HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC AG PKT 2013-04-08 #E 5E A"°
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
DATE: April 8, 2013
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU: Jill R. Ingram, City Manager
FROM: Sean P. Crumby, P.E., Assistant City Manager/Public Works
SUBJECT: LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE WATER
RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT (WRDA) FOR
FUNDING OF ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL
REGIONAL SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN (RSMP)
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
It is requested that the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter of support
seeking WRDA funding for projects identified within the Orange County Coastal
Regional Sediment Management Plan (RSMP).
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA of 1986) is part of Public Law
99-662, a series of acts enacted by the Congress of the United States on
November 17, 1986. The WRDA established cost sharing formulas for the
construction of harbors, inland waterway transportation, and flood control
projects. It also created hundreds of projects, studies, and plans in almost every
state in the nation.
The City of Seal Beach has a management program for sand on its two miles of
public beach. Seal Beach's program includes construction and take down of an
annual winter sand berm to protect public and private property. The City
additionally moves sand every second year (backpass operation) in an attempt to
keep loss of sand to the ocean at a minimum. Even with these measures the
beach loses between 5,000 and 10,000 cubic yards of sand annually. This
requires nourishment of sand typically every five to ten years. The duration of
time between nourishment projects varies due to storm -frequency and severity.
This nourishment was last done in 2009 for a cost to the City of$1.1 million.
The WRDA currently includes sand nourishment of Surfside/Sunset Beach. This
project is done as a mitigation measure regarding active erosion caused by
Federal navigation works when Anaheim Bay was protected for the Seal Beach
Naval Weapons Station (SBNWS). To the north of the Anaheim Bay the Seal
Agenda Item E
Beach Groin Wall was constructed to mitigate beach erosion. The City of Seal
Beach has been attempting for years to modify the Surfside/Sunset nourishment
program to include the City's other beach (Main Beach). The City completed a
report entitled "Justification for Reassessment of Beach Maintenance, Federal
Cost-Sharing Agreement between the City of Seal Beach and U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers" in December of 2008. This report detailed the history and
conditions of Seal Beach's beach erosion. Since that time, the Army Corps of
Engineers has sent a response to which the City of Seal Beach responded in
July of 2009. The response indicated that the Army Corps would not include the
City's Main Beach in the ongoing project.
On May 10, 2010 the City Council authorized submittal of a funding application to
Senator Diane Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer for inclusion of nourishment
of Seal Beach's Main Beach into the upcoming WRDA appropriations. That
application unfortunately was not approved as an appropriation within the WRDA.
Since 2010 the State of California has led preparation of Regional Sediment
Management Plans. These plans manage the transport of sediment for beach
nourishment on a regional basis instead of individual cells or pockets. In 2012,
the State of California and County of Orange prepared the Orange County
Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan. This plan identified the City of
Seal Beach's "East Beach" also known as Main Beach as a need for the region.
In March of 2012, legislation was passed by Governor Jerry Brown and is
currently being reviewed. The proposed legislation requests the State of
California and Federal Government to designate funding within the WRDA to
allocate funding to implement the needs identified within all of the Regional
Sediment Management Plans throughout the State of California.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
There is no environmental impact with preparation of a letter.
LEGAL ANALYSIS:
No legal analysis is required for this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact with this action.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter of
support seeking WRDA funding for projects identified within the Orange County
Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan.
Page 2
SUBMITTED BY: NOTED AND APPROVED:
C Al i
S P. Crumby, P.E. ii R)Ingram, City Maga er
Assistant City Manager/(21c Works X-11
Attachments:
A. Letter to Governor Brown
B. Proposed WRDA Language
Page 3
i
SEAL BEACH,CALIFORMA 90740
April 8, 2013
Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Subject: New Federal Authorization to Fund Regional Sediment Management Project on
the California Coast
Dear Honorable Governor Brown,
On behalf of the Seal Beach City Council and the residents of Seal Beach, I am writing to you
ask your support for the upcoming Federal Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to
establish a Federal Project Authority for the implementation of Regional Sediment Management
projects on the coast of California.
The 1,100 mile California Coast is one of the most prized natural resources in the nation. It
provides enormous recreational and economic benefits and includes an extensive array of
ecological resources. However, this vital resource is under constant threat from coastal and
upland development, ocean pollution, rising sea-levels, increased threat of coastal storms, and
a reduction in the natural sediment supply. To address these threats, Regional Sediment
Management Plans previously authorized by Congress and cost shared with the State of
California have resulted in a comprehensive and integrated approach for resolving coastal
issues. The proposed WRDA language streamlines the project development and
implementation process.
Over the last eight years, nine separate regions along the California Coast have prepared or are
finalizing Regional Sediment Management (RSM) Plans that define regionally appropriate
solutions (projects and policy) to the sediment deficit and other problems that severely impact
our coast. These plans have been federally authorized and funded through the US Army Corps
of Engineers in partnership with the State of California and include programmatic level
environmental reviews. With these Regional Sediment Management Plans, we now have a blue
print of coastal projects necessary to ensure the preservation of our coastal resources. The next
objective is to implement the plans through the establishment of a new Federal Project Authority
for California.
In that regard, the City of Seal Beach urges your support for the upcoming Federal Water
Resources Development Act to establish a Federal Project Authority for the implementation of
Regional Sediment Management Plan on the coast of California.
Sincerely,
Gary A. Miller, Mayor
211 Eighth Street; Seal Beach, CA 90740
Cc: Senator Barbara Boxer,Senator Diane Feinstein
WRDA Language for Authorization of a
California Sediment Management Program
SEC.
(a)IN GENERAL.—
(1) In cooperation with the State of California, the Secretary shall establish a California Coastal
Sediment Management Program ("Program") for the purpose of constructing projects using a
systemwide approach to increase the resilience of the California coast and address its water
resources needs.
(A) The Program shall undertake construction of projects recommended by the Federal-
State California Regional Sediment Management Master Plan, authorized by Study
Resolution Docket 2672, adopted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee on May 22, 2002.
(A) The Program shall be jointly managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and the State
of California.
(B) The Secretary shall assure the integration of existing authorities to increase the
effectiveness and reduce the cost of projects identified for construction under the
Program.
(C) Measures undertaken through the Program shall include, but not be limited to coastal
erosion, storm damage reduction, environmental restoration,environmental
infrastructure for the purpose of preventing pollution from stormwater runoff,
recreation, and the protection of life and the promotion of public safety.
(b)FORM OF ASSISTANCE.—Federal assistance provided to the Program shall be in the form
of planning, engineering, design and construction funding The Federal share of Program costs
may be provided in the form of grants or reimbursements to the non-Federal interest as well as
appropriated funds.
(c)PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION.--
(1)The Secretary shall enter into a partnership agreement with the State of California that
provides for the --
(A)Establishment of a Federal-State Program management structure for the purpose of
collaborating in the construction of projects.
(B)Execution of cost-sharing or other agreements deemed necessary in order to carry out
the purposes of the Program;
(2) The Secretary shall recommend cost-effective projects, but shall not perform benefit-cost
analyses to identity recommended projects,and shall not make project recommendations based
on maximizing net national economic development benefits.
(3) In the development of Program projects,the Secretary shall,to the greatest extent possible,
use existing data collected under the Coast of California Storm and Tidal Waves Study as
authorized by Section 208 of the Flood Control Act of 1965 and the California Coastal Sediment
Master Plan, as authorized by Study Resolution Docket 2672, adopted by the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 22, 2002, in addition to data and analyses
thereof developed by the State of California and its political subdivisions, as well as academic
2
and scientific institutions and shall provide in-kind credit to the non-Federal interest for the use
of such data.
(4) The Secretary shall use the resources of Corps Headquarters, Divisions, Districts and the
Corps' Planning Centers of Expertise as integral members of the project delivery team to
expedite the completion of project planning, engineering and design as well as compliance with
all applicable State and Federal laws.
(5) COST SHARING.—The Federal share of the cost of projects under this section shall be
determined by Section 103 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, as amended, and
by other applicable statutory authorities.
Alden Street Consulting July 13, 2012