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DREDGING COMMITTEE MINUTES:
Minutes of meeting
10:00 AM
(THIS IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT)
The Miami River Commission's (MRC) Dredging Working Group met on Wednesday,
July 18, 2007 , 10 AM , at the United Way Executive Conference Room, 3250 SW 3 rd Avenue , MRC Chair Eric Buermann chaired the meeting. The attendance list is enclosed.
The Dredging Subcommittee reviewed and approved the June 22, 2007 meeting minutes.
I & II. Status of Miami River Federal Navigable Channel Maintenance Dredging Project & Funding and Status of “Bank to Bank” Maintenance Dredging Project & Funding – Mr. Dorian Valdes, Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM), noted Mr. Carlos Espinosa, Director of DERM, was unable to attend today's meeting due to a previously scheduled appointment with the County Manager . Mr. Valdes noted he had recently spoken to Mr. Rene Perez, Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), and on May 24, 2007 the ACOE awarded dredging in the projects acceptance sections 7 & 8, using the currently available $7 million federal cost share, which consists of the remaining $3.5 million appropriation from Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 and the $3.5 million included in the FY '07 CR. Mr. Bibeau stated it his understanding from previous dredging subcommittee discussions that the current contract provides 60 days for the contractors to remobilize from the time of award, therefore dredging is currently scheduled to recommence in the Miami River by July 23, 2007 . Mr. Bibeau reported Mr. Perez indicated the contractors recently met with ACOE representatives to request an extension to the 60 days provided for their remobilization, based on the timeline for the Boskalis sediment processing plant to return from overseas and to resolve a seawall related issue at the AME Shipping property the contractors lease as an additional sediment processing area. Mr. Bibeau stated Mr. Perez indicated the ACOE is yet to make their decision regarding the contractors recent request to extend the 60 days the contract currently allows from award of the acceptance section to recommence dredging. Chair Buermann stated the MRC would like to minimize delays as much as technologically and logistically possible.
As requested by Mr. Buermann, Mr. Bibeau distributed the “Miami River Maintenance Dredging completion estimated timeline as of June 7, 2007, subject to change, based on an estimate of 1,400 cubic yards per day, prepared by the Miami River Commission.” and updated June 11, 2007 project funding summary, incorporating the revisions requested during the Dredging subcommittee's May meeting. Mr. Evan Skornick, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) offered to provide clarification for the funding awarded by the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND).
Mr. Valdes reported on June 12, 2007 , Miami-Dade County 's “GOE” subcommittee unanimously adopted the Contributed Funds Agreement (CFA) without discussion. Mr. Valdes noted the Board of County Commissioners will consider approving the CFA on July 24, 2007 . Mr. Bibeau stated Mr. Perez reported the Jacksonville District had replied to a few sets of simple questions regarding the Local Advanced Funds (LAF) Agreement, which was approved several months ago by the Board of County Commissioners, and Perez believes ACOE Headquarters has all of the information necessary to approve the agreement. Mr. Bibeau noted the distributed project estimated timeline indicates the LAF needs to be executed by January 2008 in order to avoid a second demobilization.
Mr. Bibeau noted per the MRC's recommendation, the annual Miami River maintenance dredging support letter writing campaign is well underway. Mr. Bibeau provided copies of the numerous support letters mailed from local elected officials, businesses, etc., respectfully requesting the federal cost-share balance due in FY '08 & FY'09, addressed to the Honorable Senator Nelson, Honorable Senator Martinez, Honorable Senate Energy and Water Chair and Ranking Members Dorgan and Dominici, Honorable House Energy and Water Chair and Ranking Members Visclosky and Hobson, Honorable Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, Honorable Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Honorable Rep. Kendrick Meek, Honorable Rep. Mario Diaz Balart, Honorable Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, General Strock and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Portman. Mr. Bibeau thanked everyone whom recently wrote letters to express their continued strong support for obtaining the federal cost share balance due to finish the 40% complete Miami River maintenance dredging project.
Chair Buermann noted the distributed project completion estimated timeline indicates a projected potential $9 million shortfall in the federal cost balance due to finish the project when the 5 year contract expires in April 2009, therefore restated the MRC's recommendation for the local cost share partners to secure the federal funding shortfall in their respective FY '08 budget cycles. Chair Buermann noted although there is no guarantee the locals will be reimbursed for the additional Federal cost share they provide in order to complete the project under the current contract and price, there is a precedent for federal cost share reimbursement after the locals provide additional funding necessary to complete a project, therefore the locals will seek the potential reimbursement of the federal cost share balance due. Mr. Buermann suggested the County request $5 million from the Legislature during their 2008 session, which is the same amount the Legislature appropriated towards the project's federal cost share during the 2007 session, when the County was requesting $13 million. Mr. Bibeau noted Miami-Dade County Chairman Bruno Barreiro and Mr. Robert Villar , Office of Mayor Carlos Alvarez , are supportive of possibly including $3 million in the County's FY'08 budget for contributed funds. Chair Buermann stated he requested an additional $3 million from the South Florida Water Management District in their FY '08 budget, and SFWMD Executive Director Carol Wehle was positive about the request and supportive of completing the long awaited and widely supported project. Mr. Bibeau noted if the locals provide the additional funding, the grand total County cost share of the $86 million project would become $6.7 million, and the SFWMD cost share would become $3 million.
Mr. Evan Skornick, SFWMD, provided the following update regarding the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) grant awards for the project.
- Fiscal Year 2005 FIND grant – funding secured prior to the extended September 2007 grant expiration, because the ACOE awarded AS 7 & 8, AS 7 FIND funding was paid out and AS 8 has been invoiced
- Fiscal Year 2006 FIND grant – expires in October 2007, therefore in June 2007 the SFWMD will request the one allowable one year extension from FIND, which would make the new final expiration October 2008
- Fiscal Year 2007 FIND grant - expires in October 2008. In June 2007 the SFWMD will request the one allowable one year extension from FIND, which would make the new final expiration October 2009
Mr. Skornick stated he spoke with the FIND Executive Director, whom indicated no opposition to FIND's approval of the requested amendments. Chair Buermann asked if the FIND dollars could be the first funds expended when the contractors recommence dredging. Mr. Skornick indicated although the original FIND grant applications indicate specific Acceptance Sections in which each FY FIND grant would be spent, yet the related FIND contract agreements do not indicate specific sections, therefore he believes there is no current restraints regarding which section the awarded FIND grant funding may be utilized which allows the FIND funding to be utilized in the Local Advanced Funds Agreement.
MRC staff provided Mr. Valdes, on behalf of DERM, with a list of several federal grant opportunities, which the Dredging subcommittee previously recommended the County apply for to possibly obtain the additional federal cost share balance due to complete the Miami River maintenance dredging project. In addition, MRC staff provided Mr. Valdes with a CD containing the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant application opportunity. MRC staff distributed DSC meeting minutes of December 20, 2006 , which indicate the Dredging subcommittee recommended grant opportunities were provided to Mr. Ray Baker, DERM, whom stated the County agreed to apply for the EDA grant. Mr. Bibeau noted that Mr. Baker has since left DERM to become an Assistant County Manager, therefore MRC staff wanted to resubmit the grant opportunities to the new DERM representatives participating with the Dredging subcommittee. Mr. Valdes noted DERM has a specific individual on staff that researches grant opportunities, and agreed to discuss and coordinate DERM's application for the EDA grant with this person.
III. Update River Utility Crossings – The dredging subcommittee noted the ACOE's request for utilities to be relocated to the appropriate depth beneath the federal navigable channel in preparation for dredging is continuing on schedule.
IV. Status of Removal of NW 5 th Street Bridge Prior to Dredging within that Acceptance Section – Mr. Hector Rodriguez , Florida Department of Transportation, noted all waterway obstructions within the federal navigable channel have been removed, including the fender system and bridge foundation. Mr. Rodriguez noted that two single piles located outside at -17 depth could not be removed. Per Mr. Valdes' request, Mr. Rodriguez agreed to forward those locations to DERM and the ACOE.
Mr. Rodriguez noted the Federal navigable channel near the NW 12 Ave Bridge replacement project needs to be closed starting August 7, 2007 , for three consecutive days, and tentatively for three more days in August 2008. Mr. Rodriguez asked which Acceptance Section included the NW 12 th Avenue Bridge, and Mr. Bibeau replied AS 9, and according to the provided estimated timeline, dredging within AS 9 would take place Dec. 1, 2007 – Jan. 15, 2008 .
V. New Business – The following items were addressed/discussed:
- Dr. Fran Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group, expressed her concern regarding the potential sale of the 8 acre site owned by Miami-Dade County in the marine industrial upper river area, immediately east of NW 37 Ave, south of NW 36 ST, north of N. River Drive and west of NW 36 Ave, to Jai Alai. Dr. Bohnsack noted the County owned parcels are key to future plans for improved marine industrial operations, including but not limited to a truck depot, short sea shipping, etc. Mr. Bibeau noted the MRC's strategic plan supports marine industrial-related uses in the Upper River area, and suggested this item be placed on a future MRC Economic Development and Commerce subcommittee meeting agenda. Mr. Valdes noted the property will remain a dredging staging site until 2009.
The Dredging subcommittee confirmed the next meeting for July 18, 2007 , 10 am .
The meeting adjourned.