Subject:
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Ratification of the County Administrator’s approval of the Resilient Florida grant applications with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Ratify, confirm and enter into the minutes the approval by the County Administrator of the submission for five proposals to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Resilient Florida grant program.
• The state has directed FDEP to establish a trust with $500 million in federal funding for implementation of statewide resilience projects through the Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan.
• On July 1, 2021, FDEP opened the Resilient Florida Grant program online portal
• Final applications were due to FDEP on September 1, 2021.
• There is no fiscal impact to the County for submission of this grant application. Should grant funding be approved, no match is required, but existing operational and capital improvement allocations will be used as leveraged funds.
• Total grant amount requested is $38,401,000; Leveraged funding is $23,449,000; projects include:
a.) Utilities Building Hardening - $3,213,000.00 ask; $6,237,000.00 match; $9,450,000.00 total
b.) Pinellas Park Interceptor - $4,488,000.00 ask; $8,712,000.00 match; $13,200,000.00 total
c.) Dunn Electrical Upgrades - $3,600,000.00 ask; $5,400,000.00 match; $9,000,000.00 total
d.) Pump Station Generators - $2,100,000.00 ask; $3,100,000.00 match; $5,200,000.00 total
e.) Mobile Home Park Wastewater Collection System Improvements - $25,000,000.00 request
Grant application in the amount of $38,401,000.00.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community
Practice Superior Environmental Stewardship
3.3 Protect and improve the quality of our water, air, and other natural resources
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.2 Invest in infrastructure to meet current and future needs
4.3 Catalyze redevelopment through planning and regulatory programs
4.4 Invest in infrastructure to meet current and future needs
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
Summary
The County will be proposing five projects, listed below, that will reduce the community’s risk to natural hazards as well as increase operational resilience. The projects presented not only fit the requirements for funding but also provide the greatest opportunity to reduce risk and/or increase resiliency. Overall, these projects balance the needs of the community and local governmental services. The projects include: Utilities Building Hardening Program ($9.4M), Pinellas Park Sewer Interceptor ($13.2M), Dunn Electrical Upgrades (9.0M), Pump Station Generators ($5.2M), and Mobile Home Park Wastewater Collection System Improvements ($25.0M).
Due to emergency submission requirements, the County Administrator authorized submission of the grant request on September 1, 2021, as recorded on the Receipt and File Report of September 21, 2021. The approval was performed through Legistar item 21-1064D.
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Background Information:
On July 1, 2021 FDEP launched the Resilient Florida Grant Program, making a non-reoccurring amount of $500,000,000 available for eligible applicants, including counties and municipalities, regional resilience entities (on behalf of a member), WMDs and flood control districts. The non-reoccurring funds will be dispersed across one application cycle. The program is designed to provide funding opportunities for local governments and state agencies to develop large-scale mitigation activities that allow Florida communities to better withstand future disasters. Final proposals were due to FDEP on September 1, 2021.
Fiscal Impact:
The grant would provide State funding of $38,401,000.00.
Staff Member Responsible:
Megan Ross, Director, Utilities
Partners:
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
Attachments:
Project Grant Application Worksheets (5)