Breaux Act Newsflash - CWPPRA Task Force Meeting Agenda for Oct. 28, 2009

BREAUX ACT
COASTAL WETLANDS PLANNING, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION ACT
TASK FORCE MEETING

AGENDA
October 28, 2009 9:30 a.m.

Location:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office
7400 Leake Ave.
New Orleans, Louisiana
District Assembly Room (DARM)

Documentation of Task Force meetings may be found at:
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pd/cwppra_mission.htm

Tab Number Agenda Item
1. Meeting Initiation 9:30 a.m. to 9:40 a.m.
a. Introduction of Task Force Members or Alternates
b. Opening remarks of Task Force Members
c. Request for Agenda Changes/Additional Agenda Items/Adoption of Agenda

2. Discussion/Decision: Adoption of Minutes from the June 3, 2009 Task
Force Meeting (Tom Holden, USACE) 9:40 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Mr. Tom Holden
will present the minutes from the last Task Force meeting. Task Force
members may provide suggestions for additional information to be included in
the official minutes.

3. Report: Status of Breaux Act Program Funds and Projects (Gay Browning,
USACE/Travis Creel, USACE) 9:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Ms. Gay Browning and Mr.
Travis Creel will provide an overview of the status of CWPPRA accounts and
available funding in the Planning and Construction Programs.

4. Report/Discussion/Decision: FY10 Planning Budget Approval, including the
PPL 20 Process, and Presentation of the Public Outreach Committee Report and
the FY10 Outreach Budget (Tom Holden, USACE/Scott Wilson, USGS) 10:00 a.m.
to 10:15 a.m.
a. The Technical Committee will recommend to the Task Force that the PPL 20
Planning Process Standard Operating Procedures include selecting three
nominees in the Barataria, Terrebonne, and Pontchartrain Basins, and two
nominees in all other basins, except Atchafalaya where only one nominee
would be selected. If only one project is presented at the Regional
Planning Team meeting for the Mississippi River Delta Basin, then an
additional nominee would be selected for the Breton Sound Basin.
b. The Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation to
approve the FY10 Planning Budget in the amount of $4,913,588.
c. The Technical Committee will report on a task they assigned to the
Planning and Evaluation Subcommittee to look at ways to reduce the FY11
Planning Budget with a recommendation by the September 3, 2010 Technical
Committee meeting
d. Mr. Scott Wilson will present the quarterly CWPPRA Outreach Committee
report.
e. The CWPPRA Outreach Committee will request Task Force approval for the
FY10 Outreach Committee Budget in the amount of $487,148.

5. Discussion/Decision: Annual Request for Incremental Funding for
Administrative Costs for Cash Flow Projects (Gay Browning, USACE) 10:15 a.m.
to 10:20 a.m. The USACE will request funding approval in the amount of
$23,337 for administrative costs for cash flow projects beyond Increment 1.
The Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation to
approve the request for funds.

6. Report/Discussion: Status of FEMA claims (Garret Broussard, OCPR) 10:20
a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Mr. Garret Broussard with the Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and
Restoration (OCPR) will report on the status of past and present FEMA claims
for CWPPRA projects.

7. Discussion/Decision: Request for Operation and Maintenance (O&M)
Incremental Funding (David Burkholder, OCPR) 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. The
Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendations to
approve requests for total O&M budget increases in the amount of $7,735,114
and incremental funding in the amount of $8,461,520.
a. PPL 9+ Projects requesting approval for FY 12 incremental funding in the
total amount of $2,740,375, for the following projects:
* Freshwater Introduction South of Highway 82 (ME-16), PPL-9, USFWS
Incremental funding amount: $461,521
* Four Mile Canal Terracing & Sediment Trapping (TV-18), PPL-9, NMFS
Incremental funding amount: $12,649
* Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b), PPL-11, NRCS
Incremental funding amount: $2,266,205
b. PPL 1-8 Projects requesting O&M budget increases totaling $7,268,166 and
FY 12 incremental funding in the amount of $5,350,904, for the following
projects:
* GIWW to Clovelly Hydrologic Restoration (BA-02), PPL-1, NRCS
Budget increase amount: $1,587,844
Incremental funding amount: $1,441,742
* Point au Fer Island Canal Plugs (TE-22), PPL-2, NMFS
Budget increase amount: $2,309,159
Incremental funding amount: $2,255,062
* Brady Canal Hydrologic Restoration (TE-28), PPL-3, NRCS
Budget increase amount: $1,929,063
Incremental funding amount: $1,212,572
* Cote Blanche Hydrologic Restoration (TV-04), PPL-3, NRCS
Budget increase amount: $1,442,100
Incremental funding amount: $441,528
c. PPL 9 Project requesting approval for an O&M budget increase and FY 12
incremental funding:
* Holly Beach Sand Management (CS-31), PPL-11, NRCS
Budget increase amount: $466,948
Incremental funding amount: $370,241

8. Report: Coast-wide Nutria Control Program - Annual Report (Edmond
Mouton, LDWF) 11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Mr. Mouton with the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will present an Annual Report on the
LA-03b Coast-wide Nutria Control Program (CNCP).

- - - LUNCH BREAK - - - 60 minutes

9. Discussion/Decision: Request for FY12 Project Specific Monitoring Funds
for Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b) (Greg Steyer, USGS) 12:30 p.m.
to 12:30 p.m. The Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's
recommendations to approve a request for specific monitoring funds for the
Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b) in the amount of $85,170

10. Report/Discussion/Decision: Request for FY12 Coastwide Reference
Monitoring System (CRMS)-Wetlands Monitoring Funds (Greg Steyer, USGS) 12:40
p.m. to 12:55 p.m. At the September 29, 2009 Technical Committee Meeting,
Technical Committee tasked the Planning and Evaluation Subcommittee and the
Academic Advisory group to work with Mr. Greg Steyer to develop options to
decrease the cost of the CRMS program to the original budget and report on
findings at the Fall 2010 Technical Committee Meeting. Following a
presentation by USGS on the status/progress of CRMS over the past year, the
Task Force will vote on the Technical Committee's recommendation to approve
the CRMS FY12 monitoring funds in the amount of $7,500,000.

11. Discussion/Decision: Status of Unconstructed Projects (Tom Holden,
USACE) 12:55 p.m. to 1:05 p.m. The Task Force will consider approving the
Technical Committee's recommendations to deauthorize the below listed
projects:
a. Request for Approval For Final Deauthorization:
* Mississippi River Sediment Trap (MR-12), PPL-12, USACE
The purpose of the project is to create a sediment trap in the bed of the
Mississippi River by dredging an area that would force sediment deposition.
The sediment deposited into the trap would then be mined to create marsh.
* Castille Pass Channel Sediment Delivery (AT-04), PPL-9, NMFS
The purpose of the project is to re-establish sedimentation processes that
would promote sub-delta and marsh development in the area by dredging a
system of distributary channels through Castille Pass.
b. Request for Approval to Initiate Deauthorization:
* Brown Lake Hydrologic Restoration (CS-09), PPL-2, NRCS
The purpose of the project is to restore, to the extent possible, the
altered hydrology of approximately 2,800 acres of wetlands in the area of
Brown Lake.

12. Discussion/Decision: Request for Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
Budget Increase and Incremental Funding to Temporarily Remove the Bayou
Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge Hydrologic Restoration Phase I (PO-16) and
Phase II (PO-18) Pump Discharge Pipes in Preparation for the Lake
Pontchartrain and Vicinity Hurricane Protection Levee Enlargement (Tom
Holden, USACE/Darryl Clark, USFWS) 1:05 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. The U S Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and OCPR request Task Force approval for an O&M
Budget increases totaling $100,000 and FY 12 incremental funding in the
amount of $100,000 for the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge Hydrologic
Restoration Phase I (PO-16) and Phase II (PO-18) projects. The USACE is
proceeding to elevate the hurricane protection levee forming the eastern
boundaries of the PO-16 and PO-18 projects. As part of these hurricane
protection levee activities, the USACE is requiring that the USFWS remove
discharge pipes associated with the projects pumping stations, to elevate
and widen the Pontchartrain and Vicinity Hurricane Protection Levee. In
turn, the USACE has agreed to relocate and refurbish the three pumping
stations and install new discharge pipes through the elevated levee. The
cost estimate for removing the discharge pipes is $100,000. The Task Force
will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation for O&M budget
increases totaling $100,000 and FY 12 incremental funding in the amount of
$100,000, for the following projects:

a. Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge Hydrologic Restoration, Phase 1
(PO-16), PPL-1
Budget increase amount: $50,000
Incremental funding amount: $50,000
b. Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge Hydrologic Restoration, Phase 2
(PO-18), PPL-2
Budget increase amount: $50,000
Incremental funding amount: $50,000

13. Discussion/Decision: Request to Change the Project Scope to Remove a
Water Control Structure at the Lake Chapeau Hydrologic Restoration and Marsh
Creation Project (TE-26) (Tom Holden, USACE/Richard Hartman, NMFS) 1:20 p.m.
to 1:35 p.m. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and OCPR request
Task Force approval for a change in project scope to the use existing O&M
funds on the Lake Chapeau Hydrologic Restoration and Marsh Creation Project
(TE-26) to remove a water control structure. On previous funding requests
for the TE-26 project, the project sponsors proposed repairing structure #3,
which had been breached. However, the breach has expanded to such an extent
that the project sponsors deemed the planned repairs to be cost prohibitive.
The project sponsors also request Task Force approval that any remaining
funds approved for breach repair be rolled into the project's future O&M
budget. The Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's
recommendation to approve the request to use the existing obligated funds in
the O&M budget to remove TE-26 project structure #3, and also leave the
remaining O&M funds in the budget for future TE-26 O&M events.

14. Discussion/Decision: Request to Change the Project Scope for the West
Belle Pass Barrier Headland Project (TE-52), due to a project cost increase
of over 25% (Tom Holden, USACE/Richard Hartman, NMFS) 1:35 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
The NMFS and OCPR request Task Force approval for a change in the project
scope on the West Belle Pass Barrier Headland Project (TE-52), due to an
increase of over 25% from the original estimated project cost. The original
fully funded cost estimate was $____. The fully funded revised budget is
$_____ or __% over the original budget. The Task Force will consider the
Technical Committee's recommendation to approve the request to change the
project scope for the West Belle Pass Barrier Headland Project (TE-52).

15. Discussion/Decision: Request to Change the Project Scope for the South
Grand Chenier Hydrologic Restoration Project (ME-20), due to a project cost
increase of over 25% (Tom Holden, USACE/Darryl Clark, USFWS) 1:50 p.m. to
2:05 p.m. The USFWS and OCPR request Task Force approval for a change in
the project scope on the South Grand Chenier Hydrologic Restoration Project
(ME-20), due to an increase of over 25% from the original estimated project
cost. The original fully funded cost estimate was $20,998,000. The fully
funded revised budget is $27,936,726 or 33% over the original budget. The
Task Force will consider the Technical Committee's recommendation to approve
the request to change the project scope for the South Grand Chenier
Hydrologic Restoration Project (ME-20).

16. Report: NRCS and Louisiana OCPR Request for Task Force Fax Vote to
begin Construction of the PPL 17- Sediment Containment Demonstration
Project (LA-09) (Tom Holden, USACE/Britt Paul, NRCS) 2:05 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
The Technical Committee voted by email to recommend Task Force approval of a
construction request by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
and the Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration (OCPR). The
Task Force approved the Technical Committee's recommendation to approve
construction of the Sediment Containment Demonstration project (LA-09) in
order to avoid delaying North American Waterfowl Conservation Act (NAWCA)
Hanson Marsh Hydrologic Restoration Project construction activities.

17. Discussion/Decision: Revision of CWPPRA Standard Operating Procedure
Requirement for 30 % and 95% Design review requirements (Tom Holden,
USACE/Darryl Clark, USFWS) 2:15 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. The Task Force will
consider the Technical Committee's recommendation to modify the CWPPRA
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as follows:

* Require project sponsors to respond to written comments within 45 days
following 30% Design Review Conferences. Comments and responses shall be
provided to the Technical Committee along with notification to proceed to
95% design. Section 8(1) of the CWPPRA SOP only requires that responses to
the 30% Design be included in the Final Design Report. It is recommended
that the following be added to the second paragraph of SOP Section 6(e)(2)
(30% Design Review): "Agencies shall have 15 days after the 30% Design
Review meeting to submit comments. Project sponsors shall provide a written
response to 30% Design Review comments within 30 days following the end of
the commenting period. These responses shall be included in the sponsoring
agency's concurrence letter sent to the Technical Committee after the design
review meeting."

18. Report: Status of the PPL 1 - West Bay Sediment Diversion Project
(MR-03) (Cherie Price, USACE) 2:20 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Ms. Cherie Price with
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide a status on the West Bay Work
Plan and dredging in the Pilottown Anchorage Area.

19. Additional Agenda Items (Col. Al Lee, USACE) 2:30 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

20. Request for Public Comments (Col. Al Lee, USACE) 2:50 p.m. to 2:55 p.m.

21. Announcement: Date of Upcoming CWPPRA Program Meeting (Travis Creel,
USACE)
2:55 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The PPL 19 Public Meetings will be held November 17,
2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Vermilion Parish Police Jury Courthouse Building,
Courtroom #1, 2nd Floor, 100 North State St., Abbeville, Louisiana and
November 18, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 7400
Leake Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana in the District Assembly Room (DARM).

22. Announcement: Scheduled Dates of Future Program Meetings (Travis Creel,
USACE) 3:00 p.m. to 3:05 p.m.

2009
November 17, 2009 7:00 p.m. PPL 19 Public Meeting -
Abbeville
November 18, 2009 7:00 p.m. PPL 19 Public Meeting - New
Orleans
December 2, 2009 9:30 a.m. Technical Committee - Baton
Rouge

2010
January 20, 2010 9:30 a.m. Task Force - New Orleans
January 26, 2010 1:00 p.m. Region IV Planning Team
Meeting - Rockefeller Refuge
January 27, 2010 9:30 a.m. Region III Planning Team
Meeting - Houma
January 28, 2010 9:30 a.m. Region II Planning Team
Meeting - New Orleans
January 28, 2010 1:00 p.m. Region I Planning Team
Meeting - New Orleans
February 17, 2010 10:00 a.m. RPT Voting Meeting - Baton
Rouge
April 14, 2010 9:30 a.m. Technical Committee - New
Orleans
June 2, 2010 9:30 a.m. Task Force - Lafayette
September 22, 2010 9:30 a.m. Technical Committee - Baton
Rouge
October 27, 2010 9:30 a.m. Task Force - New Orleans
November 16, 2010 7:00 p.m. PPL 20 Public Meeting -
Abbeville
November 17, 2010 7:00 p.m. PPL 20 Public Meeting - New
Orleans
December 1, 2010 9:30 a.m. Technical Committee - Baton
Rouge

23. Decision: Adjourn