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Wiggens Pass Update

Attached is an update on the status of Coastal and Pass activities and Permit Applications for Wiggins Pass including copies of pertinent Documents. Reading them will give you a better understanding of complexity of the Permiting Process. The Collier County Office of Costal Zone Management is the lead Agency. It deserves your support. The information contained in this Email will be placed on the ECA Web Site, EstuaryConservation.org.

Maintenance dredging of the old permit foot print for immediate navigation relief:
  • We have submitted our permit application on the same dredging basis as the expired permit. We received RAI#1 from FDEP on 8/26/2010 which I have attached. We are in the process of answering this RAI and should have our technical responses to FDEP by the end of next week. We are not concerned about any of the State requests except for the possible exception of items 31 and 33. Most of the information that FDEP is requesting was submitted in the original permit submittal and it is simply a matter of educating them to where the information is contained or specifics they have with individual items.
  • Item 31 requests a current Biological Opinion from Fish and Wildlife Service. Preliminary discussions with FWS indicated that they felt that a new Biological Opinion was not required and the old one could be used. We are requesting that FWS confirm this in writing to FDEP. This item should be resolved within the next week. We were not expecting this item in this 8/26/2010 RAI request. If a new Biological opinion is required, it will delay this project 90 days unless FWS can be expedited.
  • DWSP is requesting design modifications in the vicinity of R17 that need to be addressed. I am attaching their 8/28/2010 letter also. We believe that we can show historically that erosion concerns that they claim in the vicinity of R-17 are not permanent and a result of the normal erosional/accretional nature of the area. We can also show that DWSP has accreted in the past 10 years since the old permit was in effect. Regardless, it will take time to discuss and resolve this issues with FDEP and the Park Service.
  • We will request a meeting in Tallahassee with FDEP and the Park Service as soon as our RAI comments are submitted.
  • A letter of consistency is attached from Collier County Growth Management Division.
  • Our intent is to prepare bid packages by October 1, 2020 and have bidding complete by 10/31/2010. We will not be able to award a contract till the permits are in hand. At this point with the exception of a new Biological Opinion being required, mobilization of a dredge should occur just after the first of the new year 2011.
New Channel Navigation Improvements/Straightening Project:
  • Recent changes to the State of Florida’s Consultants Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA) requires staff to solicit RFP from consultants on any engineering scope of work that would result in a construction contract of $2,000,000 or more. Since staff was in the process of negotiating additional work with Coastal Planning and Engineering (that was added by an RAI by FDEP and would result in construction over $2,000,000) when this state CCNA ordinance was changed, we are now required to solicit a RFP for this additional work.
  • An RFP has been prepared and is currently out for solicitation. A copy is attached and proposals are due by 9/24/2010. It will probably take an additional two months to have a consultant in place for work to begin again on this project. Until this is completed, work on this project is on hold. Work should begin again in the November 2010 timeframe.