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Item N3�WXM DIC I I Y41 0 0 D10 C'913 I JJ V lq" Meeting Date: September 16, 2015 Department: Cognty Administrator Bulk Item: Yes X No — Staff Contact Person: Lisa Tennyson Phone #: 292-4444 AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of resolution adopting the Monroe County Multi -Year Implementation Plan and approval to submit to U.S. Treasury Department, as required in order to access the County's Direct Component ("Local Pot") funds. ITEM BACKGROUND: Per RESTORE Act regulations, a Multi -Year Implementation Plan ("MYIP") is required before funds can be distributed to any eligible entity. The MYIP must include, and these are attached in the backup, the following: 1) The required "Matrix", a Treasury Department spreadsheet outlining projects, budgets, and dates; 2) The required "Narrative", a Treasury Department form; and 3) A Plan Document with additional detail and requirements such as maps, documentation of formal approval, and documentation that plan was posted for public review and comment. The regulations require that the MYIP be posted and available for public review and input for a minimum of 45 days. The County's MYIP was posted on July 8, 2015, and remained posted for public review and comment through August 30, 2015 (for a total of 53 days.) Public comments were received, all in support of plan. The scope of the MYIP tracks the funds currently available to Monroe County ($1.16M) and consists of three projects as ranked by Monroe County's RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee and approved by the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners: • Coral Restoration, $550,000; • Canal Restoration Monroe County, $450,000; and • Canal Restoration Islamorada, $100,000. Upon approval/adoption, the MYIP will be sent to the Treasury Department which will review it for completeness and conformity with the Act and Treasury regulations. After its review and, pending approval, Treasury will then notify the County that it may begin submitting grant applications for the three (3) projects and activities consistent with this MYIP. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: • July 15,2015- BOCC announced and publicly noticed the draft MYIP. • February 18, 2015: BOCC approved and awarded funding from the RESTORE Act Direct Component ("Local Pot"). • December 11/12, 2015: Local Advisory Committee evaluated and ranked projects for funding from RESTORE Act Direct Component ("Local Pot"). • October 17, 2014: BOCC heard presentation and discussion on RESTORE Act and Interim Final Treasury Rule, including discussion of County's requirement to develop a MYIP, BOCC gave direction to staff to draft MYIP in-house with outside technical support. CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: NA STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Approve TOTAL COST: INDIRECT COST: BUDGETED: Yes No DIFFERENTIAL OF LOCAL PREFERENCE: N/A COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS: REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year APPROVED BY: County Attp&5 DOCUb' DISPOSITION: Revised 7/09 OMB/Purchasing . Risk Management X Not Required AGENDAITEM# RESOLUTION NO._ - 201. I to] offel '101.1 JIM#] awflu a 161 M1 [4) 0 01 I 1 .01 # 0011jol IVA W 9111 "11 1XV-111 ITU W N lore* 110. 1 ALIFA reloVill metal 110 11 E111111111 ��i 1 LW It"1011 I IJ IcLes all] M-1110 D1 W W M" 9 LXDI IYA 0 WHEREAS, the United States Congress passed the "Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012," known as the YJ,%, 11,;-11nAkQn from parties responsibIe for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill for distribution of the funds among the affected states, and WHEREAS, the RESTORE Act requires the U.S. Treasury, in consultation with other federal agencies, establish procedures for passing the fines levied (or the "funds") to the recipients as sk designated by the RESTORE Act; --U 171abe exciusivejy to me tive —u-ft—Co—a-sT-sTa-re-s—ol-f-ex-as—, ilTisFs-fs—sfp—p-i,—Lo--u-fs-i-a-n-a,—Alabama and Florida, w equal shares; and C63 IN k3cFras] 127,d INK631-11 oil] IMMI 1( 'Tr � MINSMIUM151 in WHEREAS, the RESTORE Act, section 1603 (3) further defines the use and eligible activities for which these funds may be used by the Gulf Coast states for ecological and economic restoration within the Gulf Coast regions, as follows: 1) Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region. 2) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources. 3) Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring. 4) Workforce development and job creation. 5) Improvements to or on State parks located in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 6) Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy of ecological resources, including port infrastructure. 7) Coastal flood protections and related infrastructure. 8) Planning assistance. 9) Administrative costs of complying with this section, which cannot exceed WHEREAS, the RESTORE Act, section 1603 (3) additionally defines the use and eligible activitie� for which these funds may be used by the Gulf Coast states for promotion of tourism and seafood in ths Gulf Coast region, as follows: 1) Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing. 2) Promotion 1f the consumption of seafood harvested fr1m the Gulf Coast Region. 'WHEREAS, the RESTORE Act empowers the Monroe County Board of County Commissionel with the authority to distribute its Direct Component funds for various purposes and projects designated by and consistent with the Act; and imfi FrMIV-411H ME, interest Yruin 111,173-Mun-C, deing CFCU]Lq and WHEREAS, as a condition of receiving amounts from the Trust Fund, the County must develop and submit a Multi -Year Implementation Plan for the use of its Direct Component funds; and whereas the MYIP must: • Describe each program, project and activity for which it seeks funding; • Include a description of the project's need, purpose, and objectives; • Identify the eble activities the project will undertake; • Include the project location, budget, milestones and projected completion dates, and criteria t-t evaluate the success of each activity in helping to restore and protect the Gulf Coast region; • Include a map of location of projects to be funded; • Include documentation of formal adoption; • Include documentation of noticing and posting of N4YIP for public review/comment; and WHEREAS, the Monroe County MYIP has been created pursuant to the Act and the U.S. Treasury Department's Interim Final Rule; and WHEREAS, the Monroe County MYIP includes three parts: a required 'Narrative", a required "Matrix" or spreadsheet, and an additional detailed Plan Document; and WHEREAS, the scope of this Monroe County MYIP tracks the funds available to Monroe County as vf September 2015 (and does not include funds that may come available with future settlements or payments), and consists of three (3) projects as ranked by Monroe County's RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee ("Committee") and approved by the Monroe County Board of County the Act, Guidance and regulations; and WHEREAS, the MYIP was developed via a public, participatory process that determined the projects ultimately selected for award from Monroe County's Direct Component funding which included the rollowing components: • A representative committee of local stakeholders was convened and empowered to advise the BOCC on the selection and award of Direct Component (Local Pot) RESTORE Act funds (ie, developing the scoring criteria, overseeing the project application process, and scoring, ranking and recommending projects for award); • A broad public solicitation for project applications was conducted. The solicitation for projects was publicly noticed via email blasts, advertisements in local newspapers, posting on the County's website, announcements at BOCC meetings, press releases and independent media coverage; • All project applications were posted on the County's website for public review. The list of project submissions were presented to the BOCC and also covered extensively in the local media; • Meetings of the committee were open, public meetings that were publicly noticed via email blasts, postings on the County's website, advertisements in local newspapers, and announcements at BOCC meetings. All meeting agendas, materials and presentations, and minutes were and remain posted for public review; • The scoring and ranking of all projects took place in an open, public meeting that was publicly noticed via advertisements in the local newspapers, notice on the County's website, announcements at BOCC meeting, and independent media coverage; • The committee's scores and ranking of projects were posted on the County's website for public review; • At a regularly scheduled BOCC meeting, there was a public presentation and discussion of the Committee's ranking, after which the County Commission approved the ranking and awarded Local Pot funding to the Committee's top three (3) ranked projects; • Monroe County drafted a Multi -Year Implementation Plan setting forth its projects for Direct Component (Local Pot) Funding, and posted the plan for public review and input for a minimum of 45 days; and • After soliciting public input, at the September 10h, 2015 meeting of the BOCC, the MYIP was formally approved/adopted by the Board of County Commissioners; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Treasury Department will review Monroe County's MYIP for completeness and conformity with the Act and Treasury regulations and may request additional information after its review and, pending approval, will notify the County (in writing) that it may begin submitting gram 2pplications for the three (3) projects and activities consistent with this WIP. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that: Ili 1111 1! ri I lllln� I I �Iqql I �Ill� 1 I I I 1 11 1 Ems T'ffity--, cdr4nwwjWnXaw1n a true copy of which is incorporated herein as Exhibit A to this Resolution. oil 1111111 11111111111111111111111 Pill 117: 11! 1111 Fill 1111111 ��1111 111�11�111111 L"_!J"rf1 81-11igil I J.-Jol IM low F.161-Mrolm SO M1 Irmlyarms IT4WAI &M Attest: ClerV of Cou-r. Mayor Danny Kolhage Mayor Pro Heather Carruthers Commissioner George Neugent Commissioner David Rice Commissioner Sylvia Murphy By: Mayor 411111111IM163 N11 MONROE COUNTY MULTI -YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN RESTORE Act Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund FINAL September 16, 2015 Contact: Lisa Tennyson, Director of Legislative Affairs Office of the County Administrator (305) 292-4444 OMB Approval No. 1505-025G Eligible Applicant Name: Monroe County, Florida ar,,In)'p e m'enta'ti' on P "M POC Name: Lisa Tennyson POC Title: [Director of Legislative Affairs, Office of the County Administrator POC Email: Tennyson-risa@monroecounty-fl.gov POC Phone: +1 (305) 292-4444 'Monroe County is submitting three projects in this application for Direct Component funding. PROJECT I - Coral Reef Restoration for Environmental and Economic Enhancement of the Florida Keys Description: The Coral Reef Restoration project will grow staghorn coral in undersea nurseries located throughout the Florida Keys ZF:�_t boulder coral in land -based nurseries. The coral will then be out -planted on reefs where they will kick start reproduction and reef recovery for the future. Approximately 20,000 staghorn corals of varying sizes will be planted on reefs between Key Largo and Key West. A subset of these will be part of value-added scientific research help increase the pace and efficiency of future restoration activities. An additional I OrOOO small boulder corals will repair 1,000 dead coral heads using an lnnovative'reskinning'technology. Staphorn and boulderco npT.16%ez tt?�46�_Xwtrwrl both restored and adjacent reefs. The out -planted corals will begin to spawn and contribute to the reseeding of surrounding reefs. More prolific reefs enhance the restoration and protection of the Keys' natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, and coastal wetlands. Need: The reef system in the Florida Keys is the largest living coral reef in the Continental United States, and third largest barrier reef In the world. Coral reef area & rinavil ip rritirvil vi rrrpw wird foosliTr III *Nitmt frr n� �III 4 =r =-- RiMT154111.1WOUSTESPI Soing preservation and restoration efforts to save it. Despite efforts to protect the reefs and decrease existing threats, no significant im!arovements in live coral cover otha*kk the reefs. 0MR-7ml e Rrimag jorgoi.1 of ills iml"' WM2 Objectives: RESTORE objectives to be addressed by this project include environmental improvements and tourism promotion. Specifically- - EnvironmentalIncreased live coral cover; restoration of important habitat for fish, invertebrates, sea turtles; long-term impacts as out -planted corals contribute to reproductive potential of the species. Economic Development: Improved recreational and tourism value of Monroe County's reefs. Community Resilience: Healthy reefs serve as a natural first line of defense for the shoreline by breaking waves offshore, which is particularly important during storms. - Education: The Nature Conservancy and its partners on this project do a significant amount of outreach within the community to educate the public about the importance of this work. 2 - Canal Water Quality Improvements and Restoration for Canals in Unincorporated Monroe County Description, Canal water restoration projects will be constructed and implemented in canals throughout unincorporated Monroe County in order to improve the poor quality of canal waters and prevent the continued discharge of their poor quality water into the nearshore waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary which threatens the Sanctuary's unique and fragile coral reef and ecosystem. Restoration of impaired waters In the Florida Keys canal system will improve and protect the near shore water quality of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and the Keys' natural resources, ecosystem, fisheries, and marine and wildlife habitats. The health of the Florida Keys' ecosystem -- and its local tourism -based economy � is reliant upon a pristine marine environment. Need: Many of the canals thro ghout Monroe County are list—ecl as having impairs d waters by MFEUSTFA WanUt-he State ofFFo—nd[a— Department of Environmental Protection because they exhibit high levels of nutrients and low levels of dissolved oxygen — conditions that have been directly linked to extensive die -off in coral reefs in the coastal waters. These impaired canal waters discharge directly into the nearshore waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, one of the world's most unique marine ecosystems and home to the largest living coral reef in the continental United States, the largest sea grass bed in the western hemisphere and over 6,000 species— all of which only thrive in clean, clear waters that are low in nutrients and high in dissolved oxygen levels. Monroe County will construct and implement restoration projects that will improve the environmental quality of the waters in its canal system pursuant to the Monroe County Canal Management Master Plan and the goals and objectives of the Sanctuary's Water Quality Protection Program. Purpose: The purpose of the canal water restoration projects is to remedy the high nutrient loading and low dissolved oxygen impairing the water by addressing the most significant causes of those conditions: accumulated organics, seaweed loading ("weed wrack"), and poor flushing and tidal flow. The Monroe County County -wide Canal Management Master Plan (a plan developed In partnership with EPA, NPS, FWS, NOAA, DEP and the local governments) has identified 107 canals in unincorporated Monroe as having poor water quality and determined that each canal exhibits one or more of these contributing factors, and will require the implementation of one or a combination of restoration technologies. Objectives: RESTORE objectives addressed by this project include environmental improvements, economic development, and community resilience. Specifically. • Environmental: The project area, Monroe County ("The Florida Keys'), is surrounded by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The health of the Sanctuary's coral reef and massive seagrass beds — and all of the species that rely on these for habitat — are directly linked to near shore water quality. Both corals and seagrasses thrive in areas where water is clear (low turbidity), low in nutrients, and high in dissolved oxygen (DO). High levels of nutrients and low DO have been directly linked to extensive die -off in coral reefs in the coastal waters. • Economic Development: The socioeconomic importance of the reef to Monroe County was documented in study by the FKNMS which concluded that more than 33,000 jobs and $2.3 billion dollars in annual added revenue are directly attributed to Florida Reef Tract (Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries, 2013). Monroe County's marine -based tourism economy, and robust commercial and recreational fishing industries are all dependent on the health of the Sanctuary and good water quality. • Community Resilience: Restoration of canal water will lead to a healthier reef system, greater protection of natural resources, and a stronger economy all of which contribute to the community resilience of the Florida Keys. The reef contributes to resilience by serving as natural first line of defense for the shoreline by breaking waves offshore, which is particularly important during storms. Improved water quality also ensures a healthy natural environment, which in turn, ensures a healthy economy. Economic vibrancy is integral to community resilience. PROJECT 3 - Canal Water Quality Improvements and Restoration in Canals Across "All Entities" in Monroe County (Islamorada) Description: Canal water restoration projects will be constructed and implemented In canals within the municipality of Islamorada, Village of Islands, (centrally located in the Florida Keys) in order to improve the poor quality of canal waters and prevent the continued discharge of their poor quality water into the nearshore waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary which threatens the Sanctuary's unique and fragile coral reef and ecosystem. Restoration of impaired waters in the Florida Keys canal system will improve and protect the near shore water quality of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and the Keys' natural resources, ecosystem, fisheries, and marine and wildlife habitats. The health of the Florida Keys' ecosystem — and its local tourism -based economy — is reliant upon a pristine marine environment. Need: Many canals in Islamorada are listed as having Impaired waters by the US EPA and the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection because they exhibit high levels of nutrients and low levels of dissolved oxygen — conditions that have been directly linked to extensive die -off in coral reefs in the coastal waters. These impaired canal waters discharge directly into the nearshore waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, one of the world's most unique marine ecosystems and home to the largest living coral reef in the continental United States, the largest sea grass bed in the western hemisphere and over 6,000 species— all of which only thrive in clean, clear waters that are low in nutrients and high in dissolved oxygen levels. Islamorada will construct and implement restoration projects that will improve the environmental quality of the waters in its canal system pursuant to the Monroe County Canal Management Master Plan and the goals and objectives of the Sanctuary's Water Quality Protection Program. Purpose: The purpose of the canal water restoration projects Is to remedy the high nutrient loading and low dissolved oxygen impairing the water by addressing the most significant causes of those conditions: accumulated organics, seaweed loading ("weed wrack"), and poor flushing and tidal flow. The Monroe County County -wide Canal Management Master Plan (a plan developed in partnership with EPA, NPS, FWS, NOAA, DEP and each of the local governments) has identified 10 canals in Islamorada as having poor water quality and determined that each canal exhibits one or more of these contributing factors, and will require the implementation of one or combination of restoration technologies. The 10 canals considered "Poor Water Quality" were ranked based on criteria outlined In the Plan and The Village of Islamorada Selection of Demonstration Canals for Water Quality Improvements (SDC) document. Objectives: RESTORE objectives addressed by this project include environmental improvements, economic development, and community resilience. Specifically: Frorp WIM =.j r;r. 13.M @ I renra R orl"I mnrmr�� q4 11601 1ZCEMM=_ WNW 081111111 Iloilo Wom . Economic Development: The socioeconomic importance of the reef to Monroe County was documented in study by the FKNMS which concluded that more than 33,000 jobs and $2.3 bon dollars in annual added revenue are directly attributed to Florida Reef Tract (Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries tourism and charter fishing industry which are dependent on the health of the Sanctuary and good water quality, - Community Resilience: Restoration of canal water will lead to a healthier reef system, greater protection of natural resources, and .stronger economy all of which contribute to the community resilience of the all of the communities of the Florida Keys. The reef contributes to resilience by serving as natural first line of defense for the shoreline by breaking waves offshore, which is particularly important during storms. Improved water quality also ensures a healthy natural environment, which in turn, ensures a healthy economy. Economic vibrancy is integral to community resilience. , brnatin . lie, il ic i 11 1 i t LV1.14 Monroe County effectuated a broad public input process to determine the selection of projects included in this MYIP. The st process are outlined in Question 5, and in further detail in the Plan Document, attached. ;�S� The projects ultimately selected, and represented in the MYIP, were those highest ranked by the County's RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee (a wlclejan,,:I-�� appointed by the County Commission and the Commissions/Councils of each of the six municipalities within Monroe County.) The three highest ranked projects were then subsequently reviewed and approved by the Board of County Commissioners. There was a broad solicitation of applications, and all project applications received were posted on the County website for public review. The z-valuation and ranking of all projects took place in open, public, and noticed meetings. All evaluation, project scores, and ranking information was (and remains) posted on the County's RESTORE Act webpage. The Local Advisory Committee met several times, and the County's RESTORE Act activities are regularly reported at County Commission meetings. The local media also regularly covers Monroe's on -going RESTORE Act activities. related to the reouireTrerit to wrsurp up;kv, 1V - - - .. - July 8, 2015 throuqh Auqust 30. 2015: Post!7&&��- iaTii #14111 V&.r-VkH11_4_1Ta_1i &T�Vj Dun FARTn" - a- 0 - I 4AWIN I ;&SAgam 4.4, 111nmr W .1 - � " op -Iffml irpendix D of the attached Plan). - July 8, 2015: Notcation of the MYIP's availability for review and comment was given to the members of the Local Advisory Committee and a broad range of stakeholders, including business enterprises and not -for -profit organizations, via email blast. Notification was given to the -eneral *_ * YFW� in Monroe County (a copy of the press release is included in Appendix D of the Plan Document, attached); and additional public notice was placed in each of three local newspapers (copies of the public notices are included in Appendix D). - July 10/15, 2015: Notification to the general public of the posting of the MYIP for review and comment was also made via its placement on the published revised agenda for the Monroe County BOCC July 15,2015 meeting, and included as part of the agenda for that meeting, which like all Commission meetings is a publicly noticed, televised, live -streamed, and recorded meeting. - August 30,2015: The last day of a 53-day period posting period. Monroe County received 26 public comments, all in support of the projects selected in this plan. - September 16,2015: The final MYIP was presented to the BOCC at its regularly scheduled, publicly noticed and televised monthly -neeting. A resolution formally adopting the final MYIP after public comment period was approved by the BOCC (included in Appendix of the Plan Document, attached). n this MYIP, three (3) activities are being submitted for funding. These activities are eligible activities under the RESTORE Act as follows: Project 1 -Coral Reef Restoration for Environmental and Economic Enhancement of the Florida Keys targets: (1) Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region. (11) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources. (111) Implementation of a Federally -approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisherie-A monitoring. (VII) Coastal flood protection and related infrastructure, (b)(11) Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast region, including recreational fishing. Project 2 - Canal Water Quality Improvements and Restoration for Canals in Unincorporated Areas targets: (1) Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region, (111) Implementation of a federally approved marine/coastal management plan, including fisheries monitoring. (IV) Workforce development and job creation. NO Infrastructure projects benefiting economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure. Mwjiiil�:w= Water Qualit-, iiii r v (1) Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region. (111) Implementation of a federal approved marine/coast management plan, including fisheries monitoring. (IV) Workforce development and job creation. }SOW k . ........ . ....... ....... . ..... .. ... T, e appAltantwill Onlyate,success o the acbvitles:inc We , ,,, , ; ... . . .... Each project will be carefully tracked so that project success can be gauged at select intervals during the course of project imolementation. Ad_r*i_n_xak_%Y�rtw_d Appendix A of attached Plaip. measures of milestones and success include the following: - Projects further the goals and objectives of the Florida Key National Marine Sanctuary's Water Quality Protection Program and federal and state regulatory requirements and mandates. I ?_ , 't orai plantings, strengtriening and restoring the fragile reef system; improving habitat for important reef fish species; and preserving a marine -based local economy. Measure of success: Amount of new reef coral plantings. Siecificalli for Pro!eJJ 2 jig J Q1 i1jil ffrlvl��F tiagiie marine ecosystem; improving critical habitat; and preserving a marine -based local economy. Measure of success: Amount of nutrient loading and dissolved oxygen in canal County, conducted a funding. Below are the various elements of the County's process. Local Advisory Committee: To ensure public participation, a local advisory committee, The Monroe County RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee, was created by the Monroe County BOCC on February 20,2013 with its adoption of Resolution 094-2013 (and later Resolution 129-2013 for clarifications). The Committee was and remains tasked with making recommendations to the BOCC for projects that are in the best interest of the County that will be funded through the Direct Component of the RESTORE Act. The BOCC ciave careful consideration to Vra CnTirTrhcPP'-% TFwnhar0rim ts, avuirn �rr.■n4 W779i uJimi 3T,.Aw_v kvw-tgj v.rQ �Wl X��Z9VL"tV "A 1 NTTrt=teX'5 une 1 4 Lf November 8,2013; September 26,2014, December 11, 2014, December 12,2014, Agendas, meeting materials, and meeting recordings were made available on the County's RESTORE Act webpage. The BOCC empowered the Committee to: Gain an understanding of the RESTORE project authorization and funds distribution process; Develop specific project evaluation criteria for the ranking of projects based on direction and Guiding Principles from the BOCC, ,-Score and rank submitted projects; and - Make recommendations to the BOCC for projects to be awarded with funding from the first distribution of RESTORE Act Direct Component funds. Guiding Principles: The BOCC developed Guiding Principles for Direct Component funded projects. The BOCC intended that the Committee consider the Guiding Principles as threshold eligibility criteria for project proposals. The Guiding Principles are: Project must meet the eligible uses and funding conditions in the Act, and any Treasury requirements; Projects provide positive direct environmental and/or economic benefit to Monroe County, Projects are consistent with local government comprehensive plans and community priorities, Projects incorporate other funding partners to fully leverage RESTORE funds; No project can encumber all of the available funds in the local pot, Evaluation Criteria: The Local Advisory Committee, with guidance from the BOCC, developed the following set of Evaluation Criteria: 1. Feasibili-V (Fixsxci2l, teckxic2l, ?i!xdx-istr?tive)/PrtAAiIiV if Success (Are tkem-wAst-Wes? Cai% tKey ke reasimakly rvercirne? lies it require permits? Will it be able to qualify for necessary permits?) 2. Readiness to Implement/Timeframe for Completion (Is it already permitted? How long before implementation? How long to complete?) 3. Benefits are Direct and Measurable (Are the benefits clear, measurable? Are they Economic? Environmental? Both?) 4. Benefits are Keys -wide (Do the benefits accrue Keys -wide or are they localized?) 5. Cost-effective/Return on Investment (is it worth it? What is the fund i ng/leverage ratio?) 6. Public Support (Can the project demonstrate support from the public? Is it part of an already approved Comprehensive plan? State :plan? Federal plan?) 7. Clear Ability to Demonstrate, Monitor and Report on both Results and Expenditure of Funds (Requirements for project compliance with monitoring, reporting, compliance, outcomes will be very rigorous, will the project/applicant be able to meet/manage these requirements?) .8. AWlicant is Able to Demonstrat Government Grant/Contracts. Project Solicitation Process: The Committee then established a Project Funding Submittal Form (application) and application procedure. The Project Funding Submittal Form was designed to reflect both the Guiding Principles and Evaluation Criteria. Once approved by the BOCC, the Committee solicited and accepted applications for projects in compliance with RESTORE Act eligibility criteria. Monroe County's Project Funding Submittal Form was released on July 19, 2013, with applications due by December 20,2013 ( !�% lip after one deadline Noticeoffundin availabili wasmadevia M 16 OWN, WIM, MY L LAM d 41A 144T Project Evaluation: The Committee evaluated all project submissions during its December I I and 12,2014 meetings, within the course of one and a half days - one full day for presentations and another half day for Committee discussion, scoring, and compiling. The Committee's project evaluation meetings were publicly noticed with announcements on the County's website, announcements at County Commission meetings, email blasts, and notices in local newspapers. The meeting materials— agenda, presentation schedule, and Committee mem kilrps. ajJj14jQi&V M�L �&� W11, ics mo W" lig6 presentations enabled proposers to discuss projects with the Committee and provided an opportunity to Committee members to ask follow-up questions on the written submissions. After hearing all presentations, the Committee members finalized their Individual scores. k-A 174 111 ON4 WRI IN I I MI I Td®rday"M ALCUFA!Ing to tnt euperitarit AeauwonACr of J,*.55, no persons are required to respond to a collection ol information unless it displays a vulidOMS control frumber. The valid OMB control numberfar this information collection Is 1505-0250. CommentsInstructions, search existing data resouNjU,.Catherinr and Department s 00Washington,02t' ............ Permit Review and Updattn& natural resourcas� ecosystems, Nursery Maintenance, Site fisheries, marine and YWI a IMonroeCountV) Isee Selection, Outplantin& habitats, beaches, and coastal anwh&.1 map In WWI'= - en IxA-1 of MYIP Restoration and protection ofthe natural resources, ecosIrstems, fisheries, maAne and wildlIfe OfmonFoecounty( habitats, beaches, and coastal attached map in endfixk2crfivi IP Islarnorada, Village of Islands IncludIna P12M,!Vir, Key, WIR&—j �PZM I Key, Upper Matecumbe natural ramrces, ecosystems, key and Lowr fisheries, marine and Wldhfe Matecumbe Key (see habitats, beaches, and coastal attached map In —At P A-3ofMVIP) I. GENERAL BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION...................................................................................1 II. THREE ACTIVITIES IN THE MULTI -YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN......................................................2 III. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND PROJECT PRIORITIZATION....................................................................2 A. Advisory Committee.....................................................................................................................2 B. Public Information Sharing....................................................................................................................3 C. Guiding Principles for Project Selection.......................................................................................4 D. Project Evaluation Criteria...........................................................................................................4 E. Project Application and Solicitation............................................................................................5 F. Project Evaluation, Ranking and Award Process.........................................................................5 G. All Public Activity (BOCC and Local Advisory Committee Meetings and Actions)....................6 H. MYIP Availability for Public Review and Comment....................................................................7 IV. BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE.....................................................................................................................9 V. MEASURES OF MILESTONES AND SUCCESS.......................................................................................13 VI. OVERALL MYIP BUDGET AND JUSTIFICATION...................................................................................14 VII. APPENDICES........................................................................................................................................15 Appendix A-1: Project Information Sheet.......................................................................................16 Appendix A-2: Project Information Sheet.............................................................................................. 20 Appendix A-3: Project Information Sheet.......................................................................................25 Appendix B: Map of Location of All Projects......................................................................................... 30 Appendix C: Documentation of Formal Adoption of MYIP................................................................ 31 Appendix D: Noticing/Posting of MYIP for Public Review and Public Comments .......................... 32 Appendix E: General Press Coverage of local RESTORE Act Activities and Letters to Editor........ 33 REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................34 ENDNOTES...................................................................................................................................................35 Prior to receiving Direct Component funds, Treasury requires submission of an Operational Self - Assessment ("OSA") as part of its compliance process. The County submitted its OSA to Treasury in October 2014; and an updated OSA in July 2015. This MYIP has been created pursuant to the Act and Treasury's IFR. The scope of this MYIP tracks the funds available to Monroe County and consists of three (3) projects as ranked by Monroe County's RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee ("Committee") and approved by the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners ("BOCC"). This MYIP also includes administrative and planning assistance costs to comply with the Act, Guidance and regulations. Treasury will review Monroe County's MYIP for completeness and conformity with the Act and Treasury regulations. Treasury may request additional information after its review and, pending approval, will notify the County (in writing) that it may begin submitting grant applications for the three (3) projects and activities consistent with this MYIP. 11. THREE ACTIVITIES IN THE MULTI -YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN After a thorough public review and selection process, the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners ("BOCC") formally approved Direct Component funding for the three (3) projects included in this MYIP, as follows: PROJECTS SELECTED FOR FUNDING conductedMonroe County .. processprojects Componentultimately selected for award from its Direct the various elements of the - . . ensure public participation, a local advisory committee, The Monroe County RESTORE Advisory Committee, was created by the .e County BOCCon c Committee was and remains tasked with making recommendations to the BOCC for projects that adoption of Resolution 094-20136 (and later Resolution 129-2013 for clarifications)7 . The are in the best interest of the County that will be funded through the Direct Component of the RESTORE Act. The BOCC gave careful consideration to the Committee's membership to ensure broad stakeholder representation, requiring that the eleven (11) members represent each of the Monroe County Commission districts and each of the municipalities within Monroe County. The BOCC empowered the Committee to: Gain an understanding of the RESTORE project authorization and funds distribution process; Develop specific project evaluation criteria for the ranking of projects based on direction and Guiding Principles from the BOCC; Solicit projects for evaluation; Score and rank submitted projects; and make recommendations to the BOCC for projects to be awarded with funding from the first distribution of RESTORE Act Direct Component funds. To date, the Committee has held seven (7) meetings that were all publicly noticed: May 16, 2013; June 12, 2013; June 28, 2013; November 8, 2013; September 26, 2014; December 11, 2014; December 12, 2014. B. Public Notice and Information Sharine To ensure broad public notice and information sharing, the County developed an informationa' webpage dedicated to the RESTORE Act, on its official website: www.monroecounty-fl.gov. The RESTORE Act page on the County website was developed on February 5, 2013, and has beer actively maintained and updated continually since. From the start and throughout the entire process, the Committee's by-laws, membership, meetin_!� dates, and meeting agendas and minutes were (and remain) posted on the County's website. 8 T e Iave contains information related to the various "nots" of fundin d 'I I - W"11101111 - 0 _. 0. W i 0. 9.;g 4 4111 1 1111 qq:4ZAI I 0 submissions, project scores and rankings, Treasury rules and information, BOCC actions, informational links, contact information, etc. In addition to the County's RESTORE webpage, this information was regularly discussed at BOCC meetings, which are public and televised. Notifications of Committee meetings were advertised in local newspapers and announced on the County's website. Availability of Direct Component funding and deadlines were also advertised in local papers and announced on the County's website. M-M= In May 2013, the BOCC developed Guiding Principles for Direct Component fund allocations to be used by the Committee in selecting projects to receive Direct Component funds. The BOCC intended that the Committee consider the Guiding Principles as threshold eligibility criteria for project proposals. The Committee with guidance from the BOCC developed a set of Evaluation Criteria with a point system to be used for the project evaluation process. The Evaluation Criteria included: 1. Feasibility (Financial, technical, administrative)/Probability of Success (Are there obstacles? Can they be reasonably overcome? Does it require permits? Will it be able to qualify for necessary permits?) 2. Readiness to Implement/Timeframe for Completion (is it designed/already permitted? How long before implementation? How long to complete?) 3. Benefits are Direct and Measurable (Are the benefits clear, measurable? Are they Economical? Environmental? Both?) 4 4. Benefits - ■ D■ the r ■- or are they localized?) S. • on • e 6. Public SupQort■ demonstrate supportfrom • • part of ■ approved plan,• ■ ■ rlan? Federal ■ 7. Demonstrated AbilitylExperience/Expertise Related to Project: Ability to Manage Projec) Type/Size, Government Grant/Contracts, monitor and report on both results and expenditure offunds. Application Sections and Point Allocations: ✓ Project Description (Need, Feasibility, Probability of Success): 20 points' ✓ Project Budget (Match, Financial Feasibility, Cost-effectiveness): 15 points ✓ Technical Feasibility: 5 paints ✓ Readiness for Implementation (Permitting, Obstacles): 10 points ✓ Completion Timetable: 10 points ✓ Environmental Benefits (Clear, measurable); 10 points / Economic Benefits (Clear, measurable): 10 points ✓ Community Resilience: 5 points ✓ Complements ExistingEffort and Plans/Public Support. 5 points Compliance with Federal, State and Local Regulations: No points (required r Project Management Capacity: 10 points E. Proiect Application and Solicitation for all projects) The Committee then established a Project Funding Submittal Form (application) and application procedure. The Project Funding Submittal Form was designed to reflect both the Guiding Principles and Evaluation Criteria. Once approved by the BOCC, the Committee solicited and accepted applications for projects in compliance with RESTORE Act eligibility criteria. Monroe County's Project Funding Submittal Form was released on July 19, 2013, with applications due by December 20, 2013 (after one deadline extension). Forty-six (46) applications were received in response. All project submissions were posted, in their entirety, on the County's website. The County also made numerous public announcements that project submissions were posted for public review. F. Pro ect Evaluation, Rankine and Award Process The Committee evaluated, scored and ranked all project submissions during its December 11 and 12, 2014 meetings, over the course of one and a half days — one full day for presentations and another half day for Committee discussion, scoring, and compiling. The Committee's project evaluation meetings were publicly noticed with announcements on the County's website, announcements at County Commission meetings, email blasts, and notices in local newspapers. The meeting materials-- agenda, presentation schedule, and Committee members' scores and rankings, and video - recording of the meeting were (and remain) posted on the County's 5 RAWA,RFN'8nskE,bCrAdrVNDRYetAsts U.: bunw Cmay wM ardw N- Ad mltm find imt r .. gun a �y §s wo , mil mwa om Dmmba 11. 344 at 9AM wd muka I 2.W14sYAMmkMamhmQWVnMXWCCWa ihhrAlwa ua mww, ca sy C=mmkwFxtk mcaf9rcwnm & mxa *w emm La Teurpm, UV%Unc Affan ar j;.ls•R smawn sma.Kq .& 2-21n. nww " "_ 444: 1=q ■iwFaA Ut al"— aA mo ,� a ,a i' .Bed P.9.1 r�ae�■_Po'9.-3.06:,. n+ aavt5bf �Lu..vm ��, ,� ems. .ter �,-�• The County's MYIP was posted for public review and comment for a total of 53 days. Consistent with the broad public input process facilitated by the County to date on all things RESTORE Act, and to specifically satisfy the requirement to ensure meaningful public comment on the MYIP, the County conducted the following activities: • July 8, 2015: Monroe County's draft MYIP was publicly noticed and posted on the County's website. The County maintains a dedicated web page for Its RESTORE Act program and activities. The MYIP was posted in Its entirety on the County's RESTORE Act page, along with a link to a dedicated email address to use for comments. Additionally, notification of the Plan's availability for public review and comment, Including a direct link to the Plan, was placed prominently on the County's main homepage. The draft YIP remained posted an the County's website through August `h, for a total of 53 days. (Various screen shots of the County's website illustrating the MYIP posting are included In Appendix ). July 8, 015: Broad notification of the YIP's availability for review and comment was made to public via email blast, press release on to all media outlets In Monroe County, and public notices placed with each of the community's three local newspapers. (A copy of the press release and copies of the public notices are Included In Appendix ). • July 10, 2015: For additional public notice, the draft MYIP was placed on the published revised agenda for the July 2015 meeting of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners. • July 15, 2015: At the July 15 BOCC meetIn announcement and public notice was given that the Monroe County MYIP was available for public review and comment on the Monroe County website, and included the website address and an email address for comments. • August 30, 2015: During the 5-day period, Monroe County received 26 public comments, all in support of projects in plan. • September 16, 2015: After the required public review and comment period, the final MYIP was then again presented to the BOCC at its regularly scheduled, publicly noticed and televised monthly meeting InSeptember; the BOCC approved a resolution formally adopting the final MYIP. (This resolution Is included in Appendix C.) A complete list of RESTORE Act program. -related activities, public meetings, discussions, Committee meetings, and formal BOCC actions is provided below. All activities were broadly noticed to the public via emails, meeting and funding availability notices in local print newspapers, postings on the County website, press release and ample media coverage (examples of these are included in Appendix E). 141111 ■ "' , 1 ■ a ',, ' . - • , r _ ? • :.. . - a • '. 1 1 ! � • • _• , , • ! "1 _ October 17, 2014: BOCC presentation and discussion on RESTORE Act and Final Treasury Rule Including discussion of county's requirement to develop a MYIP, gravity of federal grant requirements and grant management costs and risks to County related to ■ ■ BOCC direction to sUff to ■raft MYlP In-house with outside technical support. September 114: Committee Meeting with upd.te on the Final Treasury Rule, federalrequirements,1or of capacity.project management February 2014: BOCC ratified submission (in December 2013) of an additional County request to Local Pot application process for a rproject. January 16,2014: BOCC approved Commissioner Neugent's nomination of appointment to Gulf Consortium Executive Committee. December /13: All new/additional new/additionalproject a■r ■n submissions postedtoCounty's • December 20, 2013: Extended closing date for Local Pot application cycle (extension was publicly noticed In local papers, on County's website and via press release). • November 20, 2013: BOCC approved recommendation of the Committee to extend the deadline for submitting project proposals for the RESTORE Act Local Pot funding until December 20, 2013. • November 20, 2013., BOCC ratified County's comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Department of Treasury, concerning the RESTORE Act program, which were submitted to U.S. Treasury on November 5, 2013. • November 8, 2013: Committee Meeting Included discussion and approval of re -opening cycle and extensio9n through December 20,2013. Also heard presentation on U.S. Treasury regulations regarding RESTORE Act funding. September 6, 2023: All project submittal applications posted on the County's website and public notified of the posting via email, announcements, and media. August30, 2013: Original closing date for Local Potfunding application cycle. ................ . . .......................... . . * July 18, 2013: Opening date for Local Pot funding application cycle (opening was publicly noticed in local newspapers, on County's website, and via a press release; opening was also covered by media). * July 17, 2013: BOCC approved Committee recommendations for the Local Pot funding application process including a Project Funding Submittal Form (project evaluation criteria and points), submission process, and application opening and closing dates for RESTORE Act Local Pot funding. * June 28, 2013., Committee Meeting to discussed draft project submittal form, application of points to reflect Evaluation Criteria, ranking list of allowable uses, and development of application process timetable. a June 12, 2013: Committee Meeting with update on RESTORE Act, initial discussion of project selection process, the BOCC's Guiding Principles and Evaluation Criteria, and direction to staff to develop draft application. * May 16, 2013: First Committee Meeting with Introductions, overview of RESTORE Act, overview of Local Pot and role of Committee In devising a process for selecting projects for award, and election of officers. . ..... . . ......................... . . ....... . - ------------- — --------- May 15, 2013: BOCC discussed and determined Guiding Principles and Evaluation Criteria for project award process for Local Pot funding for the Committee. BOCC directed Committee to review/consider these criteria and bring back recommended Evaluation Criteria to Board. (Committee reflected this In project application questions/point system.) April 17, 2013: BOCC approved clarifications to voting requirements for Committee members, adopted Resolution 129-201i-----T amending Resolution 094-2013 to prohibit all Committee members, Including government agency members, from voting on projects that benefit their agencies. March 20, 2013: BOCC approved Its six (6) appointees to the Committee; the five (5) municipalities also appointed their representatives to the Committee. BOCC ratifled two (2) project submissions for Federal Council funding. ------ — - ----------- — - ----- — - — -------- — — - - --------- - - . ............... ■ :.. 20, 2013: BOCC approved creation of the Committee, adapting Resolution 094-2013 creating the Committee and Its purpose, membership, and responsibilities. - --- ------ . . . . . . .... . ................................................................................ - - ---- --J January 16, 2013: BOCC approved Committee membership model consisting of appointments by each municipality and six (6) BOCC appointments (one (1) by each Commissioner and an additional appointment by Commissioner also serving as the Director to Gulf Consortium). December 11, 2012: BOCC held a Special Meeting to discuss RESTORE Act, creation and membership makeup of a local RESTORE Act committee and an application process. BOCC adopted Resolution 364-2012 supporting candidacy of Commissioner Neugents nomination of appointment to the RESTORE Act Gulf Consortium Executive Committee. . .................. . ................. September 21, 2012: BOCC adopted Resolution 25OA-2012 appointing Mayor Neugent: to serve as representative, and Commissioner Rice as the alternate representative, to the RESTORE Act Gulf Consortium. BOCC approves Monroe County's joining of the Gulf Consortium, adopting Resolution 246-2012 approving an Inter -local agreement to join the RESTORE Act Gulf Consortium. B. Coral Reef Restoration Prolect A healthy, vibrant reef is critical to the continuation of the ecosystem. The MYIP's Coral Reef Restoration Project's goal is to help re -build a threatened, fragile reef. ammyounwarym cura, reeT a - .uantifiecl decline of stony coral cover and species diversity within the Sanctuary. From 1996 to 2011* ICREMP recorded a 47% decline in stony coral." Coral reef areas provide critical nursery and feeding habitat for an abundance of ecologically a 22 economically valuable sea life. Coral reefs buffer adjacent shorelines from wave action and preve erosion, property damage and loss of life. Reefs also protect the highly productive wetlands along t coast. I The Coral Reef Restoration project will grow staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) in undersea nurseries located throughout the Keys and star corals (a type of boulder coral) in land -based nurseries on Surnmerland Key. The coral will then be planted on reefs where they will kick start reproduction and reef recovery for the future. The approach entails taking small fragments of live tissue from healthy coral colonies of known genetic stock, growing them out in nurseries overtime to create multiple colonies of each genetic type, and then outplanting genetically distinct individuals in proximity to one another so they spawn and help reseed surrounding reefs. Staghorn coral and boulder corals from the genus Montastrea (star corals) were chosen as they are very important to the reef system. Staghorn coral was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2006, and several species of boulder coral, including star coral, were added in 2024. IT$] This project has been through an extensive "feasibility study" period beginning in 2004. NOAA funded scientists with The Nature Conservancy and partner organizations including Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Coral Restoration Foundation to begin growing staghorn corals at eight (8) underwater nurseries located in the South Florida reef track through the Keys. Over developing... developmentboulder corals. The most recent 'micrs s be used to reskin dead coral heads. past ten 10 ears, this program has scaled u from one 1L S taring Newly Outplanted p ( ) y p g p () taghorn Coral �s propose project as demonstrated success. Over the scientist Mea nursery with a few hundred corals to forty-six (46) individual restoration sites, with the nurseries housing over 30,000 corals, many of which are large enough to be split into multiple outplant-sized colonies. Mote is now able to create upwards of 10,000 microfragments each year. Additionally, an over 70% survivorship rate has been achieved at all sites, with many sites showing much higher survival rates. The propagation of Acroporo cervicornis via a coral gardening approach implemented within in -water nurseries using low- cost materials can provide an effective method to expand declining stocks of the threatened staghorn coral in Florida and elsewhere in the region, according to the University of Miami's Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.23 The expertise and knowledge gained to ..- has be formalized into a "Practitioner's Guide to Acropoll Restoration" 'Johnson - . guidelines for the activities to be - of t expansion project. i The coral reef is, in turn, directly linked to nearshore water quality. The goal of the two (2) MYIP Canal Water Restoration projects is to improve the poor quality of canal waters that are discharged into the nearshore waters of the Sanctuary and threaten the reef and ecosystem. The County's canal waters have been found to be high in nutrients and low in dissolved oxygen ("DO"). A healthy coral reef and marine ecosystem requires clear water that is low in nutrients and high in DO.24 Since the canals discharge their poor quality waters directly into nearshore Federally -designated Sanctuary waters and State -designated Outstanding Florida Waters, addressing on -going canal water quality impairment is of utmost importance. The Sanctuary's WQPP's Action Plans which identifies priorities and corrective actions to restore healthy water quality in Sanctuary waters, specifically identifies the need to implement technologies designed to improve canal water quality (Strategy W.10, Activities 1-7), and states "the sources of the 11 loadings in canals and nearshore waters are known, and these problems should be addressed as soon as possible using best available technology." As part of the 2003 Monroe County Residential Canal Inventory and Assessment, water quality conditions in canals were evaluated and found to be significantly poorer than the baseline reference for total nitrogen and total phosphorus for all canal types. - I - TALLOVIUAW the Keys' residential canals, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) developed the Florida Keys Reasonable Assurance Document (FKRAD) for the purpose of addressing the impaired waters in the canals. In a 2011 FKRAD update, DEP stated that canals will likely not achieve the State's Class III Marine Surface Water DO standards, required for waters that discharge into nearshore Outstanding Florida �tk6 DO concentrations. The Sanctuary's Water Quality Protection Program's most recent Biennial Report to Congress in 20 states: i oi- cunui resrorm oriority future activit Planning has been ated to develop a Canal Management Master Plan (CMMP) that 0 1 It 0 0 0 0 0 4r Once completed, funding for a pilot canal restoro i `1 project will be sought to demonstrate methods to impro canal water quality by remedying canal depth, geomet seagrass wrack, andflushing characteristics. ,26 The CMMP 27 was subsequently completed, prioritizing the Good Water Quality Canal need for water quality improvement, and identifying I appropriate restoration options for each canal. A Phase I CMMP completed in June 2012 initiated the canal restoration process. The final CMMP was finished in August 2013. The CMMP's development and on -going implementation is charged to members of the WQPP Steering Committee and its Canal Restoration Advisory Subcommittee, which include the following partners: • US EPA • US National Park Service • US Fish and Wildlife Service • US Army Corps of Engineers • NOAA • Florida Department of Environmental Protection • South Florida Water Management District • Monroe County • Every municipality in Monroe County (Key West, Marathon, Key Colony Beach, Layton and Islamorada) IN ir;.Tol]rZoTilMoITtrorLTel3riil4i7.=- @ffF Mi. WITU-371F.777IMMUTM a a will be applied: 1. Installation of weed barriers/air bubble curtains to minimize additional organic accumulation in the canals; 2. Removal of accumulated organics from canal bottoms; 3. Culvert installation to facilitate flushing and enhance natural tidal flow; and t. Pumping systems to enhance circulation; and 5. Backfilling of too -deep canals to achieve a depth that enables natural tidal flow/flushing. course of project implementation. General measures of milestones and success include the following- FTMTMMTRMM?MF• / /- Projects further the goals and objectives of the Sanctuary's Water Quality Protection Program and its federal and state regulatory requirements and mandates. The Coral Restoration Project will result in additional coral plantings/nurseries, strengthening and restoring the fragile reef system; improving habitat for important reef fish species; and preserving a marine -based local economy. The Canal Water Quality Improvement Projects will result in reduced nutrient and pollutant loading to the nearshore waters, improving water quality in the Sanctuary.- protecting the Sanctuary's fragile marine ecosystem; and preserving a marine -based local economy. ro%5r,r-T*VF_-TMrXM MM Rq VI. OVERALL MYIP BUDGET AND JUSTIFICATION The project budget includes the three (3) projects at the funding levels approved by the BOCC. ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region. (Ill) Implementation of a federally approved marine/coastal management plan, including fisheries monitoring. (IV) Workforce development and job creation. (VI) Infrastructure projects benefitting economy or ecological The County is authorized to utilize up to 3% of the award amount for administrative costs. To date, the County has spent approximately $100,000 for its RESTORE Act efforts but has chosen to not seek reinbursen,eTt for costs to date. M 'I'll. APPEtIDICES 0 Appendix A: Project Information Sheets for three (3) Activities w -T, 1 .7 =I- I I] 1110I @M Me I I - 0 1 1� 11111, ITT 17• 113111111 IIIIgZME= ■ 11 111111� � T -Irx4T-T:l V-7f, M, M Appendix A-1: Project Information Sheet 1) PROJECT TITLE: CORAL REEF RESTORATION SUMMARY Coral reefs in the Keys have been in declining health since the 1970s due to coral bleaching, disea outbreaks, hurricanes, cold snaps, acute damage such as ship groundings, and nearshore water quali issues. Reefs are vital habitat for rare species as well as commercially and recreationally important fi and invertebrates. They buffer our islands from the impacts of storms and attract divers and snorkele from around the world. Prior to coral reef decline, many reefs were dominated by two (2) types of ha corals: staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) and several massive boulder corals of the gen Montastrecr. This project focuses on ramping up restoration etforts for these important corals. Staghorn coral will be grown in undersea nurseries located throughout the Keys, while boulder star corals are produced in land -based facilities. These corals will then be planted on reefs where they will create habitat for marine life, improve the aesthetics of degraded reefs and most importantly, kick start coral reproduction and reef recovery for the future. scientific to Al$ incre se I efficiency of future restoration activities. An additional 10,000 small boulder corals will repair 1,0 dead coral heads using an innovative 'reskinning' technology. Staghorn and star coral restoration effo will be designed to encourage the restored corals to reproduce on their own and reseed both restor and adjacent reefs. I The Florida Keys Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (CREMP), started in 1995, has recorded a decline in both species richness and coral cover, and no significant recruitment of juvenile corals since 1996 (Ruzicka et al., 2010). Populations of elkhorn and staghorn coral underwent a region -wide decline starting in the 1980s, with losses of up to 97% in some areas, due mainly to increased prevalence of bleaching and disease. These two (2) species were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2006. A more recent decline in the massive star corals has also led to a decline in live coral cover in the Florida Keys (Ruzicka, 2010). As a result, the boulder star coral (Montastrea annuldris), mountainous star coral (Montastreafaveolata), and star coral (Montastreafranksi) were added to the ESA threatened species list in 2014. The loss of reproductively active coral colonies, increased distance between these ] colonies and lo nd 'o it is unlikely that corals in the Florida Keys will repopulate the reefs naturally. This contributes. and threat abatement may not be enough to stop the decline of reefs and active restoration of co populations is a proven and cost-effective way to reestablish live corals to reefs. The first staghorn nursery was established in 2004 as part of a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) and funded by the TNC-NOAA Community -Based Restoration Program (CRP). In 2006, under the same funding source, the concept was replicated in Broward County, Biscayne National Park, and the Lower Keys. Each nursery and outplanting operation it W=TfdM77 Laboratory. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act scaled the project up from proof -of -concept to production level. New nurseries were established in the Middle Keys (managed by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute's Florida Keys Lab), Dry Tortugas National Park (managed by The Nature Conservancy's Florida Keys office) and St. Thomas and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands (managed by The Nature Conservancy's U.S. Virgin Island's office). The project is currently being supported by another TNC-NOAA CRP grant. Over 15,000 corals have been outplanted to reefs throughout Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with average survival rates within the first six (6) months after outplanting of over 75%. Over the past six (6) years, Mote Marine Lab scientists have been developing techniques for propagating and outplanting boulder corals. Outplanting in 2010 and 2011 of large boulder coral fragments showed close to 90% survivorship after three (3) years. The most recent development, which has been honed over the past four (4) years, is to create 'microfragments' to be used to reskin dead coral heads. A proof of concept outplanting was performed in May 2013. A total of 192 microfragments were outplanted at two reefs. Within one (1) month, many of the corals had already begun sheeting over the nearby available substrate. After eight (8) months, survivorship remained above 75%. - C91IT-1 " The project, coral restoration outplantings, will occur in various locations on the reef track along the Florida Keys. The map below indicates sites for restoration outplantings. M PROJECT OBJECTIVES • Increase live coral cover at outplanting sites • Increase the chances of successful sexual reproduction, thereby helping to reseed Keys reefs • improve habitat for important reef fish species • Provide important tourism benefits by helping to combat the decline of Monroe County reef--- ' a d 0 14 400111:16:1.121:14i 4 9 11 &IF-11 of DIR *i to] 111*11 a a 1114f-11 .114 k WW Reefs in the Keys have been in decline for decades. Despite efforts to protect the reefs and decrease existing threats, no significant improvements in live coral cover or health have been observed. Active restoration is a proven technique to help jump-start recovery of the reefs. The primary purpose of this project is to restore degraded reefs in Monroe County through t outplanting of nursery -reared corals. Within a few years, the outplanted corals will begin to spawn a contribute to the reseeding of surrounding reefs. I Reefs provide essential habitat to commercially and recreationally important fish and invertebra species as well as thousands of other species. They also are frequented by larger marine predators su as sharks, sea turtles and dolphins. Because of their high diversity and abundance of marine life, as w r u a as their beauty, reefs attract people for fishing, snorkeling and diving. More than 33,000 jobs in t Keys are supported by ocean recreation and tourism, accounting for more than half of the loc than on our shoreline. Without active restoration efforts Florida Keys reefs are likely to continue to lo live coral cover, and reefs without live coral eventually erode away. The benefits that our reefs a] currently providing will be degraded if actions are not taken now to reverse this downward trend. RESTORE objectives to be addressed by this project include environmental improvements and tourism 'promotion. Environmental: Increased live coral cover, restoration of important habitat for fish, invertebrates, sea turtles; long-term impacts as outplanted corals contribute to reproductive potential of the species EM [ U W-11 LI Eel ff-,T4I II fork FLU 11111n, 11 qI Outplanted corals will be assessed within six (6) months of outplanting for survivorship. Some minor maintenance may be performed after outplanting to ensure success of the corals. This may include removal of Tredator�-, snails and worms, reattachment of corals or brokAn the surrounding substrate to prevent algal overgrowth. Ifrk►1 -011 lAkIrCI 111111illil !!I : !!� ill;1111111;1� �ll!l RESTORE Funding: $550,000 The Nature Conservancy and 00,000 Total: $750,000 Mffm= Appendix A-2: PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET PROJECT TITLE: CANAL WATER RESTORATION (UNINCORPORATED MONROE COUNTY) SyA1,11,114SY 1. Installation of weed barriers/air bubble curtains to minimize additional organic accumulation in the canals; 2. Removal of accumulated organics from canal bottoms; 3. Culvert installation to facilitate flushing and enhance tidal flow; and 4. Pumping systems to enhance circulation. ME The following table outlines the number of Poor Water Quality canals in unincorporated Monroe Coun R- and the recommended technologies as outlined in the CIVIMP. The technologies selected have be shown to be effective at other locations for improving these identified water quality issues. A mo 11 fetailed description of the restoration techniques can be found in the CMMP. CMMP ESTIMATED NUMBER OF CANAL RESTORATIONS BY SELECTED TECHNOLOGY Technology Weed Barriers Organics Removal Pumping Culverts Air Curtains in combination with Weed Barriers and Air Curtains No. of Poor 1 31 47 10 19 Water Canals Monroe County will utilize RESTORE Act funds to construct and implement Federal and State -mandated canal restoration projects in the Florida Keys, as specified in the Monroe County CMMP. The County has already initiated a $5 million demonstration program that is implementing various canal restoration technologies and evaluating the permitting issues, costs and water quality effectiveness to assist in future restorations. MOX-lytF57,11 The Poor Water Quality canals identified for restoration in the unincorporated portions of Monroe County are located throughout the Florida Keys. The CMMP contains the specific information concerning the canal locations and the water quality rankings. The map below also indicates the 107 poor water 91 PROJECT OBJECTIVES a 0 - • Improve the overall canal water quality conditions in the canals and thereby reduce the nutrient and pollutant loading to nearshore waters caused by excessive amounts of weed wrack (floating seaweed) that enter canals, stagnant water caused by non -circulating water, and decay of nutrient rich sediments. • Eliminate the DEP-identified impairments for dissolved oxygen in the selected canals. • Improve the benthic habitat and native flora and fauna in the canals. • Protect the habitat and marine environment of our near shore waters and National Marine Sanctuary. • Protect the local economy that is dependent on a healthy and robust marine environment. • Support of the goals and objectives of the Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program and comply with relevant federal and state regulatory requirements and mandates. PROJECT NEED, PURPOSE, BENEFITS AND RESTORE APPLICABLITY NEED Many of the canals throughout Monroe County are listed as having impaired waters by the US EPA a the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection because they exhibit high levels off in coral reefs in the coastal waters. These impaired canal waters discharge directly into t a r oro waters -of te ecosystems and home to the largest living coral reef in the continental United States, the largest s grass bed in the western hemisphere and over 6,000 species-- all of which only thrive in clean, cle waters that are low in nutrients and high in dissolved oxygen levels. Monroe County has identified 107 canals in unincorporated Monroe County with "Poor Water Quality! The 107 canals considered "Poor Water Quality" were ranked based on criteria outlined in the CMMP. 0 Monroe County will construct and implement restoration projects that will improve the environment, • 660"T Q Trq�o% WITr T I- 4A r, I all - - I SIMI PURPOSE The purpose of the canal water restoration projects is to remedy the high nutrient loading and Ir accumulated organicsseaweed loading weed wrackand poor flushing and tidal flow. The Monr unty County -wide Caal Management Master Plan (a plan developed in partnership with EPpoor water quality and determined that each canal exhibits one or more of these contrib factors, and will require the implementation of one or a combination of restoration technologies. BENEFITS Canal restoration projects will improve water quality, aquatic and benthic habits within the cjanalsa also improve water quality in the surrounding nearshore Sanctuary waters, benefitting the fragile a unique marine ecosystem of the Sanctuary. Water quality is also directly related to all aspects of o lnr_aL&gcii.-rf)nv. Win-irre tsunnn-es a arge tourisn !;TI fliit ir __,otP_hnft_ii T, on the Sanctuary and good water quality. The restoration of our canal systems is crucial to ensuring t sustainability of both our environmental and economic resources. Improvements in our water quali canal system and directly deposit it into our near shore waters. RESTORE objectives addressed by this project include environmental improvements, economic development, and community resilience. Environmental: The project area --Monroe County ("The Florida Keys") —is surrounded by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The coral reef tract in the Florida Keys is the third largest barrier reef in the world, and the only living barrier reef in the continental US. Water quality is of utmost importance to the Florida Keys' ecosystem, Its protection and restoration is set in both federal and state law. The coral reef, as well as seagrass bed health, is directly linked to near shore marine water quality. Corals and seagrasses thrive in areas where water is clear (low turbidity), low in •'vff linked to extensive die -off in coral reefs in the coastal waters, Keys Water Quality Improvements Act and the Florida Keys Water Quality Improvements Program, and in compliance with relevant federal and state regulatory requirements and mandates. &X-tW_X0z1r shore waters which provide critical nursery habitat for finfish and shellfish stocks including snapper, grouper, pink shrimp, and spiny lobster. Recreationally targeted species such as bonefish, permit, and tarpon will also benefit. The project will help federally listed species including sea turtles, smalltooth sawfish, staghorn coral, and other protected species including manatee, brown pelican and many other bird species. by the University of Miami, the reef environment generates more than 70,000 jobs and $f billion dollars in economic activity annually. 35 Community Resilience: Restoration of canal water will lead to a healthier reef system, greater protection of natural resources, and a stronger economy all of which contribute to the community resilience of the Florida Keys. The reef contributes to resilience by serving as natural during storms. Improved water quality also ensures a healthy natural environment, which in turn, ensures a healthy economy. Economic vibrancy is integral to community resilience. FA PLAN OF ACTION AND MILESTONES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT Proposed Date Consultant Notice to Proceed Final Design - - - --- -------- - -------------------------------- - - -------------------- - - - - __-- - - - - ------- - - Permitting Proposal Advertisement and Award Contractor Notice to Proceed Start Construction Complete Construction As -Built Survey Final Report Project Close Out and Contract Termination PROJECT SUCCESS CRITERIA The primary goal of this restoration project is water quality improvement of the selected canals and the adjacent near shore waters. Project success will be measured over time by scientific analysis of water quality samples primarily of dissolved oxygen and turbidity, but may also include salinity, pH, nutrients and other factors. FUNDING Funding for this project will be provided as follows: RESTORE Funding $450,000 To date the County has matched/expended approximately $4 million for canal restoration projects and is anticipated to expend an additional $1 million by December 31, 2015. 24 Appendix A-3. PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET �sl;, r, M i �ki if �_�p -, SUMMARY Islamorada, Village of Islands (the "Village") is a small municipality that comprises four islands in the Upper Keys: Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key & Lower Matecumbe Key. As an integral part of the island chain, the Village, along with the other governmental agencies in the region, recognizes the necessity (and the requirements) for water quality improvements. It has long been recognized that water quality in the Florida Keys has been deteriorating, particularly as it is relates to our canal systems. Today most of our canals are listed as "impaired water bodies" by the EPA and are in need of restoration. In 1999 the Florida Watershed Restoration Act (Section 403.067 F.S.) was established to implement Florida's water body restoration program and thereby set forth a requirement for a Total Maximum Daily Loads (TDML's) to be established for all impaired water bodies. The Village, in cooperation with local governments, state agencies, and federal agencies within t Florida Keys, pursuant to the DEP Florida Keys Reasonable Assurance Plan (FKRAD), agreed to accelera and implement projects that were already planned in order to work towards a water quality stancla that will help restore water quality. I Specifically, the FKRAD addresses the need to return our near shore water quality to "targets" set for total nitrogen, total phosphorous, and in some impaired systems, dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen W&tu Auality restoration since canals discharge directly into our near shore waters. Along with other local entities, Islamorada, Village of islands has begun canal restoration efforts and continues to be an active member of the Canal Restoration Subcommittee, which is under the Water Quality Protection Program of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. As a member of that Subcommittee, the Village has been involved with the development of the Canal Management Master Plan (CMMP), which is a County -wide assessment of our residential canal systems. The CMMP has identified sixty-two (62) residential canals with the Village of Islamorada, ten (10) which are considered "Poor Water Quality" and are the highest priority for implementing water quail improvements. Based on this assessment, the Village has begun preliminary work on restoring t canals with the poorest water quality first. A more detailed description of the restoration techniqu can be found in the CMMP and the Village of Islamorada Selection of Demonstration Canals for Wat Quality Improvements (SDC) document (Village Resolution 13-11-85). 1 The restoration technologies presently under consideration as identified in the CMMP focus on improving the canal water quality. They include: Removal of accumulated organics from within canals; Weed gates, air curtains or other physical barriers to minimize additional organic accumulation in the canals; • Culvert connections to facilitate flushing; • Pumping systems to facilitate flushing; and • Backfilling to prevent occurrence of deep stagnant zones. W Improve nearshore water quality to reduce threats to the quality of the waters and habitat and marine environment ■ the National Marine Sanctuary. Restore water quality and improve near shore water quality to protect our local tourism economy that is dependent on a healthy and robust marine environment. �Igll Ill ejr&,LA I gin 11:414!r 111olz -re . PV IL PROJECT NEED, PURPOSE, BENEFITS, AND RESTORE APPLICABILITY RM4 Many canals in • are listed as having impaired waters • the US EPA and the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection because they exhibit high levels of nutrients and low levels of dissolved oxygen — conditions that have been directly linked to extensive die -off in coral reefs in the coastal waters. These impaired canal waters discharge directly into the nearshore waters of the Florida Keys •... Marine Sanctuary, one of the world's • unique marine ecosystems and home to the largest living coral reef in the continental United States, the largest sea grass bed in the western hemisphere and over 6,000 species-- all of which only thrive in clean, clear waters that are low in nutrients and high in dissolved oxygen levels. Islamoracla will construct and implement restoration projects that will improve the environmental quality of the waters in its canal system pursuant to the Monroe County Canal Management Master Plan and the goals and objectives of the Sanctuary's Water • Protection Program. Islamorada, Village of Islands, has identified the ten worst water quality residential canals within t municipality's boundary. The 10 canals considered "Poor Water Quality" were ranked based on criter outlined in the CMMP and The Village of Islamoracla Selection of Demonstration Canals for Wat Quality Improvements (SDC) document. Restoring water quality is necessary to ensure the health a I welfare of our natural resources, our economy and our quality of life. Canal restoration is an importa "piece of the puzzle" that will require a long-term effort and commitment from many sources, not i U1 the Village. The purpose of the canal water restoration projects is to remedy the high nutrient loading and low dissolved oxygen impairing the water by .• the most significant causes • • conditions: accumulated organics, seaweed loading ("weed wrack"), and poor flushing and tidal flow. The Monroe County County -wide Canal Management Master Plan (a plan developed in partnership with EPA, NPS, FWS, NOAA, DEP and each of the local governments) has identified 10 canals in Islamorada as having �Stgkv"11 14'�Z"TAkf rt,-z-0-9 x i K-Wv� and will require the implementation of one or a combination of restoration technologies. The 10 canals considered "Poor Water Quality" were ranked based on criteria outlined in the Plan and The Village of Islamorada Selection of Demonstration Canals for Water Quality Improvements (SDC) document. The Village will construct a weed barrier(s) (weed wrack gate) to stop excessive amounts of weed wrack •. seaweed) entering the canals. Canal restoration projects will improve water quality, aquatic and benthic habits within the canals a also improve water quality in the surrounding nearshore Sanctuary waters, benefitting the fragile a ■ marine ecosystem • the Sanctuary. Water quality is also directly related to all aspects of ol M local economy. Islamorada, Village of islands is in the center of Monroe County and supports a la-P- tourism and charter boat fishing industry which are both dependent on the FKNMS and good wat quality. Improvements in the canal water quality will ensure continued dollars from these inclustri �Iri and economic resources. Improvements in our water quality also mitigate negative impacts from sto events as storm events can "remove" the water from within a canal system and directly deposit it in our near shore waters. RESTORE objectives addressed by this project include environmental improvements, econom development, and community resilience. i Environmental: The project area is located in the only state in the continental United States tz have extensive shallow coral reef formations near its coasts. Coral reef, as well as seagrass be.'t health, is directly linked to near shore marine water quality. Both corals and seagrasses; thrive ir areas where water is clear (low turbidity), low in nutrients, and high in dissolved oxygen (DO). High levels of nutrients and low DO have been directly linked to extensive die -off in coral reef� in the coastal waters. Economic Development: The socioeconomic importance of the reef to Monroe County was documented in a 2007-2008 socioeconomic study performed by the FKNMS which concluded that more than 33,000 jobs and $2.3 billion dollars in annual added revenue are directly attributed to Florida Reef Tract (Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries, 2013). Islamorada is industry which are dependent on the FKNMS and good water quality. Tourism relies on clean beaches, thriving fisheries and healthy natural resources. The need to restore and sustain our marine environment is critical in maintaining our livelihood. Community Resilience: Restoration of canal water will lead to a healthier reef system, greater protection of natural resources, and a stronger economy all of which contribute to the community resilience of the all of the communities of the Florida Keys. The reef contributes to PLAN OF ACTION AND MILESTONES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT Proposed Date Consultant Notice to Proceed Final Design YJ Flo - Permitting Proposal Advertisement and Award Contractor Notice to Proceed Start Construction Complete Construction VIY4,11. Final•-1• 1 Project Close Out and Contract Termination WE t� PROJECT SUCCESS CRITERIA The primary goal of this restoration project is water quality improvement of the selected canals and the adjacent near shore waters. Project success will be measured over time by scientific analysis of water quality samples primarily of dissolved oxygen and turbidity, but may also include salinity, pH, nutrients and other factors. FUNDING Funding from this project will be provided as follows: RESTORE Funding $ 100,000 Islamorada, Village of Islands has committed $100,000 in its FY 2013-2014 General Fund Budget for a canal restoration project located within the boundaries of the Village. f 29 Appendix Q Documentation of Formal Adoption of MYIP Resolution of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners approving/adopting t Monroe County Multi -Year Implementation Plan. I Appendix D: Demonstration of Noticing of IVIYIP for Public Review and Public Comments T IMIT-T. I Screenshots of Notice of MYIP posting for public review and comment on Monroe County Website • Copy of Press Release • Proof of Notice in Local Newspapers • Public Comments RN Screenshots of Announcement and Posting Of MYIP for Public Review and Comment On the Monroe County Government Website #i , loit MUM` http ll rs r nty- 3 g . aspx?I D= Urk's Behavior In new windaw , Find Page Link Use L nW9 Menu No This e screenshot of the back end of the websiteshowing QWQTa U2200 Draft Choose an Action� t ck i�t �trr�e t _ie re1251MUD Draft Choose an Action � OuMshed News Flashes 1" 1-<aI31MIS Activet tt r� k isia� F 1 9c Active chooie an Amon" _ EgMKkL&U]jIgM GMV2015 Adve Choose. an Action' t ees 1U U Active _ Choose an Action m =0 O&qp.Aw Uv - *' 1-ft how - LM, - f&BIW Ad MwNYawRnp�ffwf&6m Mm Amu Ukk hM MW &awd m*fflwm �*o a to WNKA ft'*Mk. bl, OW $� tk* cmgy nm Co to wfp b FAk ".. R,4 ¢ms�Ml ta. ew es d o ow" r"'m Cnm t W'M-1 m mad 0 14 e. 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W44 v b-q fid W) W* a=. *- t4 140"U' Vmg Dw Saw WO A 0" W al b M "awf WRq"wt.4KA " Mo 9 Lv m-OMMO wd ta*m4 " ft M W, TMVAn M�AVMM Ahw a m" ad, P" WWW9, IMWMdl PM.Mde ft CW* M 9 V� Wp SAVM" FM **Zw,m iv I" No fli w4wa mdW.,Wbft wwm .0 m W'p kMWM"kftmA I =I- MUFi� MM RESTORE Act Mtn lfifi-"ear Implementation Plan Before wee an ac c ess these funds, the RESTORE Act regulations requires 1)'flw Counfir develop a Multi -Year irriplemerpation Plan CMYIP','i before funds can I e distributed to any eligible entity, 2) The County's MYIP must include the following components - The required Matrix a Treasury Depaninent spreadsheet outlining projects, budgets, and dates, - The required Narrative, a Treasury Department Ado W- fillable form, and - Am adclitional Plan Docurnent providing more detailed mform2tion this is riot tecItnically required, but is invitedL) 3) The County must post the MY Ffor pubilic review arid comment for a i-ninimurn of 45 days (The County's MYIP,was posted on July 8, 2915L and will remain posledfor public review and comment through August 31, 2015) The MYILP describes the process the ty used for pro�ect si0ection and awardL arid a description ofthose potects The MYIP tracks the furds currently avaRable to Monroe Counly,arid consists of three projec Is as ranked by Monroe County's RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee and approved by the Morwoe County Board of CowAy Commissioners Coral Restoratiom $650.0M., • Canal Restoration Monroe County, $450,000, and Canal Keston Islarnorada, $100,009 This docurnent is try be considered a Draft MYIP unfit such time that public input is received and inc at and a revised final MY! P is developed and formally adopted by the Monroe Cou* BOCC We hope to bring that to the BOCC for the September agendia. The Final MYI P will then be sent to the Treasury Department which will review 4 for cornpleteness and conformity with the Art and Treasury regulations After its review and, panding approval, Treasury will then notify the County that it m2y begin submitting grant applications forthe three (3) projects ancl activities consistent with this MYtP Searrh All categories Ck Tool's Categories AN CWnwips ro Hcvn,�e IUVM7,I - OMMIMILOVA19 STVAIX "ISCRIESIN w , - fir' -! i Multi -Year Implementation Plan LION L A -r 0 . Contact: As a result of the Deepwater Horizon Od Sp& Monroe County is the recipient Lisa Tennyson partiesof RESTORE Act fim&w fivm civil penalty fines fi-our Lbe respocisible 11te funds :n-ailable to the County at this tune, L,1EJD_ are dwse Em ffie Legislative Affairs and settlement of Tramocean. Grants Acquisition Director describes County and a desenpiaonM171P tracks the fixids cm, �'�.. =1 s rig Counifs RESTORE Act Lkcal Adx-iswy Cotnauttee and apgpmwed by Nftxoe County .o Coral sty tion, $550,000, Canal Restoration Monroe County, S450,0 Canal Restoration Iskunorada, S100.000. regulations,Also pursumit to the a commentpublic review and mumnumo 4 t August 31,2015) f6emally adopted b�- the 1%ube County BOCC We hope to bnW that to thue BOCC r the The FtwINWIP ill then be sew to the Treasury Department for approt-al subant" grazdapplicatims for the three (3) projects a�d activities consistent Once approved, Treasury will then notil�- the County that it may begin Please 9 end year c oamiews t low Historic Gato Buirding 1100 Simonton Street Key test, FL 3300 h= (305) 292-4444 Fx:; 30) 2 2- 5 5 This ""1 1> of theback endof thewebsite showing Page Title Utiv r 1 enlahon Plan Im, � � � x bfj I i wrm- M, HISM, mil M iiil I i ;iWjW1m Monroe County News @mm necrwn!v The mission of Monroe County Is to provide outstanding public service resrxinsive tom needs of our cRizens, our uNque community and our envirionmenlL 9 Monroe county FKorlda P ,Fiolnedray 2009 4,249 ",_18 900 Tweets & replies Photos & videos Monroe County News RESTORE Act Multi -Year Implementatior Plan d1vr.it/BSWfyS Monroe County News AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES it/ B" 7-3 9YVM__ Monroe County News Breastfeeding Support Group divir it/F1S9T('_'jH WN =4- Monroe Coutity Admir�strator's Officiz. 1100 Simonton Street Suite 2-205 Key West, FL 33040 305-292-444 ,j,I 111 111, i Jill 11111111 ii "',10011111711, NO MA 31IIIA ! a I J, omwax��MIII WIN IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Li- UCTICCIV f I IL on the County's website: www.monro- - - ---------- 1tLq As a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Monroe County is the recipient of RESTORE Act funding from civil penalty fines from the responsible parties. The funds available to the County at this time, $1,167,643 are those from the settlement of Transocean. ? Local Advisory Committee and approved by the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners: • Coral Reef Restoration, $550,000; • Canal Water Restoration in Monroe County, S450,000; and • Canal Water Restoration in Islamorada, $100,000. Also �cursuant to the reV9ukttmRmk4__patoLma%L; minimum of 45 days. The County's MYTP is posted on July 8, 2015, and will remain posted through August 31, 2015. This document is to be considered a L a" MYIP until such time that yublic in a revised Final MYIP is developed and formally adopted by the Monroe County BOCC. We hope to bring that to the BOCC for the September agenda. The Final MYlP will then be sent to the Treasury Department for approval. Once approved, Treasury will then notify the County that it may begin submitting grant applications for the three (3) projects and activities consistent with this MYIP. (NOTE: Though there has been recent news of a settlement with BP, that settlement has not yet been flinalized, those funds are not yet available, the County has not yet determined the distribution of that funding, and therefore it is not a part of the MYIP at this time.) C (The Key West Citizen, The Keynoter and The Reporter) MONROE C01t'S MULTI YEAR as2'f►uc\fTATfr7\f nr AM /nVOW%nO A^9M utwif-C. The Monroe C (MYIP) Is now i on the County As a result of 0 County Is, the Pursuantto RE developed the of a 10. 2ma 7M 4by Oir OOSTING,, ounly, Mutt! -Year Implementation Man rvaiiaMe for public review and comment 's websife: www.monroecounty-fl.aov. ie'Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Monroe repiplent of RESTORE Act funding. STORE Act regulations, Monroe County or to STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF MONROE signed authority personally appeared Tommy Todd, who on is Advertising Director of the Key West Citizen, a daily ;hed in Key West, in Monroe County, Florida; that the advertisement, being a legal notice in the matter of said newspaper in the issue(s) of NEWSPAPERS f J The Citizen J Florida Keys Free Press Aunt hither says that the Key West Citizen is a newspaper published in MARKETING SERVICES Key West, in said Monroe County, Florida and that the said newspaper has Commercial Printing heretofore been continuously published in said Monroe County, Florida every Dimcl Mail day, and has been entered as seqc=LcIQss mail matter at the post office in Key FLORIDA KEYS OFFICES West, in said Monroe C ty, Florida, a pe ' of 1 y next preceding Printing 1 Main Facility the first publication a e attached copy of ertisement; an Cant further 3420 Northside Drive Key west, FL says that he has nei er paid nor promised y erson, firm or co oration any 33040-1800 discount, rebate, ommission or re for a purpose of ecuring this Tel 305-292-7777 Fax 305-294-0768 advertisement for ublication in the sai newsp per. citizenr4kevwesuom Internet Division Tel 305-292-1880 Fax 305-294-1699 Signature o Aunt sales@keywest.com Upper Keys Office 91731 Overseas Sworn and subscribed before me this day Jul 2015 Tavernier, FL 33070 70 of Y Y� Tel 305-853-7277 Fax305-853-055fi freepressQflorldakeys.com iP DAWN iCAYVZINSKY Notary Public: NOTARY PUBLIC # a STATE OF FLORIDA y a Comm# EE157233 . YIVC-E 191g Expires 1/412016 Dawn Kawzinsky Expires: 1/4/16 Notary Seal Personally Known x Produced identification Type of Identification Produced 0 L O N 1 B R K BYE omwwxNCITER Published Twice Weekly Marathon, Monroe County, Florida • 10 S w l STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF MONROE Before the undersigned authority personally appeared RICHARD TAMBORRINO who on oath, says that he Is PUBLISHER of the FLORIDA KEYS KEYNOTER, a twice weekly newspaper published in Marathon, in Monroe County, Florida: that the attached copy of advertisement was published In said newspaper in the Issues of: (date(s) of publication) % Affiant further says that the said FLORIDA KEYS KEYNOTER Is a newspaper published at Marathon, in said Monroe County, Florida, and that the said newspaper has heretofore been continuously published In said Monroe County, Florida, twice each week (on Wednesday and Saturday) and has been entered as a second class mail matter at the post office in Marathon, In Monroe County, Florida, for a period of one year next preceding the first publication of the attached copy of advertisement. The affiant further says that he has neither paid nor promised any person, firm, or corporation any discount, rebate, commission or refund for the purpose of securing this advertisement for publication in the said newspaper(s) and that The Florida Keys Keynoter Is in full compliance with Chapter 50 of the Florida State Statutes on Legal slab Advertisements. Richard Taftorrino, Publiihlltr Sworn to and subscribed before me this Day of , 2015 Notary (SEAL) r"* " BEYERLYTRAEGEt MY COMMISSION t FF 106704 9= . EXPIRES: April 18.2018 fIr Bonded Rru N*ry PubrcUndemtets MONROE COUNTY'S MULTI -YEAR. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (RESTORE ACT) NOTICE OF POSTING The Monroe County Multi -Year Implementation Plan (MYIP) is now available for public review and comment on the County's website: - . As a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Monroe County is she recipient of RESTORE Act funding. Pursuant to RESTORE Act regulations, Mbnroe County developed the MYIP which describes the projects to be funded. The projects were ranked by Monroe County's RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee and approved for award by the° Monroe County Board of County Commissioners. The MYIP will be posted for a minimum of 45 days. Please send your comments to PubMeMd iCeynder 7.11.15 tffrdrota one 'e ! ID Published Weekly Tavernier, Monroe County, Florida ! ! ! STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF MONROE Before the undersigned authority personally appeared RICHARD TAMBORRINO who on oath, says that he is PUBLISHER of THE REPORTER, a weekly newspaper published In Tavernier, in Monroe County, Florida: that the attached copy of advertisement was published in said newspaper in the issues of-, (date(s) of publication) Affiiant further says that the said THE REPORTER is a newspaper published at Tavernier, in said Monroe County, Florida, and that the said newspaper has heretofore been continuously published in said Monroe County, Florida, each week (on Friday) and has been entered as a second class mail matter at the post office in Tavernier, in Monroe County, Florida, for a period of one year next preceding the first publication of the attached copy of advertisement. The affiant further says that he has neither paid nor promised any person, firm, or corporation any discount, rebate, commission or refund for the purpose of securing this advertisement for publication in the said newspaper(s) and that The THE REPORTER is in full compliance with Chapter 50 of the Florida State Statutes on Legal and Official Advertisedrents. Richard TamBorrino, Publisher Sworn to and subssccriri�be�d before me this Day of l�liLGV-6Ame, , 2015 o ry (SEAL) BINEWIRAEGEMR ?+: �- MYMAUSSIM Y FF 106704 �;• EXPIRES: Apni le, 2dta S\ Bonded TIM Notary Pubic UW9mud4ets IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (RESTORE ACT) NOTICE OF POSTING The Monroe County Multi -Year Implementation Plan (MYIP) is now available for public review and comment on the County's website:. www_motLrn_,r...Wnty-fl eov. As a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Monroe County is the recipient of RESTORE Act funding. Pursuant to RESTORE Act regulations, Monroe County developed the MYIP which describes the projects to be funded. The projects were ranked by Monroe County's RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee and approved for award by the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners. The MYIP will be posted for a minimum of 45 days. Please send your comments to PubfthW R@pW9r 747.15 Public Comment I JIL YAl g An A'lg[ I NATIONAL :-1 County Government .-listoric Gato Building E100 Simonton Street 271200AM2 JOIZIII - - . - III - a A I I - A gWJ!M,:xTffiWKAn1? . mplementation Plan (MYIP) 111piIIIIIIIII I I I I I III I� 1111011111'' 1=17f ;-UST10—FT-fi, 1, Implementation Plan National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is the nation's largest conservation organization. We have four million members and supporters nationally, hundreds of whom reside in Monroe County. Working dospiv witr mir statp na-ripr Finrida WildlifP Fadpratin-r. we Vava baPT OT *P RMUTd. InbhviTe for WWI I I A71 0 1 A is I r- �-2 11:4 4 1 1 to 0W.11611 I - Hw"5197 ` "'T i 1I_0;rMK%WA5IvK1I of the RESTORE Act is now directed towards supporting ecological restoration. We have been closely following as Florida's 23 Gulf Coast Counties consider projects to fund with their Direct Component funds available through the RESTORE Act, as they develop Multi -Year Implementation Plans Working with a coalition of organizations in Florida, NWF and its partners crafted a restoration We encourage Monroe County to keep these themes in mind while planning and implementing restoration activities. M Process: In 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department issued their "Direct Component Guidance and Application to Receive Federal Financial Assistance". This Guidance provides critical context for ensuring an effective process and describes the following: As a prerequisite under the RESTORE Act for requesting and receiving Direct Component fundin'fl for eligible activities, each applicant must submit a multiyear plan to cover a period of time during which projects could be undertaken with funds available from the Trust Fund ... An applicant must use the form shown at Section 4.0 for its multiyear plans... The multiyear plan must Include the Multiyear Implementation Matrix, a map showing the locations where the work will be performed, and the narrative description. An applicant must provide detail on A " matrix and narrative in Section 4.0. The multiyear plan must be available for 45 days for public review and comment, in a manner calculated to obtain broad -based participation from individuals, businesses, Indian tribes, and non-profit organizations. If the applicant has h V, WU&Xa&6Wa'Q I all It a 41776-m-V W-5 I I I I I �■ ■ - . I'll, I. I I . I it ; -- - - -■ ' W767TIM"VeTTI, we"6el outlined in the Treasury Guidance. We applaud Monroe County's MYIP process, and hope other counties use your process as a model for development of their own MYIPs. Website: We are pleased Monroe County established a website with process -related information clearly poste, including overview of process, Advisory Committee members, agendas and minutes from Committee meetings, list of submitted projects (and links to Project Applications), evaluation forms and score sheets. and proiect scores and ranking. It is important to the transnarencv and integrity, of the process to clearly indicate methods used for soliciting and evaluating project proposals, and Monroe County has done an excellent job at this. Public Engagement: The MYIP recognizes that projects must be selected based on "meaningful input from the public, including broad -based participation from individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations..." MvArie City;%tf a�Xears ti Nave syccessfylly e;%-gagel this kri-al-kasel XaKici;tatiTA in the selectix;� of its Advisory Committee with members representing the relevant and appropriate sectors of the community. In addition, Monroe County made their MYIP available for public comment for 52 days (more than the 45 days required by Treasury). This additional time allowed for more public comment and review. Best Available Science: According the Treasure Guidance, projects related to Natural Resources are required to be based on "Best Available Science" (BAS). The section on BAS in Monroe County's MYIP is comprehensive and thorough. Providing both the context and background, as well as reviewing the existing research and literature provides the basis for a sound scientific review. Once again, we applaud Monroe County and hope this MYIP serves as a model for others. Pro jects The Gulf CoasVs economy and way of life are deeply entwined with the land and the water. The fines and penalties from the Deepwater Horizon disaster have great potential to restore and protect the Gulf of Mexico's lands, waters, wildlife, communities, and economy. However, there is a risk that some of these funds could be spent unwisely —even squandered on projects that would harm the very places the money was intended to benefit. The public can and should insist that all recovery monies are spent in a science -driven, transparent process that ensures a healthy Gulf of Mexico for wildlife as well as for future generations. -T7rFMr 477-r NM 4 "75TIR--r4a 0=1 iFr-FM- rTPRT-- -ENJIM11 - fit- - ff T17.' 1311" #got .0-9. . W., .0, - M.. the milesto A succe s criteria for 11 three 7_ro� eas�-.n FVV-1Ahft:MVq114-_ Of note, the Proposed Timeline for the Coral Reef Restoration project indicates the first Proposed Action will take place in July 2015 (last month). Given that the MYIP has not yet been finalized, the Project Information Sheets is not detailed enough to achieve a true understanding of either the project costs or the match. This information may not be necessary for the Treasury approval or for the public. Conclusion: 51.-V prepare a Draft MYIP. Given our experience with all 23 Gulf Coast Counties, Monroe County has demonstrated itself to be a leader in RESTORE Act implementation. We encourage you to offer guidance and assistance to other counties developing their own MYlPs. We optimistically anticipata Direct Component funding (following the BP settlement), and welcome the opportunity to support future ecologically -focused restoration projects. Thank you very much for considering our comments. Please do not hesitate to contact me to further discuss these comments and recommendations. R= UzTff =- M Florida Policy Specialist 111YMh_fr_& From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Meagan Hull <Nadona|VVi|d|ifeFederadon@nwfopg> Sent: Sunday, August 3C\20lS1l:3%AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. OTMOKOIR and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural I-Labitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the enviromnent, improve quality of life for locals, ittract visitors and in turn boost our economy. Sincerely, Mrs. Meagan Hull Date Palm Dr �Suoomer\and Kev,FL33042-3lll Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Carmen Prebel <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2015 11:01 AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. LIJF I•:111:1112h,11 1111111 1 iii! I I 2nd restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. 1=1 lFrom= Mrs I - I Sincerely, Mrs. Carmen Prebel 24 Dockside Ln Key Largo, Fl, 33037-5267 keoweeMaol From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Devin Morris < NationalWi Idl ife Federation@ nwf.org > Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 10:36 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. OTIOEM Icon Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, 2ttract visitors and in turn boost 7.. economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of ftinding and I encourage you to take a similar 7.pproach when additional restoration funds become available. As a recent graduate of the University of Tampa, with an environmental science degree, I would like to learn more about fiow to get involved with the restoration projects that will be going on in South Florida and Monroe County. Sincerely, Mr. Devin Morris .212 Palm Ave I %I I Islamorada, FL 33036-3786 devinmorTis.9315@,&maii.com Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Gianna Krstic < N ationa [Wild lifeFederatio n @ nwf.org > Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 9:32 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. 071%9�1 QUITIT MI49UlTITVB_0R*W*"II WIT4re?l 1=1 a I care deeply about the fish, wildlife, and natural areas in Monroe County. The 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a horrible tragedy, and it is imperative that we use the restoration funds resulting from the spill to improve the water quality and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, T,ttract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar approach when additional restoration funds become available. Sincerely, Ms. Gianna Krstic 188 Ocean Dr Tavernier, FL 33070-2339 giantialoveslife@gmaii.com Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <Nationa]WildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Christine King <Nation alWild lifeFederation@ nwf.org > Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 9:32 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. MMISHEIR, Ell"T "It Mom"A me 1=1 A '00,11 "Oil VINOW, IN 11111' got, Evs-1,14IL-p4b] y3w IL-1 In-nuail - 1 9 Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural riabitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, offiact. visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar T pproach when additional restoration funds become available. Sincerely, Ms. Christine King 1590 Gardenia Ln v Big Pine Key, FL 33043-6075 chrissykings@,gmail.com Mir, 77-TIM I h TT From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of terry griffo <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 6:33 AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. 2nd restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural f abitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, ittract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a sin-dlar T,pproach when additional restoration funds become available. Sincerely, Ms. terry griffo 27 Snapper Ave Key Largo, FL 33037-4755 teriffoO.vahoo.com Tennyson -Lisa I From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Karin Wolfe <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent Wednesday, August 26,2015 7:33 AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. Aug 26, 2015 11�11101 11;�� 111� i �i 11!:111f! 0 1 4 and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I I KI 5104'.10JIMI L02 In tol I (ONSPIkkill I I li:rllkllriv I" DO Sincerely, Ms. Karin Wolfe 6 Ironwood Dr Islamorada, FL 33036-3625 karin wolfe@yahoo.com Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of STEPHEN SELBY <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 201510:03 AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. MITIOME, L! 131111111111"! �911 l� Dear RESTOIU- Act Coordinator, I care deeply about the fish, wildlife, and natural areas in Monroe County. The 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a -mnd restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant rish and wildlife, and improving natural )abitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, ittract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar zpproach when additional restoration funds become available. Sincerely, Mr. STEPHEN SELBY 1107 Key Piz# 180 Key West, FL 330404077 atlantic gmlfkuVI2ly@_attnet Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation < NationalWi Idlife Federation@ nwf.o rg > on behalf of Elizabeth Eubanks <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 1:55 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject* Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. 197.7 M I—C R i (ITIMM.T.4 ry I I =14 Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural hiabitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, .r ittract visitors and in turn boost our economy. 111111 Ill 11111111 ffF 'LU;RL M MIMMT A111MVILILMO Y11 JIL approach when additional restoration funds become available. §M= Dr. Elizabeth Eubanks 31587 Avenue D Big Pine Key, FL 33043-4531 ocon3333@bellsouth.net From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Devin Morris < Natio nalWi Idl ife Fed eratio n@ nwf.org > Sent: Wednesday, August 26,2015 10.36 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. Dear RESTORE Act Coordinator, I care deeply about the fish, wildlife, and natural areas in Monroe County. The 20 10 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a •)z, aWA jiW Jive Q, &I I wti fuids resultine from the sNill to imorove the water oualitij Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural fiabitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, zttract visitors and in turn boost our economy. Sincerely, Mr. Devin Morris 212 Palm Ave Islamorada, FL 33036-3786 devinmorris.9315@,gmaii.coin Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwforg> on behalf of KAREN SADOF <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 12A2 AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. MINDEM nitimule tnd�'CLJ" an"L it is LMPCFdtI;O. tn' and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the envirorunent, improve quality of life for locals, zttract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar approach when additional restoration funds become available. Sincerely, Ms. KAREN SADOF 714 Elizabeth St Apt D Key West, FL 33040-6400 ksadof@yahoo.com Tennyson -Lisa I From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of nancy forrester <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 8:21 AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. Aug 27, 2015 RTA MITMO MOTIMIM PIU&I to] P11 ;1`.r4rWT1= • F$.) 1 too C4-i Lei ON 11.1 1111UP11114 E&AVA'd _I U'V-91 0 Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. ilillilillillilillillllillilililI 111111111111�111111111,11111,111111lillillj�lI 111 ''115. 1111ol! 1;J1,11''111 111, 1111111111, Iff T17MYSPYOWTFINI&N. SCA1,111 C of iVII I! !1: 1 111 1'1! 1 b I A! J approach when additional restoration funds become available. a= Ms. nancy forrester 518 Elizabeth St Key West, FL 33040-6821 ad Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Sallie Korte <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 5:28 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. �1111z'111�111111 • 0= �I 11 111 1 1111 0 ■ • .• Dear RESTORE Act Coordinator, I care deeply about the fish, wildlife, and natural areas in Monroe County. The 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a horrible tragedy, and it is imperative that we use the restoration funds resulting from the spill to improve the water quality and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest ■ for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improvima? water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the envirom-nent, improve quality • life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. J." r.11IIIII11P III �111 111F I 1 1111 111 1 111111111111 I� I I I� 10 1 11 1 1111111 1 111: I I rive t*1ILVV.1I1 [1)181111 N N241riGN114LAVIT, I 11HRU V Sincerely, Ms. Sallie Korte 325 Calusa St Key Largo, FL 33037-2641 islandsallie101Qhotmail.com Tennyson -Lisa MMMUM From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Suzanne Mason <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent Thursday, August 27, 2015 10:27 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. ffor'Terx", -meow, 7nd restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural 4abitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, ittract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar approach when additional restoration funds become available. Sincerely, Ms. Suzanne Mason 10 Lauderdale Dr Key Largo, FL 33037-2515 semason@bellsouth.net From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of M.L Derousse <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2015 10:30 AM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. 111011611411 101.1 SHOWN III I IV", IMP I I ME t-NI 11[s] V.11111 to) 16 lill ILI Knor-itisill 11W11W I I V 111 1� Sincerely, Ms. M.L Derousse 26875 Old State Road 4a # Rd.4a Surnmerland Key, FL 33042-5333 marte4l @mac.co Tennyson -Lisa I From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Alan Mineo <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 7:32 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. Aug 25, 2015 �`M!EiRHXIII I liff"Wo1w Rnd restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some • the highest priorities ■. our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural hiabitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, Tttract visitors and in turn boost our economy. Sincerely, Mr. Alan Mineo 1424 Newton St Apt B Key West, FL 33040-7073 alimin@gmaii.com Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of April Schoenernan <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 6:32 PNI TO: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. M7101M = =0 VIMMITS-MVINIM I I - I IWAI IlUrFIVIC UdgCUJ, UJJU LL Lh LHIPCHILLM LINIE tordtion LLIIUS FUSIMMA IrOM IIIC SPIIL tU Impro, 3LItJ' and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar ?.pproach when additional restoration funds become available. Ms. April Schoeneman Overseas Hwy Islamorada, Fl, 33036-3107 apriisgetawav(@.vahoo.com From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Larry Benvenuti <Nmbonm|VVi|dUhoFedemtimn@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25,2OI5S:3IPM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. approach when additional restoration funds become available. Mr. Larry Benvenuti PO Box 501403 Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of michele Wildman-powell < Natio nalWildlife Federation@ nwf.org > Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 5:31 PIVI To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. OF-40ME 11� 671WIT'''I 1 6 4 . and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. 4 swis it I I Hol PRIO161.1 M R to M in 1111 Lampligm P i EWTUFM ru Pit- N�N' Mrs. michele wildman-Powell 301 White St Apt 4a Key West, Fl, 33040-6980 michelel2owe1132 I @hotmail.corn Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of H McKee <Nationa]WildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 5:02 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. Aug 25, 2015 Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. 111:111111111:11111111 pill:111111I 1111111111 P 11-0 cc C L 11 1 1 L5 11112til I 1ITTA approach when additional restoration funds become available. a= Mr. & McKee 515 Unid St iev & hl*,% From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Jeffrey Greene <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 4:31 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. 'XF W-A 110ii'mr-a 1111-1-luic Lragc.Lj, WIS It IS 1111PCIUL14r. Uldr- Q 1 0 1111PLIV71V UIC %UUME EtFuntj ind restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, ittract visitors and in turn boost our economy. 11 P= 11Fr4M=1W 2 Sincerely, Mr. Jeffrey Greene 3920 S Roosevelt Blvd Apt 207w Key West, FL 33040-2307 wheel 1622@ IMIMMIrr From: National Wildlife Federation < Nationa lWildlifeFede ration@ nwf.org > on behalf of Todd Milligan <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25,2015 4:01 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. ED N NTJJ I MON _ffM Ego W 11M . . . 0 1 1 6 - Wolff RM INFIVIIII mo SIMMICT 11un-LULU Kagcu), d1lu IL 15 IIIIPCIaLLIFZ LIHIL torallon■ and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar approach when additional restoration funds become available. Sincerely, Mr. Todd Milligan PO Box 1834 Tavernier, FL 33070-1834 toddmilligan(@,bellsouth.net Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of Michael Stella <Nationa]WildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent Tuesday, August 25, 2015 4:01 PM To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. MOM oil Ma ITAR11".1 I I'Mill'I'lia. I PI-11 L CIMTf t'S- ffJ and restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural habitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the envirom-nent, improve quality of life for locals, muract visitors and in turn boost our economy. Sincerely, Mr. Michael Stella 529 Elizabeth St Unit I Key West, FL 33040-6820 michael-stella@comcast.net Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation < Nationa lWildl ife Federation@ nwf.org > on behalf of Cynthia Edwards <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 4:01 PIVI To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. Aug 25, 2015 Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural hiabitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, 2ttract visitors and in turn boost our economy. I support the projects that you have selected for this initial round of funding and I encourage you to take a similar approach when .ill'.onal restoration funds become available. Ms. Cynthia Edwards 1402 Olivia St Apt 1 Key West, FL 33040-7211 cw.edwards@yahoo.com Tennyson -Lisa From: National Wildlife Federation <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> on behalf of U Dennehy <NationalWildlifeFederation@nwf.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 3:31 PIVI To: Tennyson -Lisa Subject: Thank you for restoration projects that benefit wildlife. 07-401M I 11111-TIOLC LFd6C-JLJ', W111i IL Ih 1111PCIIILI M LIM 11111111 UIC hPin—tIVIMIPUIVIC 2nd restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats locally, so we can repair the Gulf Coast as a whole. Some of the highest priorities for our community are clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, and improving natural hiabitats. The projects you selected to complete with the Gulf spill restoration dollars restoring coral reefs and improving water quality in County canals will both directly and indirectly help the environment, improve quality of life for locals, Yttract visitors and in turn boost our economy. Inwit'rollrI1111- iMis [of tq LIJ INI 8 P.J11 MO. [RU In I" Wflmelii"J Ms. LJ Dennehy PO Box 863 Islamorada, FL 33036-0863 ocnchldQ,gmaiI.com Appendix E: General Media Coverage of Monroe County RESTORE Act Activities 11111?11F� yrlil III 01 PANA&IA CITY NE',,' HERALD This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. To print this article, open the file menu and choose Print. • • • By Published. Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 10:44 AM. Last week;, a Bay County advisory committee considered almost two dozen projects that could be funded with restoration money from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The RESTORE Act provides all 23 Gulf Coast counties in Florida the opportunity to fund environmental, economic„ tourism, infrastructure and/or job creation projects in their community. So far, only two other Florida counties -- Hernando and Monroe --- have selected projects to submit for RESTORE Act funding. Both counties have wisely chosen to focus on projects that will directly benefit the environment. Monroe County, in the Florida Keys, will restore and rebuild coral reefs and improve water quality by repairing aging canals. Hernando County (north of Tampa Bay) will restore salt marshes, make shoreline improvements to address water quality and construct fish habitat. The National Wildlife Federation applauds these two counties for selecting projects that will benefit the environment, improve quality of life for locals, attract visitors and boost the economy. As they prepare to recommend projects for funding, we encourage the Bay County RESTORE committee to look closely at projects that will have both economic and environmental benefits. This might include addressing the continuous outfalls on Panama City Beach, converting Laguna Beach from septic to sewer, developing the Gulf World Marine Institute, cleaning up stormwater and assessing water quality improvement needs. Bay County's beaches and waters are key drivers of the local economy. These projects would tangibly and visibly improve natural systems, making Bay County an even more desirable place to live, visit, and to do business. Jessica Koelsch Koelsch is a Florida policy specialist with the National Wildlife Federation Copyright© 2015 http://www.newsherald.com —All rights reserved. Restricted use only. BP spill money allocated for canal restoration, coral farms k%vadlownq.kqyqg!g[&M FebmarrN 21, 2015 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and Islamorada was awarded a $100,000 slice for canal restoration work. P 1IM � I � � � 111 � I � I � ITS-5m, FIT-M 1 11 1 _L A - MY&= — �ialf the total to the unincorporated county's own projects creates "a perception that really doesn't go over well. We're rartners." Islamorada. already has installed one air -bubbler curtain at Treasure Harbor with municipal funding. "We're shovel-rea on two smaller projects," said Susan Sprunt, Islamorada canal-praj ect manager. i canals. "Islamorada is the only [Keys city] that put up money to do a pilot project and got it doneshe said. "I have a problem not rewarding that." Emm�+ The Nature Conservancy will administer the $550,000 coral -restoration grant for new reef plantings by the Coral Research Institute in the Middle Keys. Nature Conservancy. Reef restoration using corals grown in underwater nurseries "has been shown to be very successful and we're excited abo having funds to proceed," Bergh said. i The money comes from a settlement reached between the federal government and Transocean Deepwater Inc., which owned the ri LVA at exn. loded and burned in the Gul f of Mexi cc) in 10 estimated 200 million gallons of crude spewing into the gulf. IIR1IRI1RjII!I IIIIJIgpiIII miffiffly-TFRIM"R1111111 I In other action Wednesday, commissioners: Agreed in principle to Key West's proposal to use land -acquisition money for affordable -housing property outside city limits. Commissioner Heather Carruthers said she wants further clarification to ensure the money goes to workforce housing, not a homeless shelter, during the state budget process. 9 Approved the county's priorities for requests from Congress. Most center on water -quality funding and receiviR payments in lieu of taxes for federal lands in the Keys. tY i cvzu I* Uourny to vole On carat, cwoi prgeca Turn rig Published on KeysNews.com (http:Hkeysnews.com) County to vote on coral, canal project funding Sunday, February 15, 2015 ..:.r BY TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff tohara _ keysnews.com The Monroe County Commission will vote Wednesday on allocating $1.1 million to coral and canal restoration projects. The projects were among the top choices of the local Restore Act committee, which was established by the county commission to rank and make recommendations on roughly 40 projects seeking federal funding. The local committee ranked The Nature Conservancy's coral restoration work in the Florida Keys and the county's canal restoration projects as the top two projects. County staff is recommending that the two groups split the $1.1 million, with each group getting $550,000. "We want to be mindful to minimize county resources necessary for ongoing grant management and oversight due to the program's very low 3 percent administrative cost reimbursement limit," Monroe County Legislative Affairs Director Lisa Tennyson said. "So, staff is recommending that the commission consider making fewer awards to the projects, in this case the top two ranked projects that show the most promise to deliver clear and measurable benefits, have timely start and finish dates, and whose sponsors have the capacity and experience to manage rigorous federal grant program requirements." The county commission will vote on staffs recommendation when it meets at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. The Nature Conservancy initially requested $1.1 million for its coral restoration projects with Mote Marine Laboratory, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Coral Restoration Foundation in the Upper Keys. All three groups have reared hundreds of thousands of corals in their nurseries in the past decade. Many of those corals have been replanted on the Florida Keys reef have begun to spawn and reproduce. The $500,000 would facilitate the rearing and planting of 20,000 staghorn corals and 15,000 boulder coral fragments, said Chris Bergh, Florida Keys program manager for The Nature Conservancy coral recovery effort. "That's a lot of coral," Bergh said. "Every one of those corals has the ability to grow and become habitat and to spawn." of ItVZU In t.,otn ty to vote on coral, canal prgea mmrig Monroe County's plan for the second project is to improve the water quality in the canals in unincorporated areas through a series of restoration and dredging projects. Restore Act funding comes from Clean Water Act fines placed on Transocean and B.P. for their roles in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. tohara(&kevsnews.com Tweet ,> 1 1 .1 Home I Legal Classifieds I Privacy P� I About us I Subscribe I Advertise j Visitor Information I Contact Us I Employment Opportunities I Site Plan Source URL: http://k§ysnews.com/node/63495 Two projects recommended for BP money Panel proposals canal cleanups, coral nurseries By KEVIN WADLOW Senior Staff Writer radio �noterqg_u # �4111 VATIN QUIN U 1; M I E411(WV SM I I RIOPM yli�wj InTmud ov 104VAS) fail I W*J#)J Igo I a 1JJ;A_%J I I I at] 6kTJ - I M 07L UUMETT-TITENERT-71-11 I ?1M1'7cnT?;17rT7 County's canal -restoration test projects will be recommended for RESTORE Act ding to the Monroe County Commission, meeting Feb. 18 in Key Largo. a $550,819 grant. "We're happy that people think coral restoration is important," said Caitlin Lustic, coral -recovery coordinator for The Nature Conservancy in the Keys. "Nobody gets too mad about getting money to grow coral." The coral -restoration money will allocate funding to at least three existing stagborn coral nurseries in the Keys run by the Coral Restoration Foundation in the Upper Keys, Mote Marine Laboratojo in the Lower Keps and the state's Fish and WildlibkAl Middle Keys. An additional Dry Tortugas nursery run by The Nature Conservancy and National Park Service .Oso may be eligible I INJU;448 PAqW-1 IL+M Oil R14 I "The nurseries have tons of coral ready to go," Lustic said. "The number of new out planting cites will be based on how much money is available." H f ese wout e sm ler projects file insMTi—ngculverts for water flow, or air -curtain bufffffe—rs, said Rhonda Haag, manager of the county's canal program. The money comes from the $1 billion settlement with the federal government with Transocean Deepwater Inc., which owned the oil -drilling rig that exploded and burned in the gulf, caus- ing the nation's worst -ever oil spill. Eleven men died on the rig. The U.S. Department of the Treasury notified Monroe County that it will receive about $1.1 million as its dedicated share from Clear Water Act fines assessed against Trans -ocean. Fines against the BP oil company are expected to be significantly larger but that case is mired in a lawsuit. � -IJ-7 Horizon spill go toward environmental or economic restoration. No oil reached the Keys but merely the threat of it caused tourism to dip in summer 2010. 1 tv I ty/U In uotnfy mas me way on taUlt of Mexico restoration Published on Ke sNews.com htt ://storm.ke snew . m F County leads the way on Gulf of Mexico restoration Jtvv F L , 1. . i f "1Sunday, January 18, 2015 -XPt The Monroe County Restore Act Advisory Committee recently ranked potential projects for funding with money soon to be available from "Bucket 1" of the Restore Act. The committee selected a project to accelerate restoration of the coral reefs in the Florida Keys as its first priority. This recommendation recognizes the importance of healthy natural features to the economic and environmental future of the Keys and the Gulf as a whole. The Restore Act was passed by Congress to insure that most fines from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill are returned for restoration of the Gulf of Mexico. Restore funds are distributed to the Gulf region through a formula, and "Bucket 1" funds are those that can be used by states and counties for a broad range of purposes, including investment in economic redevelopment activities such as roads and other infrastructure. The Monroe County committee's recommendation was significant because, by ranking the coral reef project as its first priority, the committee recognized that in a place where tourism is the most important industry, it makes sense to think of the reef as an asset just as deserving of investment as traditional infrastructure such as highways and bridges. And healthy reefs have another critical benefit -- they serve as natural breakwaters to protect the land from storm waves. Other natural features across the gulf, including oyster reefs, barrier islands, coastal forests and marshes, also provide tangible benefits to communities including opportunities for recreation, fish and wildlife habitat and storm surge protection. As the various government agencies and committees in the five gulf states think about how to invest the money that will be allocated under the Restore Act, including those funds that might be used for a variety of purposes, one would hope their would look carefully at the example of the Monroe County Restore Advisory Committee and realize that the natural features and systems of th11 e Gulf of Mexico region provide services to their communities that are every bit as valuable (and even more durable in the face of change) as projects built out of concrete and steel. 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C948SFM axmm+oAr rA',�awesvb our adu¢amkryza.Wm § 5axdYa iiRirM aroafe`rYaM v;i,mw.rob4t+ixrydkmY ffLA'Cra) rYNu v'mri�o*vpr rur.y t t Letters to the editor Monroe County takes lead on Gulf restoration funding Recently, the Monroe County RESTORE Committee (made up of community leaders appointed by the county commissioners) considered projects to implement with money from BP's oil spill fines that will available via the RESTORE Act. Monroe County will soon receive $1.16 million — and far more money should be available a few years down the road. After reviewing proposals and listening to presentations for over 40 projects, the committee ranked the projects and voted to submit the entire list, with the top -ranked projects highlighted, to Board of County Commissioners. Monroe is the first county to send a ranked list to their commission, and I hope this serves as an example to the other 22 Gulf counties, given the strong focus on projects that will benefit the ecology and economy of the Keys community. The committee did an outstanding job, with projects at the top of the list that address major needs and will have a lasting impact on the health of the Keys. These projects might not otherwise be accomplished without funding through the RESTORE Act. The highest ranked projects restoration of coral reefs, water quality improvements in canals, control and removal of invasive lionfish, and restoration of Cape Sable wetlands are exactly the types that local and state governments should be conducting with RESTORE Act funds. Bravo Monroe! Let's all urge the county commissioners to get these important projects underway and improve the Keys environment and economy. Jessica Koelsch Florida policy specialist Gulf of Mexico Restoration National Wildlife Federation MEICK IO wwK Ipf KeSlOre MCI Commlliee Published on KeysNews.com (hftp://keysnews.com) Back to work for Restore Act committee Tuesday, September 16, 2014 BY TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff tohara _ keysnews.com A committee tasked with making recommendations on nearly $1.2 million in federal grants for environmental and capital improvement projects in the Florida Keys will reconvene later this month, after being on hiatus since November 2013. The local committee will meet Sept. 26 at the Marathon Government Center. The Monroe County government established the local committee to oversee the allocation of Restore Act funding designated specifically for the county. The committee will make recommendations to the county commission, which is responsible for the allocation of the nearly $1.2 million to come to Monroe County through what is known as a "local pot" of Restore Act money. The county is also applying for other pots of federal Restore Act funding. Federal Restore Act funds come from Clean Water Act fines levied on B.P. and Transocean for the Deepwater Horizon oil. Roughly 46 groups have applied for $71 million in funding from the local pot of money. The local committee had been on hiatus because it was waiting on rules from the U.S. Department of Treasury about the disbursement of funds. Last month, the department published a new rule in the Federal Register that sets up the framework for how Restore Act money will be distributed to Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. "There's a lot we (the committee) need to talk about," County Legislative Affairs Director Lisa Tennyson said. Tennyson, County Administrator Roman Gastesi and County Commissioner George Neugent have been active in the Restore Act process, and have regularly attended and participated in Gulf Consortium meetings. Neugent is not only on the Gulf Consortium, set up to allocate Restore Act funds, but he also serves on the consortium's executive committee. All three county officials are in Walton County this week for a Gulf Consortium meeting. Gastesi, who is part of the consortium's evaluation team, will be given a presentation on evaluation criteria at this week's meeting. "We (Monroe County) are perceived as very engaged and very active," Tennyson said. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill released millions of barrels of crude oil in the Gulf waters and to IwCU 10 UacK TO WOrK IOr KeslOreP41 COMMIttee caused extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats, fishing and tourism from Louisiana to Florida. In 2012, President Barack Obama signed the Restore Act into law, establishing a trust fund within the Department of Treasury with 80 percent of the civil penalties to be paid by parties responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. A list of all local groups that have applied for a share of Restore Act funds, and information on the Restore Act can be found at the county's website at www.monroecounty- fl.govlindex.aspx?nid=432. tohara(_ keysnews.com Tweet I F I Home I Legal Classifieds I Privacy Policy I About us I Subscribe I Advertise I Vim Information I Contact Us j Employment Opportunities I Site Plan Source URL: htti)://kevsnem.com/node/58233 ThUrSday. JUJI, 111, 2013 projects to fund BY TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff lohorai%Rovsnows.cgMimLiMXhg,ag_4gm2m The Monroe County Commission on Wednesday approved the criteria and app'icauon form for projects to be funded through fines levied on BP and Transoccan for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill The commission also selected its o%vn top projects it wants funded through the Fines, which will come to the county through the federal Restore Act From July 22 to Aug. 30, Monroe County will accept applications for roughly $11 million in environmental restoration and marine -based economic development projects the applications are available on the Restore Act section of the county's websne The Local (Restore Act) Advisory Committee, established in February. %vill review and rank the applications in one or more publir meetings in September, county Legislative Affairs Director Lima Tennyson said The County Commission will ultimately decide what projects will be funded The I 1-member advisory committee, comprising local government leaders, scientists, business owners and fishermen, has met three times Projects must have an environmental or economic benefit, or bodi, Tennyson said The commission also aarced to four priority projects it wants funded scperatc from the projects that will go before the advisory committee From a "local pot' of mom, the commission agreed to request $3 million for stormwater projects, $2 million for canal restoration and $1 million for mooring fields, the meeting agenda states. From a statewide "consortium poC' the commission agreed to request $5 million for swunwater projects, $5 million for canal restoration projects, $4 5 million for mooring fields and $6 million for acquisition of conservation lands, the agenda states Also at the Wednesday meeting, the commission agreed to Q _port coral nurseries Destoratton sites as "zoological parks," which would make them eligible for county Tourist Development Council (TDC) funding The commission agreed to request a state Attorney General's Office opinion to determine if the coral nurseries and restoration sites meet the legal requirement of being z�eological parks Commissioners Danny Kolhage and [leather Carruthers voted against the designation, because the Monroe County Attorney's Office researched it and ruled it not eligible The t%vo commissioners did vote in favor of havingx the Attornev General's Office wpinc on the matter, though. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuwy Advisory Council members Dave Vaughan and Chris Bergh Last week, the Sanctuary Advisory Council voted for it 41 Item Ito I i [g gg�622~gm 116owl I luxl tgj I I nU 11 1. coin m al I uq vw 111. W1141 [qil I m k'w� 9f] I I ill Eq & WZU 10 LomW t-ornomission tong tOr a WIN goDa projects to nim I KWsivews.corri Bergh argued that nurseries themselves are zoos "Zoological parks, or zoos as they are called on the "rect, are places where people are guaranteed they can go and see animals," Bergh said "A coral nursery is a place to see animals The corals themselves are animals. There are invertebrates There is marine life "I think at fits as a zoological parkr It makes sense I would classif�y the whole entire Keys reef as a zoological park." Some Keys dive shops have begun to offer ecotouri,sm packages that include working at coral nurseries and restoration sites Amy Slate's Amaray Dive Resort in Key Largo regularly offers dive trips to coral biologist Ken Nedionyer's nurseries and restoration sites off the Upper Keys Mote also regularly takes visiting divers and scientists to its coral nursery and transplant site off Big Pine Key Bergh also told the commission that all corals grown at nurseries in the Keys stay on the Keys and are not sold or shipped to other areas of the world There are attorney general opinions that have classified ships stink as artificial reefs as nature centers 'If we can put (TDC) money toward artificial reefs, %vc should have the ability to put it toward the natural reef,' Vaughan said "The more people that come to see the reef, the more people will want to save a Commissioner Sylvia Murphy argued that of the Attorney General's Office does not Support Classifying the nurseries and restoration sites as a zoological parks or nature centers, the county should push to change state law to allow it "When the rules were set up, no one knew you could do this," Murphy said "if it doesdo: fit as a nature center, maybe a ne®v category should be established It (coral restoration) works and it's the future foharafa-)keysinews.cona LEY Tweet at 0 FAY111 I %R shfirlee 1:IU00%. Ai %lootped °qfa%rd in the Saushernmost ( ityt n "i, <- ,tn rw"m 7'-sdaY 121LUUM AUMLILLud-2-SAM L11 �," A"Wsal 17 2015 I'm E(--lunfla alai i ol, 11 �rle%h- Txera,4n i4qior 17. 241 ul he,Ars dqua IN PW Awlkl hqclas 17 ?015 Available Only in the Electronic Edition T", N&n, ffig.j IN VIJ - $eou4n hwas Ift ,Uj EHdt. lrmat lifaiiiit ti>rt'Irrrt wiwidlii �cllra=�h'bsssai IsY,4n- lwwlld '(,Ii .V�k. lygwl I- m15 11h12dLAaLin11•axatw°t ylL.t �kx &amb.1 hwtar 1i Wf Lhedt 17-3&n to 1CVZU In croup to uae art or money Published on KeysNews.com (htt :/p /keysnews.com) Group to dole out BP money Tuesday, October 22 2013 BY TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff /� tohara ke snews.com A local committee, tasked with making recommendations about how to spend millions of dollars coming to the Florida Keys, will hold its first meeting in months to discuss formulas to distribute the money. The Monroe County Commission selected the Local Advisory Committee earlier this year to make recommendations on how to spend $11 million in money from federal Cleanwater Act fines levied on BP and Transocean for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The funds are part of the Gulf of Mexico Restore Act. The committee is tentatively scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. Nov. 8, at the Marathon Government Center. This will be the first time the committee has met since 33 local government agencies and private groups submitted $48 million worth of applications for funding. The committee will eventually make recommendations on which and how many of the 33 projects to fund. Committee member Bill Kelly realizes the committee can't support funding all projects, even partially, as that would water down the pot of money, he said. "They all have merit," Kelly said. "I want to see shovel -ready projects -- projects that bring in the most bang for the buck and projects that are going to bring a considerable benefit to the environment and the economy." Committee member Todd German supports "fully funding a bunch of little projects, where you can see the results," he said. "They are not beholden to anyone like the government proposals," German said. The city governments of Key Colony Beach, Key West and Marathon, and Monroe County itself, all submitted applications for funding. Key Colony Beach requested $6.6 million for canal restoration, wastewater and stormwater projects, according to its application. Monroe County requested $6 million for stormwater, canal restoration and mooring field projections. Key West asked for $8.6 million for the revitalization of the Truman Waterfront, said county Legislative Affairs Director Lisa Tennyson, who oversees the Local Advisory Committee. tYI /U1b Croup Io we ou be money Marathon requested $14 million for canal and tidal restoration projects, and for the redevelopment of Sunset Park, which leads to the Old Seven Mile Bridge, Tennyson said. Several local and national nonprofit organizations have requested funding as well. The Nature Conservancy asked for $1.3 million for coral nursery and coral restoration projections to be run in conjunction with Mote Marine Lab and the Coral Restoration Foundation, Tennyson said. The Key Largo -based Reef Environmental Education Foundation has requested $630,000 to continue its efforts to eradicate invasive lionfish populations, according to the group's application. The Key West Wildlife Center requested $637,000 for facility upgrades; and the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center requested $500,000 for capital improvements, Tennyson said. The Key West Botanical Garden requested $1.1 million for restoration projects, according to its application. All the project applications will be listed on the Restore Act section of the county website at www.monroecounty-fl.aov. Outside of the local pot of money, there are also a federal and state Restore Act funds that Keys governments, agencies and private groups can apply for. tohara@keysnews.com Tweet -'1 � Home I Legal Classifieds ( Privacy Pgligy I About us I Subscribe I Advertise I Visitor Information I Contact Us j Employment Opportunities I Site Plan Source URL: http://kevsnews.com/node/50768 I 100 Simonton Street, Suite 2-205 Key West, FL 33040 305-2924441 Monroe County will receive funding under the RESTORE Act, when it becomes available, and has opened its project solicitation process. RESTORE Act funding will derive from civil fines or penalties paid by BP under the Clean Water Act. As required by RESTORE Act law, projects eligible for funding must meet one or more of the following uses: • Restoration and protection of natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region • Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources • Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal or comprehensive conservation manageme plan, including fisheries monitoring • Workforce development andjob creation • Improvements to state parks in coastal areas affected by Deep Water Horizon spill • Infrastructure projects benefitting economy or ecological resources, including ports • Coastal flood protection and related infrastructure Planning assistance Promotion of tourism, including recreational fishing Promotion of consumption of seafood harvested from the Gulf Coast region Project Submittal Forms are available on the Monroe County RESTORE Act webpage or by email request 6tennvson-lisaO,monroecounty-fl.gov or cyr-conniee—monroecounty-fl. ov',',. or, for a hard co pX14-j visiting the County Administrator's Offices at the Historic Gato Building in Key West and at the Key Largo Government Center, or the Growth Management Office in the Marathon Government Center. To be considered for funding, projects must meet one or more of the above uses and submit completed Project Submittal Forms by August 30,2013. The Monroe County RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee will review, rank and recommend project submissions to the County Commission at one or more noticed, public meetings. The Monroe County BOCC will make final nroiect awards, All nroiect awards arc--vJvewUD--tb-e�a Act dollars directed to Monroe County. The amount and time frame for this funding are not yet known. For additional information, please refer to the RESTORE Act webpage on the Monroe County website hLtp://www.monroecounty-fl.lzov or contact Lisa Tennyson, Legislative Affairs Director, 1100 Simonton Street, Key West, Room 2-210, Florida 33040; 305-292-4444; tennyson-lisa(a),monroecou, ktv- gov. Monroe County will receive funding under the RESTORE Act, when it becomes available, and has opened its project solicitation process. RESTORE Act funding will derive from civil fines or penalties paid by BP under the Clean Water Act. As required by RESTORE Act law, projects eligible for funding must meet one or more of the following uses: • Restoration and protection of natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region • Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources • Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring • Workforce development and job creation • Improvements to state parks in coastal areas affected by Deep Water Horizon spill • Infrastructure projects benefitting economy or ecological resources, including ports • Coastal flood protection and related infrastructure • Planning assistance • Promotion of tourism, including recreational fishing • Promotion of consumption of seafood harvested from the Gulf Coast region Project Submittal Forms are available on the Monroe County RESTORE Act webpage or by email request tennvson-lis4a,monroecouniy-fl.�ov ®r cyt-connie(o),monroecouniy-fl.ggv County Administrator's Offices at the Historic Gato Building in Key West and at the Key Largo Government Center, or the Growth Management Office in the Marathon Government Center. To be considered for funding, projects must meet one or more of the above uses and submit completed Project Submittal Forms by December 20,2013 at 3PM. If your organization is among those that previously submitted an application, you have the opportunity to re- submit an application. The Monroe County RESTORE Act Local Advisory Committee will review, rank and recommend project submissions to the County Commission at one or more noticed, public meetings. The Monroe County BOCC Act dollars directed to Monroe County. The amount and time firame for this funding are not yet known. For additional information, please refer to the RESTORE Act webpage on the Monroe County website hgR://www.monroecounly-fl.gov or contact Lisa Tennyson, Legislative Affairs Director, 1100 Simonton Street, Key West, Room 2-210, Florida 33040; 305-2924444; tennyson-lisa(&monroecounty-fl.zov. RT4i�Rwk 11(*i Report. rMOMCIGHM 0. M. 0 011. 1 1 1 is "MMTF1TM1MTMM�T . , 1f1y.7mmriku , Management Plan. FKNMS. Marathon, FL. Keys National Marine Sanctuary Socioeconomic Factsheet. Website Accessed September 2013 htto: fsanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/socloeconomic/r)dfsLfk final.pd . Best practices for propagation and population enhancement. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. --Iorida Keys, Estuaries Volume 15, No. 4. t" :11117 Seagrass. ,logo * M9.7 =OMWIMOWN Ruzicka R. et al., (2010) CREMP 2009 Final Report. Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida, Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Saint Petersburg, FL. 9E 14Z1012L h*1 DepartmentI H.R. 4348, Public Law 112-141, Subtitle F, Section 311(t) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act • k Department of ORComponent Application .. Receive Federal Assistance (August 2014), available at: httR://Www.treasury.gov/services/`"restore- act/Documents/Direct%2000mponent%20Guidance1 1 ;! . condition of receiving amounts. . a Gulf Coastdevelop • submit a multiyear implementation plan for the use of such amounts,Include■ - projected • m`■ • el Eligiblea mechanism to evaluate the success of each activity in helping to restore and protect the Gulf Coast region impacted by th ._ (1) Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal . ofthe GulfCoasty 1,11) Mitigation 1 damage .fish, wildlife,.natural resources. (111) Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan, Mcluding fisheries monitoring. (IV) Workforce development and job creation. (V) improvements to or on State parks located in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ,VI) infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, Including port infrastructure. Coastalflood protection :.I related Infrastructure. ,Vill) Planning assistance. Administrative costs ofcomplying Resolution 094-2013 Creating Local RESTORE Act Advisory Committee: http-//Il- 7 Resolution 129-2013 Addressing Voting Conflicts for Local RESTORE Act Advisory Committee hrtayfl- Official Monroe County Website Main Page Link: http,/j mQn[QgCounW4I.RQv/Index..as PX RESTORE Act Page Link: htto://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/1 ndex.aspx?NID=432 regard f M.C.C. Sec. 2-2. - Rules of construction and definitions. Computation of time. In computing any period of time, the day of the act, event or default from which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be included. The last day of the period so computed shall be Included unless it Is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, In which event the period shall run until the end of the next day that Is neither a Saturday, Sunday nor legal holiday. When the period of time prescribed or allowed is less than seven days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays shall be excluded In the computation. IN httio://www.monroecounV-fl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5316 htti)://www.dep.state.fl.us/waterlwassp/-o----fwfs.htm 17 •+ ■ !. t •i ♦' 1 r + 1■ 1 25 i • `.' ■ / fir. / }} •}1 a. 1: •a,k' •1 " f I 0' }}.'.:. 27 More detailed descriptions of each technology: • Swinging Weed Gates: Swinging weed gates are mechanical devices that physically block seaweed from passing through the device. The weed gates are designed to prevent floating, wind -driven flotsam from entering and accumulating in man-made canals where it typically sinks and fouls with water. Weed gates consist of a floating ar that contains hanging flaps often made of rubber. The gates are placed at a canal mouth to prevent floating seawe from entering the canal. The gate swings open when applied with slight pressure to allow access for boattraffic. • Air Curtains: These are aeration devices that consist of perforated piping connected to a blower. They are typically Installed at the mouth of a canal. The curtains consist of perforated PVC pipe, a blower, control panel, electric, and protective pump housing. The PVC pipe is installed on the canal bottom across the entire canal mouth and anchore In place. The pipe is connected to a blower located on the adjacent shore. Blower selection strongly Influences the capital and operation and maintenance costs of the system. I needed and reduce/eliminate stratification. Filling In of abrupt changes In depth or sink areas would assist In increasing circulation. Backfilling attempts to mimic the hydrology of a mangrove creek, with the shallowest depth at the landward end of the canal, and greatest depth at the mouth of the canal. Flushing Is typically hindered by the fact that both -canal sill andthe waters surroundingtypically shallowerbottom. This difference in depth hinders mixing In the lower depths of the canals. This option would work best In canals where Devices:• Circulation AerationbeusedIn smaller canals to facilitate circulation. The design of aeration systems must be aimed at moving water out of the canal, not merely vertical mixing of the water column. Circulation Improvement needs to be coupled with reducing the pollution loading within the canal. Circulation devices are specialized aeration devices could beInstalled toincreaseboth the transfer ofoxygen to the water as well as the horizontal movement of water out of the canal. Circulation devices can help prevent hypoxic/anoxic conditions to a limited extent and promote aerobic processing of nutrients. • Nutrient Removal: Nutrient removal from canal waters is a developing technology. In brief, It consists of pumping the water to a structure that supports the growth of algae that utilize nutrients from the water. Special macroalgae species have been used effectively In small-scale nutrient stripping experiments In the Keys. Water Is circulated through shallow troughs exposed to sunlight with small starter colonies of algae. often airstones are used to vigorously circulate the water and stimulate nutrient uptake by the algae. The algae must be periodically harvested (and possibly •• _water Is recycled Rw R the canal after treatmentlowered nutrient content. Enhanced 29 http://floridaswater.com/EGRET/ 3a http:// w.nyc.govlht l/dep/html/press releases/13-120pr.shtml#.VYx idr®- B 3f http://bet anybeachnews com1content/south bethany canals improve tides 32 As per Section 1321(t)(1)( )(I) of the RESTORE Act, Public Law 112-143, Subtitle F. 33 Link to the Monroe County Canal Management Master Plan: :/I w .monroecoUn!Y fl-goyZDocumentCenterLVIew153Q1 34 Towards Sustainable Multis ecies Fisheries In the Florida, USA, Coral Reef Ecosystem, Bulletin of Marine Science, 2005; Ault, Jerald, et al. CIN