Breaux Act Newsflash - BREAUX ACT COASTAL WETLANDS PLANNING, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION ACT TASK FORCE MEETING DRAFT AGENDA
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BREAUX ACT
COASTAL WETLANDS PLANNING, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION ACT
TASK FORCE MEETING DRAFT AGENDA
DRAFT AGENDA
February 13, 2008 9:30 a.m.
Location:
LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Louisiana Room
2000 Quail Dr., Baton Rouge, La.
Purpose:
The purpose of the meeting is for the Task Force to consider the status of
CWPPRA Program funds and unconstructed projects, to report on recently
approved budget requests, and to make decisions on Phase II requests based
on Technical Committee recommendations made on January 16, 2008.
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
Agenda Item
1.Meeting Initiation: 9:30 a.m. to 9:35 a.m.
i.Introduction of Task Force Members or Alternates
ii.Opening remarks of Task Force Members
2.Adopt Minutes from the October 25, 2008 Task Force Meeting: 9:35 a.m.
to 9:40 a.m.
3.Status of Breaux Act Program Funds and Projects: (Gay Browning,
USACE/Melanie Goodman, USACE) 9:40 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Ms. Gay Browning and
Ms. Melanie Goodman will provide an overview of the status of CWPPRA
accounts and available funding in the Planning and Construction Programs.
4.Report: PPL-14 South Shore of the Pen Shoreline Protection and Marsh
Creation Project (BA-41) Fax Vote (Melanie Goodman, USACE) 9:45 a.m. to
9:55 a.m. The Natural Resources Conservation Service and Louisiana
Department of Natural Resources requested Task Force Fax Vote approval for
a change in project scope and project construction cost for the PPL-14
South Shore of the Pen Shoreline Protection and Marsh Creation Project
(BA-41). The Task Force approved the Technical Committee's recommendation
to approve the requested change, which includes increasing the net wetland
benefits from 116 acres to 211 acres, and increasing the total fully
funded project cost estimate by approximately 69%, from $17.5 million to
$29.6 million.
5.Report: PPL-13 Whiskey Island Back Barrier Marsh Creation Project
(TE-50) Fax Vote (Melanie Goodman, USACE) 9:55 a.m. to 10:05 a.m. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Louisiana Department of
Natural Resources (LDNR) requested Task Force Fax Vote approval for a
change in project scope and total cost for the PPL 13 -Whiskey Island Back
Barrier Marsh Creation Project (TE-50). The Task Force approved the
Technical Committee's recommendation to approve the requested change,
which includes a 48 acre dune feature gulfward of the originally approved
marsh creation feature. This change in project scope would result in an
increase in the net wetland benefits from 300 acres to 316 acres. The
fully-funded project cost estimate increased from $21,786,300 to
$27,914,086, which exceeds the original estimate by 28%.
6.Decision: Request for Phase II Authorization and Approval of Phase II
Increment 1 Funding (Troy Constance, USACE) 10:05 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. The
Task Force will consider approving requests for Phase II Authorization and
Increment 1 funding based on the Technical Committee's recommendation. The
Technical Committee reviewed project information for, and took public
comments on requests for Phase II approval, on the ten projects shown in
the following table. The Technical Committee ranked the ten projects
based on individual agency votes. Based on the voting results, the
Technical Committee recommends Phase II authorization and Increment 1
funding for the top three projects that are within the construction
program's available funding limits (see table). If the Task Force
approves Increment I funding for these three projects, then there will be
an estimated balance of approximately $14.3 million in the construction
program (includes both Federal and non-Federal funds). In response to
public comments, the Technical Committee will discuss without any
recommendations, the potential for the Task Force to approve either: 1)
Increment I funding for the South Lake DeCade Fresh Water Introduction -
CU 1 project in the amount of $3.0 million; or 2) a portion of the
requested Increment I funding for the South Shore of the Pen Shoreline
Protection and Marsh Creation Project, depending on the outcome of a Corps
of Engineers decision to construct a portion of this project using funds
from the fourth Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Hurricane
Katrina Relief.
The projects in the following table will be individually discussed by the
sponsoring agencies, the Task Force and the general public as outlined
below:
a.Project overviews.
b.Task Force questions and comments on projects.
c.Public comments on projects (Comments should be limited to 1-2 minutes).
For Table, view
http://lacoast.gov/reports/program/index.asp
7.Discussion: Status of Unconstructed Projects (Melanie Goodman, USACE)
11:05 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. The P&E Subcommittee will report on the status
of unconstructed CWPPRA projects that have been experiencing project
delays. Discussions will include the status on milestones and the
Technical Committee may discuss and recommend to the Task Force potential
directions to take on the following projects:
a.West Point a la Hache Outfall Management Project (BA-04c), PPL-3, NRCS
b.Brown Lake Hydrologic Restoration Project (CS-09), PPL-2, NRCS
c.Periodic Introduction of Sediment and Nutrients at Selected Diversion
Sites Demonstration Project (MR-11), PPL-9, USACE
d.Mississippi River Sediment Trap Project (MR-12), PPL-12, USACE
e. Benney's Bay Diversion Project (MR-13), PPL-10, USACE
8.Report: Public Outreach Committee Quarterly Report (Andre Williams,
USGS) 12:20 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mr. Andre Williams will present the Public
Outreach Committee Quarterly Report.
9.Additional Agenda Items: (Troy Constance, USACE) 12:30 p.m. to 12:35
p.m.
10.Request for Public Comments: (Troy Constance, USACE) 12:35 p.m. to
12:45 p.m.
11.Announcement: Priority Project List 18 Regional Planning Team Meetings
(Melanie Goodman, USACE) 12:45 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.
February 19, 2008
1:00 p.m.
RPT Region IV
Rockefeller Refuge
February 20, 2008
9:00 a.m.
RPT Region III
Morgan City
February 21, 2008
9:00 a.m.
RPT Region II
New Orleans
February 21, 2008
1:00 p.m.
RPT Region I
New Orleans
12.Announcement: Date of Upcoming CWPPRA Program Meetings (Melanie
Goodman, USACE) 12:50 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. The next Task Force meeting will
be held May 21, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. at the Estuarine Fisheries and Habitat
Center, 646 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, Louisiana.
13.Announcement: Scheduled Dates of Future Program Meetings (Melanie
Goodman, USACE) 12:55 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
2008
February 19, 2008
1:00 p.m.
RPT Region IV
Rockefeller Refuge
February 20, 2008
9:00 a.m.
RPT Region III
Morgan City
February 21, 2008
9:00 a.m.
RPT Region II
New Orleans
February 21, 2008
1:00 p.m.
RPT Region I
New Orleans
March 5, 2008
9:30 a.m.
Coast-wide RPT Voting
Baton Rouge
April 16, 2008
9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
New Orleans
May 21, 2008
9:30 a.m.
Task Force
Lafayette
September 10, 2008
9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
Baton Rouge
October 15, 2008
9:30 a.m.
Task Force
Baton Rouge
November 18, 2008
7:00 p.m.
PPL 18 Public Meeting
Abbeville
November 19, 2008
7:00 p.m.
PPL 18 Public Meeting
New Orleans
December 3, 2008
9:30 a.m.
Technical Committee
Baton Rouge
2009
January 21, 2009
9:30 a.m.
Task Force
Baton Rouge
Adjourn
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