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


AGENDA
January 26, 2023, 9:30 a.m.

Location:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (DARM)
7400 Leake Ave.
New Orleans, LA

Due to the rising number of COVID cases in the area, all members of the public attending in person will be asked to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test upon entry. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to Elizabeth Jarrell at 504-862-1229


Virtual Component:
https://usace1.webex.com/meet/elizabeth.jarrell
Meeting Number: 2762 012 6820

The public is invited to participate in person or virtually via WebEx. Detailed instructions on how to access the virtual meeting may be found at:

http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/CWPPRA.aspx

Documentation of Task Force meetings (including minutes, attendance records, PowerPoint Presentations, and meeting binders) may also be found at the same link.

Agenda

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

  2. Decision: Adoption of Minutes for the October 6, 2022 Task Force Meeting. 9:40 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Ms. Sarah Bradley 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 CWPPRA Program Funds and Projects (Baylissa Walter, USACE) 9:45 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. Ms. Baylissa Walter will provide an overview of the status of CWPPRA accounts and available funding in the Planning and Construction Programs.

  4. Report: Electronic Votes and Approvals (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 9:50 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. Ms. Sarah Bradley will report out on recent electronic votes and approvals.

  5. Report: Construction Update (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 9:55 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. The CWPPRA agencies will provide a report on projects that are currently under construction and projects that have recently completed construction. 

  6. Report: Public Outreach Committee Report (Lauren Leonpacher, USGS) 10:10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Ms. Lauren Leonpacher will present the Public Outreach Committee report.

  7. Report: Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) Report (Leigh Anne Sharp, CPRA) 10:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Ms. Leigh Anne Sharp will provide a report on CRMS.

  8. Report: Status of the Coastwide Salvinia Weevil Propagation Facility (LA-284) Project (Ronny Paille, FWS) 10:50 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. The FWS will report on the status of this PPL26 coastwide project.

  9. Report/Decision: Status of the Navigation Aids and Signage (LA-328) Program and Request for a Budget and Incremental Funding Increase (Brandon Champagne) 11:05 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. The Task Force will receive an update on the Navigation Aids and Signage Program (LA-0328). The Task Force will consider and vote to approve a budget and incremental funding increase of $880,000 for Operations and Maintenance to complete landrights agreements and implement LA-0328.

  10. Decision: Request for a Scope Change and a Budget Increase for the CWPPRA FY23 Outreach Planning Budget for the Nicholls University Partnership Opportunity (Lauren Leonpacher, USGS). 11:15 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. USGS will present information on an outreach opportunity to partner with The Coastal Center at Nicholls State University. On behalf of the CWPPRA Outreach program, USGS requests Task Force approval based on the Technical Committee recommendation for a FY23 planning budget increase in the amount of $77,000 to fund the partnership with Nicholls University. A change in scope for the FY23 Outreach Budget Summary Sheet will also be requested to incorporate this new line item.

  11. Decision: Request for a No-Cost Increase, 20-Year Project Life Extension on the West Bay Sediment Diversion (MR-03) Project and a Transfer of Funding from O&M to Monitoring (Terri Von Hoven, USACE) 11:25 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. A formal assessment of cost and benefits for a project life extension for the West Bay Sediment Diversion (MR-03) project has been completed and the results will be presented. The project’s end of life is in November 2023. USACE and CPRA request Task Force approval based on the Technical Committee recommendation for a no-cost increase, 20-year project life extension to continue monitoring and collecting data. There is enough funding currently available in the project’s O&M and Monitoring budget to cover the costs of monitoring for the 20 year life extension and also return funds to the program. It is estimated that 2,501 acres will be created over the 20 year life extension. CPRA and USACE request the Task Force approve the following:
    1. Extend the life of the West Bay Sediment Diversion project for another 20 years.
    2. Transfer remaining O&M budget to Monitoring to continue collecting data and to monitor the uncontrolled diversion over the project’s extended life at an approximate cost of $3,726,087. There are enough funds available in the project’s budget to cover the costs of monitoring and return approximately $2,094,133 to the program

  12. Decision: Request for an O&M and a Monitoring Budget Increase and Funding Allocation for the Holly Beach Sand Management (CS-31) Project (Kent Bollfrass, CPRA). 11:35 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. NRCS and CPRA request Task Force approval based on the Technical Committee recommendation for an O&M budget increase and funding allocation of $5,347.81 and a Monitoring budget increase and funding allocation of $371.21 to reconcile the budget for project closeout.

  13. Decision: Request for a Transfer of Approved Monitoring to Approved O&M, an O&M Budget Increase, and O&M Incremental Funding for the GIWW to Clovelly Hydrologic Restoration (BA-02) Project (Daniel Dearmond, CPRA). 11:40 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. NRCS and CPRA request Task Force approval based on the Technical Committee recommendation for the following funding and budget adjustments for the GIWW to Clovelly Hydrologic Restoration (BA-02) project to reconcile the O&M budget for final project close out.
    1. Additional O&M budget increase of $195,563.13.
    2. Transfer of $217,799.88 from the remaining Monitoring Budget to the O&M Budget.
    3. O&M incremental funding totaling in the amount of $525,201.01

  14. Report/Decision: Request for Phase II Authorization and Approval of Phase II Increment 1 Funding (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 11:45 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. The Technical Committee reviewed project information and took public comments on requests for Phase II approval on the projects shown in the following table. The Task Force will consider the Technical Committee’s recommendation to approve Phase II authorization and Increment 1 funding for the Bayou Cane Marsh Creation, the East Delacroix Marsh Creation and Terracing, the Grand Bayou Ridge and Marsh Restoration – Increment 1, and the Island Road Marsh Creation and Nourishment projects totaling $151,198,298 as indicated in the table below. Funding approval is within the construction program’s available funding limits.

    15. Agency

    Project No.

    PPL

    Project Name

    Phase II, Increment 1 Request

    Fully-Funded Phase 1 Cost

    Fully-Funded Phase II Cost incl O&M

    Total Fully Funded Cost Est.

    Net Benefit Acres

    Total Cost per Acre

    FWS

    PO-181

    27

    Bayou Cane Marsh Creation

    $36,648,434

    $3,239,930

    $38,073,824

    $41,313,754

    557

    $74,172

    FWS

    PO-179

    26

    St. Catherine Island Marsh Creation and Shoreline Protection

    $29,245,485

    $2,389,308

    $31,831,715

    $34,221,023

    169

    $202,491

    FWS

    BS-42

    29

    Phoenix Marsh Creation – East Increment

    $50,460,577

    $3,393,064

    $52,420,141

    $55,813,205

    268

    $208,258

    NMFS

    BS-37

    28

    East Delacroix Marsh Creation and Terracing

    $37,634,359

    $3,642,502

    $40,750,478

    $44,392,980

    319

    $139,163

    FWS

    BA-217

    28

    Grand Bayou Ridge and Marsh Restoration -Increment 1

    $47,710,957

    $3,463,475

    $48,865,602

    $52,329,077

    225

    $232,574

    NMFS

    TE-117

    23

    Island Road Marsh Creation and Nourishment Project

    $29,204,548

    $3,721,447

    $30,646,103

    $34,367,550

    206

    $166,833

    NRCS

    ME-31

    19

    Freshwater Bayou Marsh Creation

    $34,862,619

    $2,425,997

    $36,248,974

    $38,674,971

    282

    $137,145

    NMFS

    CS-79

    25

    Oyster Lake Marsh Creation and Nourishment

    $41,757,970

    $3,608,939

    $42,930,939

    $46,539,878

    250

    $186,160

  15. Report/Decision: 32nd Priority Project List (Kristen Ramsey, FWS) 12:10 p.m. to 12:25 p.m. The Environmental Workgroup Chair will present an overview of the two candidate projects being recommended by the Technical Committee for PPL 32 Phase I approval. The Task Force will consider approving the Technical Committee’s recommendation for Phase I funding approval in the amount of $7,197,559 for the PPL 32 projects listed below.
    • Yscloskey Marsh Creation FWS $3,741,913
    • Northwest Little Lake Marsh Creation NRCS $3,455,646

  16. Additional Agenda Items (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 12:25 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

  17. Request for Public Comments (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 12:30 p.m. to 12:35 p.m.

  18. Announcement: Priority Project List 33 Regional Planning Team Meetings (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 12:35 p.m. to 12:40 p.m.
    February 7, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Region IV Planning Team Meeting
    Lake Charles
    February 8, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Region III Planning Team Meeting
    Morgan City
    February 9, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Region I & II Planning Team Meeting
    Mandeville
    February 23, 2023
    10:30 a.m.
    Coastwide Electronic Voting
    (vie email, no meeting)

  19. Announcement: Date of Upcoming CWPPRA Program Meeting (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 12:40 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. The Technical Committee meeting will be held April 6, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.

  20. Announcement: Scheduled Dates of Future Program Meetings* (Sarah Bradley, USACE) 12:40 p.m. to 12:40 p.m.
    February 7, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Region IV Planning Team Meeting
    Lake Charles
    February 8, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Region III Planning Team Meeting
    Morgan City
    February 9, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Region I & II Planning Team Meeting
    Mandeville
    April 6, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Technical Committee Meeting
    Baton Rouge
    May 4, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Task Force
    Lafayette
    September 7, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Technical Committee Meeting
    New Orleans
    October 5, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Task Force
    New Orleans
    December 7, 2023
    9:30 a.m.
    Technical Committee Meeting
    New Orleans

  21. Decision: Adjourn



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