Breaux Act Newsflash - CWPPRA Task Force Meeting on November 2 - Final Draft Agenda
************************************************************************Breaux Act (Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act)
Task Force Meeting
Final Draft Agenda*
*Please note that this is the Draft agenda and is subject to possible
changes.
November 2, 2005, 9:30 a.m.
Location:
LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Louisiana Room
2000 Quail Dr.
Baton Rouge, La.
Documentation of Task Force and Technical Committee meetings may be found
at:
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pd/cwppra_mission.htm or
http://lacoast.gov/reports/program/index.asp
1. Meeting Initiation 9:30 a.m. to 9:35 a.m.
a. Introduction of Task Force Members or Alternates
b. Opening remarks of Task Force Members
2. Adoption of Minutes from the July 27, 2005 Task Force Meeting: 9:35
a.m. to 9:40 a.m.
3. Report/Discussion/Decision: Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
(Wagenaar) 9:40 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
a. Garrett Broussard of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources will
give a presentation on the impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on
CWPPRA Projects.
b. USGS will provide a presentation of an initial assessment of the
impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the wetlands of Coastal
Louisiana.
c. The Task Force will discuss potential implications to the CWPPRA
Program.
d. The Task Force will discuss implications to PPL 15 and PPL 16 and
consider the Technical
Committee's recommendation to modify the PPL 16 process to allow automatic
nomination of PPL15 projects not selected for Phase I funding by the Task
Force on January 25, 2006 as PPL16 nominees. These projects will be
considered at the February 1, 2006 Regional Planning Team (RPT) meeting,
along with other nominated projects from the January 10-12, 2006 RPT
meetings.
4. Status of Breaux Act Program Funds and Projects (Browning/LeBlanc):
10:30 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.
Ms. Gay Browning and Ms. Julie LeBlanc will provide an overview of the
available funding in the Planning and Construction Programs, the status of
CWPPRA accounts, and will provide an update on the Phase II requests
expected in Dec 05/Jan 06. This information will aid the Task Force in
making funding decisions.
5. Discussion/Decision: FY06 Planning Budget Approval and Presentation of
FY06 Outreach Budget (LeBlanc/Wilson) 10:40 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
a. Prior to making a decision on the FY06 Planning Budget, the Task Force
will discuss the status and direction of the Programmatic Assessment and
Vision document.
b. The Task Force will discuss the scope of the 2006 Report to Congress,
required every 3 years by the Breaux Act, including how the information
compiled in the preparation of the Programmatic Assessment and Vision
document will be used. The Technical Committee's recommended FY06 Planning
Budget does not include costs to prepare the 2006 Report to Congress. This
Task Force information will be used by the Technical Committee in
developing a budget for the FY06 Report to Congress.
c. The Technical Committee will make a recommendation to the Task Force to
approve the FY06 Planning Budget in the amount of $4,553,157 (not
including cost for the 2006 Report to Congress).
d. The CWPPRA Outreach Committee will present and recommend the draft FY06
Outreach Committee Budget in the amount of $460,948 to the Task Force.
6. Decision: Request for Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Funding (LeBlanc)
11:00 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.
The Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation for
O&M funding required in FY06.
a. The Technical Committee recommends a funding increase in the amount of
$1,859,200 for the PPL 3 Cote Blanche Hydrologic Restoration (TV-04)
Project. Twenty years of O&M funding was originally approved for this
project. This increase is beyond the 20-year approved amount and will
cover costs for years 1-9 beyond construction. As approved by the Task
Force in October 2004, PPL 1-8 pre-cash flow projects, which require
additional O&M funds beyond their original 20-year allocation, would
request funds in 3-year increments.
b. The Technical Committee recommends funding in the amount of $4,789,223
for O&M costs beyond Increment 1 funding for the PPL 11 Coastwide Nutria
Control Program (LA-03b) Project. Funding was previously approved for
years 1-5 of the project. This funding increase will allow the program to
maintain a 3-year rolling amount of funding. The project will be funded
through 2008 if approved.
7. Decision: Request for Funding for Administrative Costs for those
Projects Beyond Increment 1 Funding (LeBlanc)11:10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
The Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation to
provide funding in the amount of $14,495 to the Corps of Engineers for
administrative costs for those PPL 9+ projects beyond Increment 1 funding.
8. Decision: Request for FY09 Coastwide Reference Monitoring System
(CRMS)-Wetlands Monitoring Funds and Project Specific Monitoring Funds for
Projects on PPLs 9-11 (LeBlanc) 11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Following a presentation by LDNR on the status/progress of CRMS over the
past year, the Task Force will vote on the following requests:
a. The Technical Committee recommends approval of the request for project
specific monitoring funding beyond the first 3-years for PPL 9 Four Mile
Cut/Little Vermilion Bay (TV-18)in the amount of $28,903, in order to
maintain a 3-year rolling amount of funding.
b.The Technical Committee recommends approval of the request for CRMS FY09
monitoring funds in the amount of $1,036,109, in order to maintain a
3-year rolling amount of funding.
9. Decision: Request for Approval to Acquire Landrights During Phase I for
PPL11 -- River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp (PO-29) (LeBlanc) 11:30
a.m. to 11:40 a.m.
The Technical Committee recommends granting a variance to the CWPPRA
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and allowing DNR and EPA to begin
acquiring landrights for the project's canal alignment during Phase I for
the PPL11 -- River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp (PO-29) Project
using funds from their existing Phase I budget.
10.Decision: Request for Change in Scope for PPL10 -- Delta Building
Diversion North of Fort St. Phillip (BS-10) (LeBlanc) 11:40 a.m. to 11:50
a.m.
As a result of the preliminary design review (30%) held on August 16,
2005, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Louisiana
Department of Natural Resources (LDNR) agreed to a proposed major change
in project scope. The original project included a 30,000 cfs diversion
channel with a projected net marsh benefits totaling 2,473 acres. The
revised project scope includes a smaller 2,500-5,000 cfs diversion with a
projected net marsh benefit of approximately 478. The Technical Committee
recommends that the Task Force to approve a change in project scope for
the PPL 10 -- Delta Building Diversion North of Fort St. Phillip(BS-10)
Project. The Corps and LDNR are available to present project information
related to this request.
11. Report/Decision: Phase II Funding Status for Two Projects Not Yet
Under Construction Within The Time Extension (LeBlanc) 11:50 a.m. to 12:00
p.m.
According to the CWPPRA Standard Operating Procedures (SOP): "If
construction award has not occurred within 2 years of Phase 2 approval,
the Phase 2 funds will be placed on a revocation list for consideration by
the Task Force at the next Task Force meeting. Requests to restore these
funds may be considered at subsequent January budgeting meetings." At the
August 18, 2004 Task Force meeting, an extension of 1 year was granted for
awarding a contract to construct the following projects:
a.PPL 9 New Cut Dune and Marsh Creation Project (TE-37) Update
(Parish)The Technical Committee recommends providing an extension to
October 2006 for awarding a contract to construct the PPL 9 New Cut Dune
and Marsh Creation (TE-37) Project. The EPA and LDNR are available to
present project information related to this request.
b.PPL 10 Delta Management at Fort St. Phillip Project (BS-11) Update
(Clark)The Technical Committee recommends providing an extension to
October 2006 for awarding a contract to construct the PPL 10 Delta
Management at Fort St. Phillip (BS-11) Project. The USFWS and LDNR are
available to present project information related to this request.
12. Report/Discussion: Status of Oyster Acquisition Policy and Actions
(Coffee) 12:00 p.m. to 12:15 p.m.
The State of Louisiana will provide an update on the status of the oyster
acquisition policy and actions and it's impact to the schedules of
specific CWPPRA projects.
13. Report/Discussion: Update on Governor's Coastal Forestry Advisory
Panel (Coffee) 12:15 p.m. to 12:25 p.m.
As discussed at the July 2005 Task Force meeting, the State has asked for
an opportunity to present an update on the Governor's Coastal Forestry
Advisory Panel activities.
14. Report/Discussion: Update on National News Stories on Louisiana's
Coastal Wetland Loss -- America's Wetland Campaign (Coffee) 12:25 p.m.
to 12:30 pm.
As discussed at the July 2005 Task Force meeting, the State has asked for
an opportunity to present an update on national news stories/coverage of
Louisiana's coastal wetland loss tracked by the America's Wetland
Campaign.
15. Report: Public Outreach Committee Quarterly Report (Bodin) 12:30 p.m.
to 12:35 p.m.
Ms. Bodin will present the Public Outreach Committee's Quarterly Report.
16. Additional Agenda Items (Wagenaar) 12:35 p.m. to 12:40 p.m.
17. Request for Public Comments (Wagenaar) 12:40 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.
18. Announcement: Dates of Upcoming Rescheduled PPL 15 Public Meetings
(LeBlanc) 12:50 p.m. to 12:55 p.m.
The PPL 15 public meetings previously scheduled for August 30 and 31 to
present the results of the candidate project evaluations were postponed
due to Hurricane Katrina. The PPL 15 public meetings have been rescheduled
as follows:
November 8, 2005 7:00 p.m. Abbeville, LA
November 9, 2005 7:00 p.m. Houma, LA
19. Announcement: Dates and Locations of Upcoming CWPPRA Meetings
(LeBlanc) 12:55 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
2005
December 7, 2005; 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee - New Orleans
2006
January 25, 2006; 9:30 a.m.
Task Force - New Orleans
March 15, 2006; 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee - New Orleans
April 12, 2006; 9:30 a.m.
Task Force - Lafayette
June 14, 2006; 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee - Baton Rouge
July 12, 2006;9:30 a.m.
Task Force - New Orleans
August 30, 2006; 7:00 p.m.
PPL 16 Public Meeting - Abbeville
August 31, 2006; 7:00 p.m.
PPL 16 Public Meeting - New Orleans
September 13, 2006; 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee - New Orleans
October 18, 2006; 9:30 a.m.
Task Force - New Orleans
December 6, 2006; 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee - Baton Rouge
2007
January 31, 2007;9:30 a.m.
Task Force - Baton Rouge
Adjourn
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[Edited 2005-10-28 -webmaster]