allow amendments to the specific acceptance sections in which their awarded grant funding may be spent, in order to be used for the local advanced funding. 

Mr. Baker stated the County agreed to the MRC’s recommendation to apply for a “EDA” grant to obtain a federal cost share for the “bank-to-bank” dredging component located outside of the federal navigable channel, which doesn’t currently have a federal cost share, and if awarded would free up local project sponsor funding appropriated for that purpose.  Mr. Baker added the grant awards range between $4 - $1 million per year, and has a lengthy application, consideration, and award timeline, which he will provide at the Dredging subcommittee’s March meeting.  Mr. Skornick stated the SFWMD will not be applying for a FIND grant this year towards local advanced funding, because FIND doesn’t have a Miami-Dade County board member, whom is required to sign an application before it is submitted in March 2007, and there is currently $5.5 million in unspent FIND grant awards for the Miami River dredging project.

Mr. Perez stated the ACOE conducted a “Remaining Benefit to Remaining Cost” (RBRC) ratio based on completing AS 7-10, leaving only AS 11-15, and the RBRC is 3.01 to 1. Mr. Perez noted the ACOE is unable to formally consider the improved RBRC while creating their next FY ’09 budget request, until the project completes dredging AS 7-10.

III. Update River Utility Crossings– The Dredging subcommittee discussed Bellsouth’s needs to receive final permits to relocate utility lines, and noted it seemed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) was about to issue their permit. 

IV. Status of Removal of NW 5^th Street Bridge Prior to Dredging within that Acceptable- Mr. Bibeau provided copies of an e-mail from Mr. Orin Black , Marilyn Properties to Ms. Madelyn Valdes, City of Miami, asking for revisions to the City’s provided draft agreement to provide Mr. Black the ability to hire a contractor to remove the land owned by the City of Miami located in the federal navigable channel, and construct a new seawall along his property, at his cost and liability.

V. New Business – The Dredging subcommittee confirmed the next regularly scheduled third Wednesday of the month meeting for March 21, 2007, 10 am, 1407 NW 7 ST.

The meeting adjourned.

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