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DREDGING COMMITTEE MINUTES:
Minutes of meeting
10:00 AM
(THIS IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT)
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, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), stated Acceptance Section 1 of the Miami River Maintenance Dredging Project has been completed, and dredging within Acceptance Section 2 has commenced. Mr. Perez noted that the USACE has sufficient available funding to complete Acceptance Section 2. Mr. Bunnell asked Mr. Perez about the status of federal funding to dredge in Acceptance Section 3, and Mr. Perez stated that although the USACE South Atlantic Division has not yet earmarked funds for Acceptance Section 3, the USACE would continue seeking means to avoid a temporary demobilization of the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project, via continuing to refund the Miami River dredging project’s previously appropriated federal funding.
Mr. Perez stated on March 11, 2005 the Miami River Maintenance Dredging contractor had submitted a request for the USACE to approve their desire to improve the sediment processing equipment in order to increase productivity. Perez stated the Corps is expected to formally reply to the request within two weeks (March 25, 2005). Mr. Colin Henderson, HJ Ross, stated in a parallel path HJ Ross was currently preparing site plan revisions on behalf of the contractors for the Miami-Dade County Building Department, and expected to submit the revised plans immediately upon receiving the USACE anticipated approval of the changes, in two weeks. Henderson expected the County to take 30 days to approve the revised layout, and noted it is the same process; only the equipment layout was changing.
Dr. Fran Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group, asked if the $17.7 million requested from Congress would help cover the maintenance dredging costs of Acceptance Section 3 and other sections. Mr. Bibeau replied that the dredging contractors indicated in order to avoid a temporary demobilization their current work schedule requires $17.7 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 federal funding, in addition to the balance of the previously appropriated federal funding, which is $17.85 million. Bibeau stated the contractors have indicated that this level of funding would be sufficient to maintain the current work schedule, which exceeds the third Acceptance Section before the September 30, 2005 end of the Federal FY ‘05.
Mr. Bunnell noted that as of February 14, 2005, the federal balance due for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging Project was $23 million. Mr. Bibeau clarified that the local project sponsor has requested $17.7 million from Congress for FY ‘06, leaving the remaining federal funding balance for FY ’07 at $6.75 million. Mr. Bibeau noted that the federal government has pledged $51.6 for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging Project in the executed Project Cooperation Agreement, of which $27.85 has already been appropriated. Mr. Perez noted the figures were only for the contract costs, and the required 15% USACE overhead would have to be added to the figures.
Mr. Bunnell asked about the status of the USACE’s supplemental economic analysis. Mr. Perez stated that the USACE had recently discussed the status of the completed draft June 2004 supplemental economic analysis during a meeting in February 2005. Perez stated although the USACE Jacksonville District fully supports the immediate adoption of the completed and favorable June 2004 supplemental economic analysis, the USACE South Atlantic Division continues to consider potentially conducting an additional $205,000, 10.75-month supplemental economic analysis. Perez noted the USACE South Atlantic Division had originally estimated the potential additional economic analysis to cost $30,000 and only take 3 months. Mr. Perez stated that Colonel Carpenter had informed the USACE South Atlantic Division that the USACE Jacksonville District does not have enough money to fund the additional $205,000 of supplemental economic analysis
Mr. Bibeau stated on February 16, 2005 he met in Washington DC with Rob Vinning, USACE Chief of Civil Works Program Integration Division and Richard Worthington, Senior Policy Advisor, regarding the fact that final Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) “Section 5.2- Economic Analysis” was very favorable, and the June 2004 draft supplement to the analysis found the average benefit to cost ratio to be $1.78 in benefits for every $1 of cost, thereby exceeding the minimum economic justification criteria of $1 in benefit for each $1 in project cost. Therefore, Bibeau explained the MRC strongly supports the repeated requests from Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Governor Bush, and Miami-Dade County, for the USACE to immediately accept the long overdue Miami River Maintenance Dredging project’s supplemental economic analysis, which is required for the USACE to include the project in budget requests, which is critical for Congress to secure the levels of funding necessary for the USACE to complete this crucial project without any temporary demobilizations. Mr. Perez stated the USACE would meet again on the draft economic analysis within 30 days. Mr. Bibeau noted despite the repeated pledges made by the USACE to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Governor Bush, to finalize the USACE’s two year-old draft supplemental economic analysis, the favorable draft still awaits final acceptance. Perez noted the scope of services for the additional analysis now under consideration is the same as the original scope of services, with the exception of an additional multi-port analysis. Perez stated the June 2004 draft analysis contains a multi-port analysis comparing only the Port of Miami, because Port Everglades and West Palm Beach were determined to be to far away to impact the multi-port analysis.
Ms. Charlene Jacks-Palomino, City of Miami, stated that she, Mr. Roman Gastesi, Ms. Diane Johnson and Mr. Tim McIntosh had recently met to review and break down the local sponsor funding for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project. Ms. Jacks-Palomino stated that they would arrange a meeting with the MRC Dredging Working Group in the future to present their findings and means of funding the agreed local project cost share at the necessary rate to keep pace with the work schedule and federal funding, therefore avoiding any temporary project demobilizations due to lack of available funds.
III. Update River Utility Crossings - Mr. Perez stated due to Florida City Gas’ failure to remove their gas line, they are now responsible to fund dredging of the sediment left behind in that vicinity of the otherwise completed first acceptance section. Mr. Henderson indicated that Florida City Gas has capped off the Gas Line, in preparation of relocating the utility crossing.
IV.
Status of Removal of NW 5th Street Bridge Prior to Dredging
within that Acceptable Section - Mr.
Bibeau stated MRC Chairperson Irela Bagué met with Johnny Martinez, Florida Department
of Transportation (FDOT), who stated that FDOT would address dredging
adjacent to the NW 5 ST bridge, which is currently built into the
federal navigable channel and scheduled for replacement. Mr.
Bibeau stated FDOT has appropriated $45 million to replace the NW 5 ST
Bridge, and it is his understanding that similar to the other river
utility crossings built into the federal navigable channel, FDOT has the
option of having the contaminated sediment adjacent to the bridge
dredged under the USACE’s contracted project if the bridge is removed
before the dredger arrives in that vicinity, or
the FDOT would be responsible for funding the necessary dredging in that
area after the bridge is removed.
Mr. Bunnell asked for the timeline for FDOT to remove the bridge, and Mr. Bibeau replied the dredging contractors’ current schedule would bring them to the NW 5 St Bridge in approximately 10-12 months. Mr. Bunnell asked if FDOT was aware of their timeline, and Mr. Bibeau said he wasn’t sure. Mr. Bibeau stated MRC Chairperson Bagué was expecting to receive a written summary of their meeting from Mr. Martinez.
V. New Business- Mr. Bibeau invited the meeting attendees to the Ninth Annual Miami Riverday festival on Saturday, March 19, 11-5 pm, Jose Marti Park, SW 4th Street and SW 4th Avenue.
The Dredging Subcommittee confirmed their next regularly scheduled third Wednesday of the month meeting for meeting April 20, 2005, 10 am, University of Miami Rosenstiel School, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway.
The meeting adjourned.