State of Alabama CIAP Plan Amendment Fiscal Year 2009 and 2010 Robert Bentley, Governor, State of Alabama N. Gunter Guy, Jr., Commissioner, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Prepared by the State Lands Division, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources July 2011 [this page is intentionally left blank] Table of Contents List of Abbreviations and Acronyms 1. Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i 2. Designated State Agency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------iii 3. Designated Contact for Coastal Political Subdivisions ------------------------------------------------------v a. Baldwin County Commission ........................................................................................................ v b. Mobile County Commission ........................................................................................................... v 4. Governor’s Certification of Public Participation -----------------------------------------------------------vii 5. Coordination with Other Federal Resources and Programs ----------------------------------------------xi 6. Plan Implementation Program ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------xii 7. Proposed Project Lists----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 a. State of Alabama Tier One Lists.................................................................................................. 3 b. Baldwin County Tier One Lists ................................................................................................... 5 c. Mobile County Tier One Lists ..................................................................................................... 7 d. State of Alabama Tier Two Lists ................................................................................................. 9 e. Baldwin County Tier Two Lists................................................................................................. 11 f. Mobile County Tier Two Lists ................................................................................................... 13 8. Proposed Tier One Project Descriptions---------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 a. State of Alabama Tier One Project Descriptions ....................................................................... 17 b. Baldwin County Tier One Project Descriptions ........................................................................ 63 c. Mobile County Tier One Project Descriptions......................................................................... 100 9. Proposed Tier Two Project Descriptions --------------------------------------------------------------------120 a. State of Alabama Tier Two Project Descriptions..................................................................... 122 b. Baldwin County Tier Two Project Descriptions...................................................................... 160 c. Mobile County Tier Two Project Descriptions........................................................................ 172 Appendix Appendix A Governor Letter Designating State Agency--------------------------------------------------------182 Appendix B Transcripts of Comments from November 22, 2010 Public Meeting --------------------------186 Appendix C Summary of Public Comments Received on Draft CIAP Plan Amendment for FY 2009 and FY 2010 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------208 Appendix D Advertisement for public meetings on January 14, 2010 and November 22, 2010-----------342 Appendix E Program Suggestion Solicitation Form -------------------------------------------------------------356 Appendix F Project List Tables -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------362 1. State of Alabama Project List Tables........................................................................................... 364 2. Baldwin County Project List Tables ............................................................................................ 370 3. Mobile County Project List Tables ............................................................................................. 374 Appendix G Summarizing All Changes to CIAP Plan ----------------------------------------------------------378 1. State of Alabama………………………………………………………………………………...380 2. Baldwin County…………………………………………………………………………………388 3. Mobile County…………………………………………………………………………………..398 Tables Table 1. Summary of CIAP allocations for FY 2009 and FY 2010---------------------------------------------- ii Table 2. State of Alabama CIAP Projects by Category--------------------------------------------------------- xxii Table 3. State of Alabama estimate of funds allocated by Authorized Use----------------------------------xxiv Table 4. Baldwin County estimate of funds allocated by Authorized Use ------------------------------------xxv Table 5. Mobile County estimate of funds allocated by Authorized Use ------------------------------------xxvi List of Abbreviations and Acronyms Act Energy Policy Act of 2005 ACAMP Alabama Coastal Area Management Program ADEM Alabama Department of Environmental Management BC Baldwin County BOEMRE Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement CBRA Coastal Barrier Resource Act CIAP Coastal Impact Assistance Program CPMC Claude Peteet Mariculture Center CPS Coastal Political Subdivision CRAC Coastal Resources Advisory Committee CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act CZMP Coastal Zone Management Program DCNR Department of Conservation and Natural Resources DISL Dauphin Island Sea Lab DOI Department of the Interior EFH Essential Fish Habitat EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FY Fiscal Year GSA Geological Survey of Alabama MBNEP Mobile Bay National Estuary Program MC Mobile County MRD Marine Resources Division NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NERR National Estuarine Research Reserve NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association OCS Outer Continental Shelf Plan Coastal Impact Assistance Plan Secretary Secretary of the Department of the Interior SLD State Lands Division SPD State Parks Division State eligible producing State U.S. United States USFWS United State Fish and Wildlife Service WFFD Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division INTRODUCTION The Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) was established by Section 384 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to assist producing states and their coastal political subdivisions (i.e. counties) in mitigating the impacts from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas production. The CIAP legislation appropriated $250 million per year for fiscal years 2007 through 2010 to be distributed among eligible producing States and their coastal political subdivisions. The eligible States are Alabama, Alaska, California, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The coastal political subdivisions in Alabama are Baldwin County and Mobile County. The Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) requires each state to develop a plan to be eligible for the CIAP funding. The CIAP provision of the Act of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, lists five categories of authorized uses of CIAP funds. Thus, a State or CPS can only use CIAP funds for one or more of the following purposes: 1. projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal areas, including wetland; 2. mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources; 3. planning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with CIAP; 4. implementation of a Federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan; and 5. mitigation of the impact of OCS activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects and public service needs. Table 1 summarizes the allocations provided to the State of Alabama, Baldwin County, and Mobile County for Fiscal Year 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. On April 21, 2009, the Minerals Management Service (now Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement - BOEMRE) approved the State of Alabama CIAP Plan for FY 2007 and 2008 which included 47 projects totaling $51,103,214.08. The State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), Baldwin County and Mobile County have begun implementation of the approved projects through submittal of individual grant applications to BOEMRE. The State of Alabama CIAP Plan Amendment for FY 2009 and FY 2010 includes 25 Tier One Projects and 19 Tier Two Projects (44 total) allocating the remaining FY 2009 and FY 2010 CIAP funding for the State of Alabama, Baldwin County, and Mobile County ($39,253,102.84). Tier One projects submitted for grant funding are anticipated to utilize 100 percent of the allocation for FY 2009 and FY 2010. Tier Two projects are for back up purposes. If a Tier One is cancelled, scaled back or deferred, the State of Alabama, Baldwin County, or Mobile County can submit a Tier Two project for grant funding without having to amend the CIAP Plan Amendment for FY 2009 and FY 2010. The Tier One and Tier Two projects included in the State of Alabama CIAP Plan Amendment for FY 2009 and FY 2010 meet the criteria set forth in the legislation and will provide long-term benefits to Alabama’s coastal area. - i – Introduction Actual FY CIAP Allocation