Escambia County Florida RESTORE Program - Project Details Project Details Title: White Island Restoration The following map and table show the details of the project. Page 552 of 952 Printed on 10/5/2015 1:57:47 PM Escambia County Florida RESTORE Program - Project Details Notes: 1. The reference to points shown on each question are the maximum points allocated to that question from the Project Selection Criteria that will be used in scoring each project.2. A project Name and Location are required for each project and are entered interactively on the Portal. Section A - Requirements and Eligibility 1. Qualifying Primary Eligible Activity (select only one): -Restore and protect natural resources 2. Qualifying Secondary Activities (Check all that apply): -Restore and protect natural resources 3. Was this activity included in a claim paid out of the Oil Spill No Trust Fund? Note: If the activity was previously paid out of an Oil Spill Trust Fund Claim, it is NOT eligible for funding under RESTORE Direct Component Pot 1. If you answer 'Yes" to this question, please stop here and do not submit your project. 4. Provide a short narrative describing how the work associated with the proposed project will be performed in the Gulf Region. The project will take place entirely within Pensacola Bay Escambia (250 words maximum) County, Florida. It will restore and protect White Island in Pensacola Bay by renourishing the island with sand lost by erosion and overtopping during periodic storms into adjacent navigation channels. 5. Provide a short narrative describing how the proposed project will conform to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and The project will be designed in accordance with local, state, and codes including, but not limited to American's with Disabilities federal permit requirements. Procurement for design and Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, U.S. Access Board, National construction services will be in accordance with Escambia County, Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and State laws as reviewed and approved by US Treasury. No public Davis-Bacon Act, Florida Building Code, and Escambia County service access or facilities are anticipated as part of this project so Land Development Code. (250 words maximum) Building Codes and ADA requirements are not applicable. Section B - Baseline Criteria 1a. Project Justification - Provide an overall description of the proposed project. Include references to the specific needs The project will restore White Island in Pensacola Bay by addressed, goals to be achieved, performance metrics and renourishing the Bay side of the island that has eroded over the benefits provided by the project. (500 words maximum - 3 points years and was damaged by oil booms used in the Deepwater maximum (combined with Question 1b below)) Horizon oil spill recovery efforts. Much of the eroded sand has been deposited by storm overwash into navigation channels between the island and the mainland leading into Bayou Grande, Bayou Davenport, and Star Lake. The project would return that sand to White Island by constructing a beach along the eastern side of the island backed by a berm/dune planted with vegetation. The renourished area will receive supplemental wave protection by the submerged, offshore rock and oyster reef breakwater and 25 acres of emergent marsh vegetation to be constructed as Phase I of the “Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline,” a project already included in the Draft Funded Priorities List of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. Attachment 1 shows the location and preliminary design for both projects. Environmental benefits of the renourishment include creation of beach habitat utilized by nesting shorebirds and nesting sea turtles, and vegetated dune habitat utilized by small mammals and reptiles. Dredging the entrance channels will simultaneously improve water quality in the bayous by enhancing natural tidal flushing. Socio- economic benefits would include increased recreation and commercial fisheries opportunities, storm surge and wave protection for properties behind White Island, increased property values for protected properties, and utilization of local engineering and construction work forces. The summary of the plan for Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline, Phase I does not specify where the approximately 80,000 cubic yards (cy) needed to construct the 25 acre saltmarsh will come from, but the sediment in the adjacent relict channels will likely be considered. This project proposes that the clean, white beach quality sand in these channels be dedicated to beaches and dunes above the waterline. The 2000 linear ft of dry beach and dune constructed by this project will require about 35,000 cy, which is about the same amount of sand that would be dredged from the navigational channels. Darker sediment with higher organic content is actually superior material for constructing saltmarsh base; adequate material for this use is readily available in slightly deeper waters within Bayou Grande, Bayou Davenport, and Star Lake. This targeted approach ensures optimal utilization of a valuable local resource. This living shoreline project would apply expertise and lessons learned by Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Escambia County scientists who designed, constructed, and monitored the very successful Project Greenshores in Pensacola Bay. It would provide a comprehensive science-based approach to restoration based on data and historical aerial photography that shows erosion of the shorelines and a loss of oyster and emergent vegetation habitat throughout Pensacola Bay. Page 553 of 952 Printed on 10/5/2015 1:57:47 PM Escambia County Florida RESTORE Program - Project Details 1b. Project Budget - Provide total budget costs and leveraging within each of the following categories as applicable. Provide The estimated cost of the project is $1,832,400.00 as shown in sufficient detail in the budget narrative to justify the feasibility of Attachment 2, Project Budget. This budget was prepared the proposed project. Additional budget breakdown information independently of the budget for the adjacent project, “Pensacola Bay can be provided as a PDF attachment. Please address the Living Shoreline, Phase I” that is recommended for funding through following minimum categories in the proposed project budget: the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. However, there are Planning, Design, Construction, and Monitoring. Please enter many potential avenues of synergy and cost savings between these (See attached) here if you are submitting a budget as an two projects on elements that are either duplicated or will simply attachment (250 words maximum - 3 points maximum require an expansion of the scope. These include: planning and (combined with Question 1a above)) design; pre-construction surveys and monitoring; mobilization/demobilization of construction equipment; and post construction monitoring. It is anticipated that the cost savings to this project through coordination of these efforts will reduce the budget by about $1,663,400.00. (See Attachment 2) This Restore request, therefore, is for $169,000.00 as follows: Surveying, Design, Permitting, Construction Documents$139,000.00 Baseline Monitoring $30,000.00 Total: $169,000.00 The balance of this Project would be funded under "Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline, Phase 1" as follows: Construction: Beach Renourishment $563,400.00 Oyster Reef and vegetation $1,050,000.00 Monitoring $50,000.00 Total: $1,663,400.00 This leverage of funds makes this Project extremely attractive. Should funding from Gulf Coast Council fail to naturalize, construction and monitoring funds will be requested in a funding request in subsequent rounds. 2. Timing - Provide a brief project development schedule showing that the proposed project can be implemented and The project consists of four phases: benefits realized within a reasonable and acceptable timeframe. 1. Planning, surveying, design, and At a minimum please address Planning, Design, Construction, preparation of construction documents 5 months and Monitoring time frames. (250 words maximum - 3 points 2. Permitting and Bidding 5 months maximum) 3. Construction 6 months 4. Monitoring in 3 stages: a. Preconstruction – Concomitantly with planning and design b. Construction - Concomitantly with construction c. Post construction – Annually for 3 years Total: 16 months + annual monitoring for 3 years 3. Public Interest - Provide a short narrative describing how the proposed project is in the public interest. (250 words maximum - The public as well as personnel from Naval Air Station Pensacola 3 points maximum) frequent White Island for camping, fishing, swimming, boating, and related activities. In fact, White Island is one of the most popular "parks" in Escambia County. This restoration and "living shoreline" enhancement project will benefit those that enjoy the island now and many more local citizens and visitors as the environmental benefits of the project are made known by the media. This project would benefit tourism development as a site that promotes and supports maritime activities and marine related sports. Socio-economic benefits also include increased recreational and commercial fisheries production, increased shoreline and infrastructure protection, increased property values for protected properties, and utilization of local engineering and construction work forces. Attachment 3 shows the public using a portion of White Island during Labor Day 2015. 4. Monitoring Plan -