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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Rosenstiel School
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy,
Miami, Fl. 33149
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e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

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I & II - Status of Federal Navigable Channel Project & Status of “Bank-to-Bank project– Mr. Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, provided the Dredging Working Group with an update of the progress made since the Dredging subcommittee’s January 18, 2005 meeting.  On January 19, 2005 , Army Corps of Engineers Colonel Carpenter contacted Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s office, to inform her that the Corps was reprogramming $5 million of previously appropriated Miami River maintenance dredging funding back to the project.  This enabled the Corps to authorize dredging within Acceptance Section 2.

Mr. Bibeau stated the MRC authorized him to travel to Washington DC for the “Dade Fly-In”, February 16-18, to support Miami-Dade County ’s $17.7 million appropriation request for federal fiscal year 2006 Miami River Maintenance Dredging funding. Mr. Bibeau explained the County’s $17.7 million request is based on the funding necessary to maintain the dredging contractor’s work schedule, and therefore avoid a temporary demobilization.

Bibeau noted despite the repeated pledges by the Army Corps to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Governor Bush, to finalize the Army Corps’ two year-old draft supplemental economic analysis, the favorable draft still awaits final acceptance.  The Army Corps budgeted for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project during 5 consecutive Fiscal Years, FY ’00 – FY ’04.  In 2002 the Army Corps began requiring an “Economic Analysis” to justify future budgeting of projects.  Prior to the Miami River Maintenance Dredging project’s September 2004 commencement, the Corps executed their Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) in July 2003.  The final DMMP “Section 5.2 – Economic Analysis” was distributed to the Dredging subcommittee, and is extremely favorable.  In addition, the Army Corps June 2004 draft Miami River Maintenance dredging “Supplement DMMP” Economic Analysis was provided to the dredging subcommittee, and finds the average benefit to cost ratio to be $1.78 in benefits for every $1 of cost, therefore exceeding the minimum economic justification criteria of $1 in benefit for each $1 in project cost. Therefore, Bibeau explained the MRC strongly supports the repeated requests from Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Governor Bush, and Miami-Dade County , for the Army Corps to immediately accept the long overdue Miami River Maintenance Dredging project’s draft supplemental economic analysis, which is a critical step for Congress to secure the levels of funding necessary for the Corps to complete this crucial project.

III. Update River Utility Crossings - Mr. Bibeau stated that the MRC held a Miami River Dredging Utility Crossing meeting on February 7, 2005 at United Way , 3250 SW 3^rd Ave , Miami , FL.   Bibeau provided copies of Pat Hanson’s, Army Corps, e-mail regarding the river’s dredging schedule and utility crossing updates.

IV. Update on Temporary Removal of NW 5^th Street Bridge – Mr. Bibeau stated MRC Chairperson Irela Bagué met with Johnny Martinez, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), whom stated the FDOT will address dredging adjacent to the NW 5 ST bridge, which is currently built into the federal navigable channel and scheduled for replacement.  Either FDOT will remove the existing NW 5 ST Bridge just before the Federal dredging project reaches that vicinity, or the FDOT would be responsible for dredging in that area after the bridge is removed.

V.  New Business- Mr. Evan Skornick, South Florida Water Management District, stated that the $600,000 in state appropriations awarded to the SFWMD for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging Project’s Acceptance Sections 3 and 4 is going before the SFWMD Board for approval on March 9. Mr. Skornick said that the SFWMD contract with the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) for $2.3 million in fiscal year 2005 for the project, will go before the SFWMD governing board for approval on April 9.

The MRC Dredging subcommittee scheduled their next monthly meeting for Wednesday, March 17, 2005, 10 am, UM Rosenstiel School, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Seminar Room. 

The meeting adjourned.

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