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Dredging Committee Minutes
Dredging FAQs
Maintenance Dredging
Description
May 21, 2008
April 18, 2008
Nov. 19, 2007
Oct. 17, 2007
Sep. 19, 2007
Aug 17, 2007
July 18, 2007
June 22, 2007
May
16, 2007
Apr. 18, 2007
Mar. 21, 2007
Feb. 21, 2007
Jan.
18, 2006
Oct.
19, 2005
Sep. 21,
2005
Aug. 17, 2005
July 20, 2005
June
15, 2005
Apr.
20, 2005
Feb.
14, 2005
Jan. 19, 2005
Nov
17, 2004
May
19, 2004
Feb.
17, 2004
Dec. 10, 2003
Nov. 22, 2003
Oct.
22, 2003
Aug.
27, 2003
July
16, 2003
June
18, 2003
May 21, 2003
April 16,
2003
March 12, 2003
Feb. 19, 2003
Jan. 15, 2003
Dec. 18, 2002
Nov. 20, 2002
Oct. 16, 2002
Sep. 18, 2002
Aug. 21, 2002
July 24, 2002
June 20, 2002
May 15, 2002
Apr. 17, 2002
Mar. 20, 2002
Feb. 20, 2002
Jan. 23, 2002
Dec. 18, 2001
Oct. 24, 2001
Sep. 20, 2001
May 15,2001
Mar. 1, 2001
Jan. 10, 2001
Nov. 15,
2000
Oct. 11,
2000
Sep. 13,
2000
Aug. 17,
2000
Jun. 28, 2000
Miami River Dredging Project press conference announcing federal $4 million dredging allocation. Bottom row l.to r.: Dr. Fran Bohnsack, Executive Director, Miami River Marine Group; City commissioners Angel Gonzalez and Johnny Winton; Manuel A. Diaz, Mayor, City of Miami; Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Carrie Meek, U.S. Representatives; Alex Penelas, Mayor, Miami-Dade County; Ms. Sandy O'Neil, Office of Mayor Penelas.Top row: Richard Dubin, owner, Ameritrade, Inc.; Phil Everingham, Merrill-Stevens; Robert L. Parks, Esq., Chair, Miami River Commission; Richard Bunnell, Chair, Miami River Commission Dredging Committee; Brett Bibeau, Assistant Director, Miami River Commission and Eddie Rodriguez, Antillean Marine.
Historical
Overview
The River needs to be
dredged for both economic and environmental reasons. In 1990, the Army
Corps recommended maintenance dredging of the federal navigation channel
as the build-up of sediments restricted ship navigation. The sediments
are contaminated primarily from stormwater drainage systems that empty
into the river from over 69 square miles of urban and industrialized
areas. The sediments are contaminated with heavy metals, PCB's,
pesticides, sewage, and petroleum products. These contaminated sediments
are migrating into and degrading Biscayne Bay. Dredged spoils are
normally disposed of in the ocean, however, the EPA ruled the sediments
do not meet ocean disposal criteria and must be disposed in an upland
site greatly increasing the cost of the project. In 1993, the Army Corps
estimated the cost of dredging at $12 million and the upland disposal
cost at $90 - $105 million. In 1993, upland disposal costs were the full
responsibility of the non-federal sponsor and local governments could
not raise $90 - $105 million for River dredging. Miami-Dade County has been the
"acting" local non-federal sponsor for this project for the
entire period.
Current
Situation:
The Miami
River Commission was established and determined River dredging was
the number one priority to improve the Miami River. A Dredging Working
Group was established that included all stakeholders and appropriate
agencies. The Group established a phased dredging approach that lowered
the overall costs to $74 million. Meetings in Washington with Army Corps
Headquarters personnel resulted in a more favorable cost sharing ratio
of 80% federal and 20% non-federal for the Miami River dredging project.
Additionally, with the help of our senators and congresspersons, $5
million in federal funding was appropriated for River dredging in
October 1999.
Dredging Benefits
1. The
River will be environmentally restored and prevent
further degradation to Biscayne Bay.
2. The shipping industry will expand as ships will be less dependent on high tide sailings and could transit at most times of the day and night. This will increase the estimated $4 billion dollars of goods now being transported via the river and improve the economy.
3. The River infrastructure will be in place to maximize our trade opportunities with the numerous shallow draft ports of the
Caribbean should political events increase trade opportunities, example, Caribbean Basin Initiative.
4. The dredging project will be a catalyst for explosive economic development of under utilized properties along the river and in the adjacent neighborhoods.
5. Benefits to the State, County and City include: enhancement of the environmental quality of the River and downstream areas of Biscayne Bay, improvement of brownfields redevelopment programs, improvement of the "Eastward Ho" initiatives, expansion of commerce and international trade, and better utilization of empowerment zones.
6. Dredging or "cleaning" of the River will improve the live-ability of River communities by enhancing riverwalks, greenways and parks for citizens and tourists.
7. Dredging will eliminate the classification of the river as a "cesspool" by the two Grand Jury reports and bring about a revitalization of this distressed urban waterfront area similar to other major cities like Baltimore, Jacksonville and Washington, D.C.
8. Dredging will increase jobs. The trade journal "Florida Shipper" notes that one small coastal freighter carrying 100 containers creates 77 jobs (indirect and direct) on shore. River dredging will allow the average river freighter to increase their cargo capacity from 160 containers to 240 containers. In 1998 alone, over 4000 cargo vessels called on the Miami River.