Breaux Act Newsflash - PROJECT PRIORITY LIST 16 SELECTION PROCESS Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act Guidelines for Development of the 16th Priority Project List - FINAL, 2 Nov 05
***********************************************************************PROJECT PRIORITY LIST 16 SELECTION PROCESS
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act
Guidelines for Development of the 16th Priority Project List
FINAL, 2 Nov 05
I. Development of Supporting Information
A. COE staff prepares spreadsheets indicating status of all restoration
projects
(CWPPRA PL 1-15; Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Feasibility Study, Corps of
Engineers Continuing Authorities 1135, 204, 206; and State only projects).
Also, indicate net acres at the end of 20 years for each CWPPRA project.
B. DNR/USGS staff prepares basin maps indicating:
1) Boundaries of the following projects types (PL 1-15; LCA Feasibility
Study, COE 1135, 204, 206; and State only).
2) Locations of completed projects,
3) Projected land loss by 2050 with freshwater diversions at Caernarvon
and Davis Pond and including all CWPPRA projects approved for construction
through October 2002.
4) Regional boundary maps with basin boundaries and parish boundaries
included.
II. Areas of Need and Project Nominations
A. The four Regional Planning Teams (RPTs) meet, examine basin maps,
discuss areas of need and Coast 2050 strategies, and accept nomination of
projects by hydrologic basin. Nominations for demonstration projects will
also be accepted at the four RPT meetings. The RPTs will not vote at their
individual regional meetings, rather voting will be conducted during a
separate coast-wide meeting. At these initial RPT meetings, parishes will
be asked to identify their official parish representative who will vote at
the coastwide RPT meeting.
B. One coast-wide RPT voting meeting will be held after the individual RPT
meetings to present and vote for nominees (including demonstration project
nominees). PPL15 projects not selected by the Task Force on January 25,
2006 for Phase I funding will be automatically re-nominated as potential
PPL16 projects and added to the list of potential nominees to be
considered at this coast-wide voting meeting, along with other nominated
projects from the RPT meetings. The RPTs will choose no more than two
projects per basin, except that three projects may be selected from
Terrebonne and Barataria Basins because of the high loss rates in those
basins. A total of up to 20 projects could be selected as nominees.
Selection of the projects nominated per basin will be by consensus, if
possible. If voting is required, each officially designated parish
representative in the basin will have one vote and each federal agency and
the State will have one vote. The RPTs will also select up to six
demonstration project nominees at this coast-wide meeting. Selection of
demonstration project nominees will be by consensus, if possible. If
voting is required, officially designated representatives from all coastal
parishes will have one vote and each federal agency and the State will
have one vote.
C. Following the coast-wide voting meeting, the nominated projects will be
indicated on a map and paired with Coast 2050 strategies. A lead Federal
agency will be designated for the nominees and demonstration project
nominees to assist LDNR and local governments in preparing preliminary
project support information (fact sheet, maps, and potential designs and
benefits). The Regional Planning Team Leaders will then transmit this
information to the P&E Subcommittee, Technical Committee and members of
the Regional Planning Teams.
III. Preliminary Assessment of Nominated Projects
A. Agencies, parishes, landowners, and other individuals informally confer
to further develop projects. Nominated projects should be developed to
support one or more Coast 2050 strategies. The goals of each project
should be consistent with those of Coast 2050.
B. Each sponsor of a nominated project will prepare a brief Project
Description (no more than one page plus a map) that discusses possible
features. Fact sheets will also be prepared for demonstration project
nominees.
C. Engineering and Environmental Work Groups meet to review project
features, discuss potential benefits, and estimate preliminary fully
funded cost ranges for each project. The Work Groups will also review the
nominated demonstration projects and verify that they meet the
demonstration project criteria.
D. P&E Subcommittee prepares matrix of cost estimates and other pertinent
information for nominees and demonstration project nominees and furnishes
to Technical Committee and State Wetlands Authority (SWA).
IV. Selection of Phase 0 Candidate Projects
A. Technical Committee meets to consider the project costs and potential
wetland benefits of the nominees. Technical Committee will select six
candidate projects for detailed assessment by the Environmental,
Engineering, and Economic Work Groups. At this time, the Technical
Committee will also select up to three demonstration project candidates
for detailed assessment by the Environmental, Engineering, and Economic
Work Groups. Demonstration project candidates will be evaluated as
outlined in Appendix E.
B. Technical Committee assigns a Federal sponsor for each project to
develop preliminary Wetland Value Assessment data and engineering cost
estimates for Phase 0 as described below.
V. Phase 0 Analysis of Candidate Projects
A. Sponsoring agency coordinates site visits for each project. A site
visit is vital so each agency can see the conditions in the area and
estimate the project area boundary. Field trip participation should be
limited to two representatives from each agency. There will be no site
visits conducted for demonstration projects.
B. Environmental and Engineering Work Groups and the Academic Advisory
Group meet to refine project features and develop boundaries based on site
visits.
C. Sponsoring agency develops Project Information Sheets on assigned
projects, using formats developed by applicable work groups; prepares
preliminary draft Wetland Value Assessment Project Information Sheet; and
makes Phase 1 engineering and design cost estimates and Phase 2
construction cost estimates.
D. Environmental and Engineering Work Groups evaluate all projects
(excluding demos) using the WVA and reviews design and cost estimates.
E. Engineering Work Group reviews and approves Phase 1 and 2 cost
estimates.
F. Economics Work Group reviews cost estimates and develops annualized
(fully funded) costs.
G. Environmental and Engineering Work Groups apply the Prioritization
Criteria and develop prioritization scores for each candidate project.
H. Corps of Engineers staff prepares information package for Technical
Committee and State Wetlands Authority. Packages consist of:
1) updated Project Information Sheets;
2) a matrix for each region that lists projects, fully funded cost,
average annual cost, Wetland Value Assessment results in net acres and
Average Annual Habitat Units (AAHUs), cost effectiveness (average annual
cost/AAHU), and the prioritization score.
3) qualitative discussion of supporting partnerships and public support;
and
4) oyster lease impact areas delineated for the State?s Restricted Area
Map (this map should also be provided to DNR).
I. Technical Committee hosts two public hearings to present information
from H above and allows public comment.
VI. Selection of 16th Priority Project List
A. The selection of the 16th PPL will occur at the Fall Technical
Committee and Task Force meetings.
B. Technical Committee meets and considers matrix, Project Information
Sheets, and pubic comments. The Technical Committee will recommend up to
four projects for selection to the 16th PPL. The Technical Committee may
also recommend demonstration projects for the 16th PPL.
C. The CWPPRA Task Force will review the TC recommendations and determine
which projects will receive Phase 1 funding for the 16th PPL.
D. State Wetlands Authority reviews projects on the 16th Priority List and
considers for Phase I approval and inclusion in the upcoming Coastal
Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Plan.
16th Priority List Project Development Schedule (dates subject to change)
November 2005 Distribute public announcement of PPL16 process and schedule
January 25, 2006 Task Force Meeting (New Orleans), PPL15 Phase I selection
January 10, 2006 Region IV Planning Team Meeting (Rockefeller Refuge)
January 11, 2006 Region III Planning Team Meeting (Morgan City)
January 12, 2006 Regions I and II Planning Team Meetings (New Orleans)
February 1, 2006 Coast-wide RPT Voting Meeting (Baton Rouge)
February 28, 2006 Mardi Gras
February 1 ? February 24 Agencies prepare fact sheets for RPT nominated
projects
February 20, 2006 President?s Day Holiday
March 1 ? 2, 2006 Engineering/ Environmental work groups review project
features, benefits & prepare preliminary cost estimates for nominated
projects (Baton Rouge)
March 3, 2006 P&E Subcommittee prepares matrix of nominated projects
showing initial cost estimates
March 15, 2006 Technical Committee meets to select PPL16 candidate
projects (New Orleans)
April 12, 2006 Spring Task Force meeting (Lafayette)
April/May Candidate project site visits
May/June/July/August Env/Eng/Econ work group project evaluations
June 14, 2006 Technical Committee meeting (Baton Rouge)
July 12, 2006 Task Force meeting (New Orleans) ? announce public meetings
August 30, 2006 PPL 16 Public Meeting (Abbeville)
August 31, 2006 PPL 16 Public Meeting (New Orleans)
September 13, 2006 Technical Committee meeting - recommend PPL16 (New
Orleans)
October 18, 2006 Task Force meeting to select PPL 16 (New Orleans)
December 6, 2006 Technical Committee meeting (Baton Rouge)
January 2007 RPT meetings for PPL 17
January 31, 2007 Task Force meeting (Baton Rouge)
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