Breaux Act Newsflash - Draft Task Force Meeting Agenda
***********************************************************************Breaux Act
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act
Task Force Meeting
Draft Agenda
October 18, 2006, 9:30 a.m.
Location:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office
7400 Leake Ave.
New Orleans, Louisiana
District Assembly Room
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 12, 2006 Task Force Meeting: 9:35 a.m.
to 9:40 a.m.
3. Status of Breaux Act Program Funds and Projects (Browning/LeBlanc): 9:40
a.m. to 9:50 a.m. Ms. Gay Browning and Ms. Julie LeBlanc will present 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 06/Jan 07. This information will aid the Task
Force in making funding decisions during the meeting.
4. Decision: FY07 Planning Budget Approval (Podany/Wilson) 9:50 a.m. to
10:10 a.m. The Technical Committee and the Outreach Committee will
recommend a total FY07 Planning Budget in the amount of $4,978,692 to the
Task Force.
a. The Technical Committee recommends approval of the FY07 Planning Budget
in the amount of $4,514,834.
b. The Outreach Committee recommends approval of the FY07 Outreach Committee
Budget in the amount of $463,858.
5. Decision: CWPPRA FY07 Planning Budget Request - Central and Eastern
Terrebonne Freshwater Delivery Complex Project (Podany) 10:10 a.m. to 10:20
a.m. The Central and Eastern Terrebonne Freshwater Delivery Project was
approved as a Phase 0 FWS-sponsored complex project on October 7, 1999. The
approved Final Project Development Plan provided for a budget of $664,000.
To date, only $474,000 of the $664,000 has been requested and obligated (in
2000 and 2001). To ensure funding is available to conduct the needed
hydrologic modeling and post-modeling tasks, the Technical Committee
recommends that an increase in Phase 0 funds in the amount of $190,000 be
approved. Once Phase 0 is completed, the project will be ready to compete
for Phase I funds. FWS is available to present a presentation of the
details of the decision item if requested.
/The Task Force Chairman requested that Agenda Item #14 be scheduled
immediately after Agenda Item #6 on the agenda, to allow for a Task Force
discussion on long-term O&M issues prior to decisions items #6 and #14./
6. Decision: Request for Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Funding (Podany)
10:20 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Task Force will consider the Technical
Committee's recommendation for O&M funding required in FY07. Items a) and
b) are non-cash flow projects that have already received 20-years of
estimated O&M funds and have exceeded their 20-year budgets. Items c) and
d) are cash flow projects that are requesting funds beyond Increment 1
funding. LDNR is available to present a presentation of the details of the
decision item if requested.
a. The Technical Committee recommends a funding increase in the amount of
$2,103,787 for the PPL 3 Cameron-Creole Maintenance Project (CS-04a).
Twenty years of O&M funding has already been approved for this project.
This increase is beyond the 20-year approved amount and will complete the
funding requirement for O&M up to 12 years post-construction. The total
revised projected budget needed for FY09 - FY16 is $731,014. As approved by
the Task Force in October 2004, pre-cash flow projects which require
additional O&M funds beyond their original 20-year allocation must request
funds in 3-year increments to maintain a 3-year rolling amount of funds.
b. The Technical Committee recommends a funding increase in the amount of
$225,869 for the PPL 3 Lake Chapeau Marsh Creation & HR Project (TE-26).
Twenty years of O&M funding has already been approved for this project.
This increase is beyond the 20-year approved amount and will complete the
funding requirement for O&M up to 9 years post-construction. The total
revised projected budget need for FY09 - FY19 is $549,966. As approved by
the Task Force in October 2004, pre-cash flow projects which require
additional O&M funds beyond their original 20-year allocation must request
funds in 3-year increments to maintain a 3-year rolling amount of funds.
c. The Technical Committee recommends funding in the amount of $1,832,938
for O&M costs beyond Increment 1 funding for the PPL 11 Coastwide Nutria
Control Program Project (LA-03b). Funding was previously approved for years
1-6 of the program. This funding increase will allow the program to
maintain a 3-year rolling amount of funding. The program's O&M will be
funded through 2009 if approved.
d. The Technical Committee recommends funding in the amount of $14,571 for
O&M costs beyond Increment 1 funding for the PPL 9 Four Mile Canal Terracing
& Sediment Trapping Project (TV-18). Funding was previously approved for
years 1-3 of the project. This funding increase will allow the project to
maintain a 3-year rolling amount of funding. The project's O&M will be
funded through 2009 if approved.
14. Decision: CWPPRA-CIAP Partnership (Podany) 10:30 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. The
Technical Committee will present a conceptual plan on how CWPPRA PPL
projects could be constructed using Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP)
funds with future OMRR&R to be performed using CWPPRA funds. The Technical
Committee recommends that the Task Force adopt the conceptual plan for a
CWPPRA-CIAP Partnership as a Standard Operating Procedure to be applied to
CWPPRA PPL projects proposed to be constructed using CIAP funds.
7. Decision: Request for Funding for Administrative Costs for those
Projects Beyond Increment 1 Funding (Podany) 10:40 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. The
Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation to provide
funding in the amount of $17,586 to the Corps of Engineers for
administrative costs for those PPL 9+ projects beyond Increment 1 funding.
8. Decision: Request for Project-Specific Monitoring Funds for Projects on
PPLs 9-11 and FY10 Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) -Wetlands
Monitoring Funds (Podany) 10:45 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. Following a presentation
by USGS on the status/progress of CRMS over the past year, the Task Force
will vote on the following Technical Committee recommendations. Item a)
includes project-specific funding requests for cash flow projects that are
requesting funds beyond Increment 1 funding. Item b) provides a 3-year
rolling amount of funding for CRMS.
a. The Technical Committee recommends approval of the following requests for
project-specific monitoring funding beyond Increment 1 funding in order to
maintain a 3-year rolling amount of funding. If approved, the monitoring
costs for the projects will be funded through FY10:
* PPL 9 GIWW - Perry Ridge West Bank Stabilization (CS-30) $17,863
* PPL 9 New Cut Dune/Marsh Restoration (TE-37) $77,808
* PPL 9 Four Mile Canal Terracing & Sediment Trapping (TV-18) $3,215
* PPL 10 Delta Management at Fort St. Phillip (BS-11) $22,621
Total $121,507
b. The Technical Committee recommends approval of the request for CRMS FY10
monitoring funds in the amount of $3,185,809, in order to maintain a 3-year
rolling amount of funding.
9. Decision: Selection of the 16th Priority Project List (Podany): 10:55
a.m. to 11:40 a.m.
a. The Environmental Workgroup Chairman is available to present an overview
of the 10 PPL 16 candidate projects and 3 PPL16 demonstration candidate
projects.
b. The Technical Committee recommends Phase I approval of $8,624,360 for
four candidate projects. The Technical Committee also recommends that if
CIAP selects one (or more) of the projects, the next project(s) on the
ranked list of PPL16 candidate projects would be automatically recommended
for Phase I funding.
* Alligator Bend Marsh Restoration and Shoreline Protection $1,660,985
* Southwest LA Gulf Shoreline Nourishment and Protection $1,266,842
* Madison Bay Marsh Creation and Terracing $3,002,170
* West Belle Pass Barrier Headland Restoration $2,694,363
Total $8,624,360
c. The Technical Committee recommends the approval of $919,599 for one
demonstration project:
* Enhancement of Barrier Island Vegetation Demo $ 919,599
BREAK 11:40 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
10. Decision: Creation of a Contingency Fund for 'Storm Recovery Procedures'
(Podany) 11:50 a.m. to 12:00 noon In response to Hurricane Katrina and
Rita, LDNR completed post-storm assessments that exceeded the budgeted
amount for "Storm Recovery Procedures" (total cost of post-storm assessments
is $398,358.92) under the FY06 Planning Budget. In addition to using the
budgeted FY06 Planning funds for 2 storm events ($97,534), the Technical
Committee was asked by LDNR to recommend approval of the budgeted FY05
Planning funds ($97,534) and an additional $203,358.92 as part of the
Planning Program to cover completed post-storm assessments following Katina
and Rita.
a. The Technical Committee recommends approval of use of the budgeted FY05
Planning funds in the amount of $97,534 for this effort, in addition to the
FY06 Planning funds budgeted for 2 storm events.
b. Rather than recommend an additional $203,358.92 under the FY06 Planning
Budget, the Technical Committee recommends the development of a "Storm
Recovery Procedures Contingency Fund" under the Construction Program,
allowing $203,358.92 to be immediately approved and to include an additional
$100,000 in contingency funding for assessments of future storm damage (in
FY07 and beyond).
11. Decision: PPL 5 Mississippi River Reintroduction into Bayou Lafourche
Project - BA-25b (Podany) 12:00 noon to 12:10 p.m. At the July 12, 2006 Task
Force meeting, the Task Force voted to defer the decision before them,
regarding allowing/denying approval to proceed to the 95% design milestone
and a $5M increase in Phase I funding or beginning the transfer process to
LCA, until the October Task Force meeting at which time the Task Force would
be briefed on 3 issues. These 3 issues were: (1) identifying $2.5M in
Federal funding within existing construction projects, (2) an answer to the
legal question of obligation of Federal dollars without a determination of
"feasibility", and (3) conducting an Independent Technical Review (ITR).
Per a discussion between the Chairman of the Task Force and the State's Task
Force representative on 18 Aug 06, the Task Force was notified that the
State would fund 100% of the remaining engineering and design on the
project. The Task Force will review and discuss the status of the Bayou
Lafourche project in light of the State's decision to fund 100% of the
remaining engineering and design. In addition, EPA and LDNR requested
approval to complete NEPA documentation for the project using CWPPRA funds.
The Technical Committee recommends approval of EPA efforts to complete NEPA
documentation for the project under the CWPPRA program, subject to receipt
of an accounting of fiscal expenditures to date and a budget for completion
of the NEPA documentation.
12. Decision: Modification of the Scope of the PPL 10 East Sabine Lake
Hydrologic Restoration Project (Podany) 12:10 p.m. to 12:20 p.m. The Task
Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation to approve the
request to modify the scope of the PPL 10 East Sabine Lake Hydrologic
Restoration Project (CS-32) to include: 1) discontinue further design of the
large Construction Unit 2 water control structures at Willow, Three, Greens,
and Right Prong Black Bayous, 2) transfer $250,000 in surplus construction
funding to O&M to repair the Pines Ridge Weir damaged by Hurricane Rita, 3)
add additional duck-wing earthen terraces from surplus Construction Unit 1
budget funds, and 4) modify the recently constructed 3,000 foot-long
foreshore dike to add four 50-foot wide gaps also with surplus construction
funding. All requested modifications can be made without increasing the
project's budget. FWS is available to present a presentation of the details
of the decision item if requested.
13. Decision: Final CWPPRA Strategic Vision Document (Podany) 12:20 p.m. to
12:30 p.m. The Task Force will review and discuss the CWPPRA Strategic
Vision document. In accordance with the schedule approved by the Task Force,
the document was sent to Parishes Against Coastal Erosion (PACE), parish CZM
committees, and other coastal program coordinators (CIAP, LaCPR, State
Master Plan, and LCA) for comment prior to completing this version of the
document. The Task Force is asked to approve the final version of the
document. Once approved, the document will be incorporated into the 2006
Report to Congress, currently under development.
15. Report: Transitioning Projects from CWPPRA to Other Authorities (Podany)
12:30 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. The Technical Committee will give a report on the
status of the development of a transfer procedure to transfer CWPPRA
projects to other Federal agencies or authorities including the Louisiana
Coastal Area (LCA). This task has been delegated to the P&E Subcommittee
for further work.
16. Report/Request for Public Comments: PPL 10 Delta Building Diversion at
Myrtle Grove Project (BA-33) (Podany) 12:40 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. At the July
12th, 2006 Task Force meeting, the Task Force agreed to initiate the process
of transferring the Myrtle Grove project to LCA. The Technical Committee
will give a report on the status of this effort and will provide answers to
questions related to the transfer process raised by the Task Force at the
July 12th meeting. The Task Force will also accept public comments on the
potential transfer to LCA.
17. Report: Land Loss Since the 2005 Hurricanes (Johnston/Barras) 12:45
p.m. to 1:05 p.m. USGS will give a report to the Task Force on the coastal
land loss since the 2005 hurricanes.
18. Report: Public Outreach Committee Quarterly Report (Wilson) 1:05 p.m.
to 1:10 p.m. Mr. Scott Wilson will present the Public Outreach Committee's
Quarterly Report.
19. Report: Envisioning the Future of the Gulf Coast (Reed) 1:10 p.m. to
1:30 p.m. Dr. Denise Reed will give a presentation on a sustainable
restoration of Louisiana's coast.
20. Additional Agenda Items (Wagenaar) 1:30 p.m. to 1:35 p.m.
21. Request for Public Comments (Wagenaar) 1:35 p.m. to 1:40 p.m.
22. Announcement: Date and Location of the Next Task Force Meeting
(LeBlanc) 1:40 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The next meeting of the Task Force is
scheduled for 9:30 a.m., January 31, 2007 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
23. Announcement: Dates and Locations of Upcoming CWPPRA Meetings (LeBlanc)
1:45 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
2006
December 6, 2006, 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
Baton Rouge
2007
January 9, 2007, TBD*
RPT Region IV
Rockefeller Refuge
January 10, 2007, TBD*
RPT Region III
Morgan City
January 11, 2007, TBD*
RPT Regions I and II
New Orleans
January 31, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Task Force
Baton Rouge
February 7, 2007, TBD*
Coast-wide RPT Voting
Baton Rouge
March 14, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
New Orleans
April 11, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Task Force
Lafayette
June 13, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
Baton Rouge
July 11, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Task Force
New Orleans
August 29, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
PPL17 Public Meeting
Abbeville
August 30, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
PPL17 Public Meeting
New Orleans
September 12, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
New Orleans
October 17, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Task Force
New Orleans
December 5, 2007, 9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
Baton Rouge
2008
January 30, 2008, 9:30 a.m.
Task Force
Baton Rouge
* Times of meeting will be announced at a later date
Adjourn
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