Decision Nears On Fate Of Fla’s RESTORE Projects
By John Henderson, The News Herald, October 3, 2016
PANAMA CITY – A wide range of projects – everything from a study of re-opening East Pass to high-speed Internet service for schools and military bases – is included in a final list of projects proposed to be funded from oil-spill damages.
But whether these project will make the final list won’t be known until Tuesday, when County Commissioners at their 9 a.m. meeting will have to trim $2.5 million from the list, which adds up to $9.5 million. But only $7 million is coming to the county from in this round of RESTORE Pot 1, which is Deepwater Horizon oil-spill damages that the County Commission decides how to spend.
Jim Muller, Bay County RESTORE Act coordinator, said after the commission votes on the list, grant applications must be submitted to the U.S. Treasury, which decides whether the projects are eligible for the oil-spill funding.
“It’s possible (funding could be coming) by the end of this year depending on how fast things move,” Muller said.
A 45-day public comment period on the list has ended, with more than 130 people giving their input.
This round of Pot 1 funding is from the Transocean and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. settlements. Another $34 million in Pot 1 funds are coming to Bay County from the BP settlement over 15 years, with the first payments coming in next year. A whole new list of projects will have to be developed and approved for that funding.
The project list the commission will have to trim Tuesday includes:
$1.13 million for the Bay Technology Initiative, which will provide high-speed Internet service to military bases, schools and government.
$446,641 for artificial reefs that would be laid down 11 nautical miles from the St. Andrew Bay Pass and seven to eight nautical miles off the county and Beach pier.
$566,500 for the Carl Gray Park boat ramp project, which involves replacing the ramp, installing fixed staging docks and a floating dock for smaller vessels.
$509,850 for improvements to Porter Park, which includes improving the existing boat ramp, installing staging docks and a floating dock and replacing a failing seawall.
$1.2 million for an Environmental Impact Statement to study dredging out the East Pass, a required study that would determine whether re-establishing the Old Pass would be feasible and environmentally beneficial to the ecosystem.
$363,000 to update Bay County’s Stormwater Master Plan and Stormwater Strategic Plan, which will reflect changes during the last 25 years and to re-establish priorities for stormwater projects.
$849,750 to develop an animal stranding, rehabilitation and necropsy facility for Gulf World Marine Institute, which would enhance and expand existing response and rehabilitation capabilities and research programs for stranded turtles and marine mammals.
$1.1 million for a stormwater outfall sediment reduction project on Panama City Beach, which involves installing devices to improve water quality.
$283,250 to replace a dock at AMIkids Panama City Marine Institute, which is used for community coastal environmental service projects.
$363,566 to identify the cause of beach swimming advisories at Carl Gray Park, which involves identifying the cause of poor water quality so it can be corrected and natural resources restored.
$258,539 for the Mid City Stormwater Project, which would use existing wetlands to accept stormwater runoff in the area of U.S. 231 and 19th Street in Panama City instead of allowing the runoff to go directly into St. Andrew Bay via a large drainage ditch.
$265,802 to create an environmental science certificate program at Gulf Coast State College and a minor in environmental science and policy at Florida State University – Panama City. The workforce training program would help people land jobs in these fields, which have a median pay of $63,570.
$311,275 to construct “Port Adventure,” a series of interactive exhibits showcasing Port Panama City.
$48,400 for an economic analysis to “develop a framework for prioritizing and maximizing environmental and economic benefits of potential gulf restoration projects.”
$1.7 million for water reuse system improvements to the county’s North Bay Wastewater Collection system, which would pipe water from the treatment plant to a nearby power plant, making the water available as cooling water and reducing the discharge of treated wastewater into the St. Andrew Bay.
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