IMPLEMENTATION OF COAST 2050 PLAN

PRIORITY LIST 11 SELECTION PROCESS

 

Section A.  Prioritization of Coast 2050 Strategies by Strategic Objectives by Hydrologic Basin.

Feb 2001

1)      Starting with the year 2000 regional strategy ranking, Regional Planning Teams (RPT), rank, in a formal and consistent manner, up to 10 strategies by hydrologic basin, using Coast 2050 Strategic Objectives (see Pg. 2 of Coast 2050).  During prioritization, sequencing of strategies will be considered.  Mapping unit and coastwide strategies may be considered in this prioritization effort.  Decisions will be made by consensus if possible.  If voting is required because consensus is not possible, then each officially designated parish representative in the region will have one vote and each federal agency representative and DNR will have one vote. by mid-late Feb

 

2)      To facilitate strategy ranking, the Planning and Evaluation Subcommittee (P&E) prepares a map of each hydrologic basin indicating the project area of all restoration projects (CWPPRA PL 1-10 projects and PL9 complex projects, Corps of Engineers 1135, 204, 206 projects, etc.).  One layer of this map will be the Suhayda loss projections for the year 2050. by mid-Feb

 

Section B. Development and Preliminary Ranking of Projects. by April 2001

1)   Technical Committee reviews and revises as needed the placement of each strategy into the following categories: a) candidate for CWPPRA funding; b) candidate for Water Resources

Development Act (WRDA) funding; c) programmatic strategy (such as Maintain Atchafalaya Mudstream), or d) other funding authorization.  There may be some overlap; barrier islands and some diversion projects could be in both Categories a and b. by late Feb

 

2)   Technical Committee, in consultation with the RPT’s reviews, adjusts, and approves priorities for strategies submitted by RPT.  The Technical Committee chooses up to five of the prioritized strategies in each basin for project development this year.  After this point, neither agencies nor individuals can add more strategies to the list to be considered for PL11. by late Feb

 

3)  Each RPT convenes Basin Subcommittees to develop the projects   for CWPPRA strategies chosen by the Technical Committee as having a high priority in each basin.  These meetings will have a formal agenda and written procedures.  They will all be co-chaired by the RPT Leader and an individual who will attend

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all of the meetings to ensure procedural consistency and that the projects are consistent with the strategies determined in B(2).  These Basin Subcommittees include the CWPPRA agencies, academic advisors, landowners, environmental groups, parish/community officials, members of the CPG, and the general public.  The subcommittees evaluate each high priority strategy and consider all the projects necessary to accomplish each strategy.  The subcommittees will assign agencies to each nominated project in order to develop the needed fact sheets as stated in B(4).  (Demonstration projects will be selected as provided in Demonstration Project SOP, as amended.) March 9.

 

4)   The assigned agencies prepare preliminary map and brief fact sheet for each nominated project. (completed by April 6)

 

5)   Engineering Work Group estimates preliminary, fully funded cost for each project to the extent practicable, based on engineering judgment and historical costs.  Uses cost ranges only where necessary. (completed by Apr. 30)

 

6)   Environmental/Engineering Work Groups apply Coast 2050 Criteria to each project.  At this stage, it may be more appropriate to apply a subset of the Coast 2050 Criteria than the full set. (completed by Apr. 30).

 

7)   P&E takes information from B4 through B6 above and prepares matrix of projects by basin (in order of ranked strategies from B2) that lists preliminary costs and Coast 2050 Criteria score. (May 4)

 

8)   P&E Subcommittee furnishes matrixes to Technical Committee and State Wetlands Authority. (mailed by May 7)

 

Section C. Selection of Projects as Phase 0 Candidates for PL ll. mid-May 2001

Technical Committee, at a public meeting, considers preliminary costs and Coast 2050 Criteria score, and selects 20 projects or fewer as Phase 0 candidates for further analysis.  Technical Committee assigns an agency to each project for fact finding/further development. (May 17 Meeting)

 

Section D. Phase 0 Analysis of PL 11 Candidate Projects. mid-May thru November 2001.

1)     If necessary, interagency field visit to each project site/area with members of Engineering/Environmental Work Groups, academics, LDNR monitoring staff, nominating party, and potentially affected landowners.

 

 

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2)   Engineering/Environmental Work Groups and academics meet to refine projects on basis of site visit.

 

3)   Evaluating agency develops Project Information Sheet on its assigned projects.  Uses standard format developed by Economics/Engineering/Environmental Work Groups.  Produces Phase 1 and 2 engineering and design and cost estimates. Ensures that project is evaluated in a timely, cost-effective manner.

 

4)   Engineering WG reviews/approves Phase 1 and 2 cost estimates from evaluating agencies.

 

5)   Economics WG reviews cost estimates, and develops annualized costs.  Especially reviews Phase 1 costs to ensure they are accurate.

 

6)   Environmental/Engineering/Monitoring WG’s evaluate all projects using the WVA and the full set of Coast 2050 Criteria scores, and to refine goals/objectives developed in Step B.  The group will also quantitatively determine risk/uncertainty, and longevity/sustainability.

 

7)   P&E Subcommittee prepares information package for Technical Committee and State Wetlands Authority.  Package consists of updated Project Information Sheets and a matrix for each basin that lists projects in order of ranked strategies from B2 above.  Matrix will include cost, WVA results cost effectiveness, Risk/Uncertainty, Longevity/Sustainability, and Coast 2050 Criteria.  Supporting Partnerships and Public Support will be discussed qualitatively.  Planning will continue on any projects that are not ready for consideration in November 2001.  These projects will be candidates for Phase 1 funding in 2002.

 

8)   P&E holds three Public Hearings in the coastal zone to present projects and matrix and to allow public comment.

 

Section E Selection of PL 11.  December 2001-January 2002

1)   Technical Committee uses matrix and Project Information Sheets and considers public comments to recommend projects for PL 11 Phase 1.

 

2)   CWPPRA Task Force determines which projects go into PL 11, Phase 1.