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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #631 |
| Miami River Dredging Project-Federal Channel Advance Funding |
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| Requester: |
Miami-Dade County |
Organization: |
Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners |
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| Project Title: |
Miami River Dredging Project-Federal Channel Advance Funding |
Date Submitted |
12/21/2007 11:15:09 AM |
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| Sponsors: |
Diaz de la Portilla |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| The federal navigation channel of the Miami River supports commercial and recreational vessel traffic. Economic assessments establish that the Miami River is tied with Tampa as the 4th largest port in the State of Florida based on value of cargo traded. Dredging is necessary to maintain navigation in this area. Furthermore, studies by federal, state and local agencies have demonstrated that the contaminated sediments within the Miami River have been carried downstream and into adjoining portions of Biscayne Bay which is a State Aquatic Preserve, a priority Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) water body, and an important habitat for wildlife and fisheries resources. Proper dredging of the River will enhance the environmental quality of the River that, in turn, will improve those portions of Biscayne Bay currently being affected by the River�s contaminated sediments. |
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| Recipient: |
Miami-Dade County |
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Contact: |
Carlos Espinosa, P.E., Director of Env. Resources Management |
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701 N.W. 1 Court, Suite 400 |
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Contact Phone: |
(305) 372-6796 |
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Miami 33136 |
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Contact email: |
espinC@miamidade.gov |
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| Counties: |
Miami-Dade |
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| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
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| Project Description: |
| The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is conducting maintenance dredging of the Miami River for navigational purposes. The River is being dredged from the water control structure near NW 36th Street to the mouth, where it flows into Biscayne Bay. Sediments found in the Miami River are contaminated by past pollution and do not meet federal criteria for ocean disposal, therefore, they must be disposed of at an upland site, such as a lined landfill. The contract awarded by the Corps proposes to dredge the River through at least April 2009, and, includes a method of upland disposal involving sand separation and dewatering of the excavated sediment, and hauling the dried material to a landfill for permanent disposal.
To date, of the 15 sections of the River to be dredged, 6 have been completed. Under the original Project Cost Agreement between the Corps and Miami-Dade County, the estimated cost to dredge the Federal Navigational Channel is approximately $74 million. Of that $74 million, the Corps agreed to provide 80% ($59 million), with the remainder to be provided by the non-Federal funding partners (FIND, State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, and City of Miami). To date, the Federal government has only appropriated under $38 million of their $59 million obligation.
As a result of the Federal funding shortfall, this project has been at a standstill since November 2005. At the current rate of appropriation by the Federal government, completion of this project by the April 2009 contractor deadline will not be possible. The non-Federal partners are proposing to �advance� funding to the Federal government to complete as many sections as possible while waiting on the next Federal appropriation cycle. The request is for a $10 million �advance�, or approximately half of the current Federal funding shortfall, to help bring this project closer to completion. The County will seek reimbursement from the Federal government for any funds appropriated by the State that are outside the originally agreed upon 80 percent/20 percent (Army Corps/Local Sponsor) cost share arrangement.
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| It is anticipated that upon completion of the dredging project, with the removal of approximately 600,000 cubic yards of sediment, the Miami River will be restored to authorized depth and width, allowing enhanced use by freighters. Also, contaminated sediments will no longer be conveyed to sensitive habitats of Biscayne Bay, therefore reducing the potential for further accumulation of pollutants in bay sediments. Water quality, particularly water clarity, is expected to improve since sediment re-suspension will be reduced following completion of the project. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$10,000,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$42,000,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Construction |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
None |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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Yes |
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Fiscal Year: |
2007-2008 |
Amount: |
$5,800,000 |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
Unknown |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined in 1990 that maintenance dredging is needed for navigati |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Miami-Dade County, Board of County Commissioners, April 25, 2006 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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Yes |
| Is the project eligible under section 403.885(2),F.S. to protect public health or the environment; and implement plans developed pursuant to the Surface Water Improvement and Management Act created in part IV of Chapter 373,F.S., other water restoration plans required by law, management plans prepared pursuant to 2.403.067,F.S., or other plans adopted by local government for water quality improvement and water restoration? |
Yes |
| Is your project addressed in a state, regional or local plan (such as a SWIM Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Local Master Plan, etc.)? |
Yes |
| Name the plan and cite the pages on which the project is described: |
| Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development Master Plan, Port of Miami River Subelement, Objective 3, Policy 3A, page II-59 |
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| Are requesting funding for a stormwater, surface water restoration, or other water management project? |
Yes |
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| In which Water Management District is your project located? |
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South Florida Water Management District |
| Have you provided at least 50% match (that is, one-half the total project cost identified in this request? |
Yes |
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Match Amount: |
15500000 |
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Match Source: |
For the $42 million cost to dredge the remainder of the Federal Channel of the Miami River (Sections 7-15) in 2007, there is currently $7.5 million available from the Army Corps of Engineers and $13 million from the non-Federal funding partners. There is currently a $21.5 million shortfall for this project of which we are requesting ($10 million) from the State of Florida. |
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| Will this project reduce pollutant loadings to a water management district designated 'priority' surface water body? |
Yes |
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Name of water body: |
Biscayne Bay |
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| Describe, specifically, how it will reduce loadings, identify anticipated load reductions for total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and other contaminants, and specify the practices that will be used to reduce loadings: |
| Studies by state and federal agencies have demonstrated that contaminated sediments from the Miami River are regularly re-suspended by ship traffic, rainfall, and water discharges and have moved downstream into Biscayne Bay. The sediments contain a variety of trace metals, sometimes at levels as high as several hundred parts per million. These studies also have shown that the sediments cause toxicity and other biological effects in marine organism bioassay tests. Removal of the contaminated sediments, which have been accumulating for decades, will reduce long-term loading of Biscayne Bay with contaminants and improve water clarity in the River and the Bay. The federal project is expected to remove 600,000 cubic yards of material from the River and dispose of it in a lined landfill. |
| Is the project under construction? |
Yes |
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| Are you requesting funding for a wastewater project? |
No |
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| Are you requesting funding for a drinking water project? |
No |
