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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 Monday, November 19, 2007, 10 AM, at the South Florida Water Management District Miami-Dade Regional Office, Conference Room, 6th Floor, United Way Executive Conference Room, 2121 SW 3rdAvenue. Mr. Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, noted a week before the meeting MRC staff e-mailed the draft Dredging subcommittee’s October 17, 2007 meeting minutes to attendees, no revisions have been requested thus far, and asked if anyone would like to recommend any revisions to the draft minutes. Hearing no requested revisions, the Dredging subcommittee’s October 17, 2007 minutes were unanimously adopted. The sign in sheet is attached
I & II. Status of Miami River Federal Navigable Channel Maintenance Dredging Project & Funding and Status of “Bank to Bank” Maintenance Dredging Project & Funding – Mr. Bibeau stated Mr. Rene Perez, Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) project manager for the Miami River maintenance dredging project, was unable to participate in today’s meeting due to a previously scheduled meeting with Congressman Mika. Mr. Larry Bove, Weston Solutions, stated the ACOE formally accepted the contractor’s timeline to remobilize and recommence the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project:
- Dredging to recommence on February 15, 2008
- Mobilization of the Boskalis sediment processing plant is currently in motion; plant is being packed and will be shipped on December 10, 2008 to the Miami River where assembly is scheduled to commence Jan. 1, 2008 – HJ Ross working on obtaining permits to assemble the processing plant
- Hydraulic Excavator, “Barredor del Rio” (dredge) is now in Stuart, Florida, but is expected to arrive on the Miami River within 5 days
- Negotiations with landlord to lease the land in order to assemble sediment processing plant were completed
- Commence repair of seawall in next few days; sea wall repairs will be completed by Jan. 1, 2008
Mr. Bibeau noted he had attended the recent South Florida Water Management District Governing Board meeting in which a resolution authorizing an amendment to the contract with Miami-Dade County for the Miami River Dredging project in the amount of $3 million, towards the federal funding or “local non-required contributed funds” was approved. On behalf of the MRC, Mr. Bibeau thanked the SFWMD. Mr. Bibeau noted this funding will only be made available after dredging recommences on February 15, 2008. Mr. Bibeau asked Ms. Marina Blanco-Pape, Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM), if the amendment to the contract would need to go before the Board of County Commissioners for approval, and Ms. Blanco-Pape replied no. Mr. Bibeau noted that, while attending the SFWMD governing board meeting, he briefly updated Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess on the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project.
Mr. Bibeau distributed an October 15, 2007 letter signed by U.S. Congress members Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Kendrick Meek to the Honorable David Obey, Chairman of the House of Appropriations Committee, requesting the Congress appropriate the Senate’s $7.5 mark up for the Miami River maintenance dredging project in the FY ’08 Energy and Water Bill. Mr. Bibeau thanked the Dade Congressional delegation for their continued support for the project. Mr. McGraw stated if the Energy and Water Bill is adopted, it may occur at the end of December, yet may not be adopted leaving us in a year long CR similar to last year, which may provide the project $3.5 million.
Chair Buermann asked for the status of completing a survey of the bank - to - bank area located outside of the Federal navigable channel, as previously suggested by DERM in the September & October 2007 DSC meeting minutes. Mr. Taylor reported the JV had recently completed the survey for awarded Acceptance Sections 7 & 8. Mr. Taylor stated understanding DERM would like to survey the remaining AS 9-15 before funding is requested and transferred to the ACOE to award additional acceptance sections, they are taking the initiative as a contribution for moving the project forward to survey AS 9-15. Mr. Taylor noted the main purpose of the survey is to derive a logical design for the project, detailing how the area should be dredged. Mr. Taylor noted he expects to have the entire survey completed by December 10, 2007, yet he will be in Miami and is available for an informal boat tour of the Miami River in order to survey structures and document locations solely either on the 27th or 28th of November. Mr. Taylor noted the JV would be happy to provide the vessel. Chair Buermann noted the tour should not be delayed any longer because it is delaying the transfer of available and previously appropriated local funding from DERM to the ACOE. Mr. Bibeau stated the owner of Merrill-Stevens offered their yacht and captain for DERM, ACOE and their contractor’s time sensitive informal boat tour anytime on November 20 or 21. Ms. Blanco stated it was Saxby Anderson’s, ACOE, responsibility to schedule the boat ride / survey with the three parties, DERM, ACOE and contractors. Mr. Bibeau discussed the possibility of having the County begin invoicing/requesting money from local cost-share partners before the boat ride / survey, which was originally scheduled to take place in September.
Mr. Bibeau distributed and reviewed the following documents:
- “6 Month Timeline from County Invoicing Local Cost-Share funding to USACE Awarding Acceptance Sections”
- DERM invoices local cost share partners
- 90 days for local cost share partners to provide invoiced available funding to DERM
- 30 days for DERM to transfer collected funds to USACE
- 30 days for USACE to deposit and clear received funds
- 30 days for USACE contracting officer to award additional acceptance sections
- total 180 days (half a year)
- “Miami River Maintenance Dredging completion estimated timeline as of November 16, 2007, subject to change, based on an estimate of 1,900 cubic yards per day, prepared by the Miami River Commission’s Dredging Subcommittee”
- February 15, 2008: Dredging recommences in awarded AS 7 & 8
- April 1, 2008: ACOE awards AS 9 & 10 using $8.1 million from the State, $2.1 million from FIND, $532,000 from the City, and $535,000 from the County, which the County estimates to receive before 12/31/07, transfer to the ACOE before January 31, 2008. Ms. Balnco stated DERM has received the State’s $8.1 million (two payments of $2.7 and $5.4 million)
- April 15, 2008: Additional available funding needs to be provided to the ACOE in order to provide ACOE 60 days to award additional acceptance sections before dredging within AS 9 & 10 is completed
- July 31, 2008: ACOE deadline to receive all funding to award final acceptance sections by September 30, 2008, as required by the current 5-year contract.
- Mr. Bibeau reminded that a critical juncture in the estimated timeline is for the previously mentioned “bank-to-bank” survey / boat ride to take place ASAP, because the County will only be able to issue accurate invoices for the final remaining portions of the unexpended and previously appropriated local cost shares after the survey is completed (September 2007 DSC meeting minutes
Mr. Taylor recognized that AS 7 & 8 have been awarded, and therefore believed the ACOE only wants to take the boat tour to visually inspect seawall conditions within the awarded AS 7 & 8. Ms. Blanco stated DERM only wanted to look at and informally survey the seawall conditions adjacent to bank to bank dredging for AS 9 – 15 with the ACOE and contractors, therefore although it is appreciated that the contractors are currently surveying AS 9 -15, an independent survey will not help. Ms. Blanco reiterated although DERM has available boats, Saxby Anderson, ACOE, is getting the three parties together for the informal Miami River boat tour, which is expected to take place during the week of December 10, 2007.
Mr. Bibeau distributed and reviewed the Dredging Subcommittee’s:
- “Miami River Maintenance Dredging completion estimated timeline as of November 16, 2007, subject to available funding, based on the Dredging Contractor’s estimate of 1,900 cubic yards per day, prepared by the Miami River Commission’s Dredging Subcommittee”
- “Miami River Maintenance Dredging Project’s Funding as of November 14, 2007 (w/ USACE 15% Overhead)”
Chair Buermann directed the DSC to follow-up with the ACOE, which includes project manager Rene Perez, to discuss scheduling DERM’s suggested informal Miami River boat tour ASAP.
III. Update River Utility Crossings – No updates were reported.
IV. Status of Removal of NW 5th Street Bridge Prior to Dredging within that Acceptance Section – Mr. Bibeau stated he spoke with Tish Burgher, FDOT, who stated they had met with the ACOE in October regarding the removal of the pilings which are an obstacle to dredging in AS 11. Ms. Burgher indicated the next contractors will commence December 2008, after AS 11 maybe completed as early as June 2008
V. New Business – Mr. Bibeau distributed a letter from U.S. Coast Guard Captain Karl Schultz to Mr. Jere Lahey, State of Florida Department of Management Services, stating that “During recovery operations, the Coast Guard deemed that the seawall was not a navigational hazard and may be left in place until the seawall is rebuilt, or until the Army Corps requires its removal in preparation for dredging”…and, “The Coast Guard has received notice from the Army Corps of Engineers that they will be dredging in the vicinity of the collapsed seawall as early as August 2008. The dredging project calls for a controlling depth of approximately 21 feet, including the area of the collapse. The inability of the Army Corps to dredge would cause a growing hazard to marine traffic…It is strongly recommended that the collapsed section of the seawall be removed prior to the Army Corps dredging in the area.” Mr. Bibeau stated the Department of State (DOS) had submitted their grant application to the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) to fund half of the estimated $1.5 million Miami Circle seawall repair. Mr. Bibeau added the grant requires a $750,000 match, which has yet to be secured. Mr. Bibeau noted the contractors’ arrival time within the Miami Circle vicinity is September 22, 2008, based on the “Miami River Maintenance Dredging completion estimated timeline as of November 16, 2007, subject to available funding, based on the Dredging Contractor’s estimate of 1,900 cubic yards per day, prepared by the Miami River Commission’s Dredging Subcommittee.”
Mr. Bibeau noted he had recently spoken to Mr. Ernie Barnett, SFWMD, whom had advised him to speak to the county about the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project’s incorporation into the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2008 budget. Mr. Bibeau asked DERM if the Community Budget Issue Request (CBIR) for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project has been filed, and Ms. Blanco-Pape replied she has not received confirmation that the County’s ST Legislative package has been adopted by the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Valdes stated DERM submitted their recommendation to request $10 million from the Legislature to the County’s Intergovernmental Department, and he expects the entire Legislative Package will be considered by the Board of County Commissioners in December 2007. Mr. Buermann recommended the County commence efforts to secure the final $10 million ST appropriation to finish the project ASAP.
Mr. Skornick, SFWMD, noted he is currently working on a $3 million FIND grant application. Mr. Skornick added the deadline to submit the FIND grant is April 2008.
Mr. Bibeau asked for the status of DERM’s application to a potential Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) federal grant opportunity, which if awarded may potentially fund up to $4 million for the dredging project. Mr. Bibeau noted the EDA grant opportunity had been presented to Mr. Ray Baker, formerly of DERM, during the December 20, 2006 and February 21, 2007 DSC meetings. Mr. Bibeau added that Mr. Baker later reported that the County had agreed 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” (2/21/07 DSC minutes). Ms. Blanco-Pape noted DERM was still looking into applying to the potential federal grant opportunity. Ms. Blanco-Pape noted she had recently and personally made inquiries and requested opinions from the EDA regarding the county’s eligibility to apply to the EDA grant, but had yet to receive a response. Ms. Blanco-Pape expressed uncertainty towards DERM applying to the EDA grant since she has not confirmed if the federal funds could be used for federal projects. Mr. Bibeau stated Ms. Sarah Gamino, Offices of the Honorable Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, had recently offered to contact the EDA in an effort to determine if the county is eligible to utilize EDA grant funds towards the "non-required contributed local cost share" for the current Miami River maintenance dredging contract. However, added Mr. Bibeau, Ms. Gamino had noted she was waiting to hear if this was something the County wanted her to assist with.
The Dredging subcommittee scheduled the next meeting Wednesday, December 19, 2007, 10 am, at the South Florida Water Management District Miami-Dade Regional Office, Conference Room, 6th Floor, 2121 SW 3rd Avenue. Mr. Bibeau thanked the SFWMD for hosting the meetings.
The meeting adjourned.