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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 he expects the ACOE
to award Acceptance Sections (AS) 7 & 8 before the end of April. The
$7 million federal cost share to award AS 7 & 8, noted Mr. Perez,
consists of the remaining appropriation from Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, as
well as the $3.5 million included in the FY ’07 CR, which is the same
amount the President requested for FY ‘07, and was appropriated in FY
’06. Mr. Perez stated if
AS 7 & 8 are awarded before the end of April, dredging would
recommence by the end of July.
Mr.
Carlos Espinosa, Director of the Miami-Dade County Department of
Environmental Resource Management (DERM), asked for the status of the
Local Advance Funding agreement. Mr.
Perez replied the ACOE’s Jacksonville District sent the agreement to
the South Atlantic Division, which forwarded it to ACOE Headquarters in
DC for approval, followed by transmittal to the County for the Mayor’s
signature, and subsequently returning the signed agreement for Assistant
Secretary of the Army (ASA) Woodley’s final signature, before the
proffered previously appropriated local cost share may be spent faster
than the pledged federal cost share balance due to complete the project.
Mr. Espinosa stated ASA Woodley told Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen
and himself at a meeting in
Miami
, that as soon as the approved Local Advanced Funding Agreement arrives
in his office, he will sign it. The
subcommittee noted an executed Local Advanced Funding Agreement would
provide sufficient additional funding to award AS 9, and by the time AS
9 is completed, federal FY ’08 will have commenced.
Mr. Perez stated it was feasible for the Local Advanced Funding
Agreement to be fully executed before
September 1, 2007
, and the Jacksonville District was suggesting ASA Woodley delegate
signature authority to Col. Grosskruger, potentially with a signature
ceremony / press conference. Mr.
Espinosa added the draft “Contributed Funds Agreement”, which would
allow the locals to provide a loan of the federal cost share balance
due, with no guarantee of repayment, was being reviewed by the
County’s Law Department. Mr.
Perez stated the Jacksonville District has the authority to execute the
“Contributed Funds Agreement”, which doesn’t require the more
timely execution by ACOE Headquarters.
Mr. Espinosa noted the “Local Advanced Funding Agreement”
would need to be executed before using any of the additional State
funding which the County is seeking this legislative session, and if
appropriated would become available upon the commencement of the
State’s Fiscal Year 2008 on July 1, 2007.
Mr. Espinosa and Mr. Perez agreed it is feasible for the required
“Contributed Funds Agreement” to be executed before
July 1, 2007
, in order to use the potential additional ST funding and leftover local
funding for the project.
Mr.
Brett Bibeau stated he was in
Tallahassee
on March 27 & March 28, supporting the County’s “critical
priority” legislative requests for $13.8 million towards
“contributed funding” for the project, which are priority items for
the Honorable House Sponsor Rivera and Senate Sponsor Diaz de la
Portilla. Mr. Bibeau met
with nearly the entire Dade Delegation, and or their staff, whom remain
in support of finishing the 40% complete project, and understand the
project’s benefits will only be realized upon completing dredging to
the confluence with
Biscayne Bay
. The Senate appropriations
bill currently includes $6 million for the
Miami River
maintenance dredging project.
Mr.
Evan Skornick, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), stated
the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) grants would allow local
advanced funding.
III.
Update
River
Utility Crossings – The
dredging subcommittee noted the ACOE’s request for utilities to be
relocated deeper beneath the federal navigable channel in preparation
for dredging is continuing on schedule.
IV. Status of Removal of
NW 5th Street
Bridge Prior to Dredging within that Acceptance Section -
Mr.
Orin Black
, Marilyn Properties (owner of parcels immediately north and south of
the NW 5 ST Bridge’s west side) stated the removal of the NW 5 ST
Bridge is underway, and coffer dams have been installed on both shores.
Mr. Espinosa stated Mr. Black’s permit to reconstruct the
adjacent shoreline to outside of the federal navigable channel will be
considered by the Board of County Commissioners in May.
Mr.
Jeffrey Hooper, AME Shipping, stated the County conducted a site visit
over one month ago for his shoreline repair permit application, and
asked the DERM representatives if they knew the status of his
application. Mr. Espinosa
asked Mr. Hooper to contact Mr. Lee Hefty, DERM, whom would be able to
provide the status on his permit application.
V. New Business –
The Dredging subcommittee
confirmed the next regularly scheduled third Wednesday of the month
meeting for May 16, 2007, 10 am, 1407 NW 7 ST.
The meeting
adjourned.
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