Subject:
Title
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Removal grant application to remove waste tires from the coastal waters around Pinellas County.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval to grant the County Administrator authority to sign the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Removal Grant Application provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to remove waste tires originally placed as artificial reefs from the coastal waters around Pinellas County.
• Removal of waste tires from the waters around Pinellas County is an environmental goal yet a complicated and expensive undertaking.
• Grant funding request is estimated at $4,750,000.00 (95%) with an anticipated County match of $250,000.00 (5%).
• County match will be funded in the FY 2024 Budget, if grant is awarded.
• Application deadline is September 30, 2022 making it necessary to seek approval for the County Administrator to sign the application.
• A future delegated item will be prepared to reflect the completed grant application.
Grant application estimated at $5,000,000.00, with anticipated grant funding received being $4,750,000.00; Authorize the County Administrator to sign the grant application on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners.
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Strategic Plan:
Practice Superior Environmental Stewardship
3.2 Preserve and manage environmental lands, beaches parks, and historical assets
3.3 Protect and improve the quality of our water, air, and other natural resources
3.4 Reduce/reuse/recycle resources including energy, water, and solid waste
Summary:
The Department of Solid Waste plans to submit a grant proposal to the FY22 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Notice of Funding Opportunity. It is requested for the Board to authorize the County Administrator to sign the grant application for official submittal. This is necessary due to time constraints with the County’s grant proposal development, in partnership with the consultant, WSP, Inc., who will complete the grant proposal application package between the September 22, 2022 Board meeting and the submission deadline of September 30, 2022.
Background/Explanation:
The Department of Solid Waste has identified a grant opportunity advertised through NOAA’s Marine Debris Program as an opportunity to remove waste tires that were intentionally placed as artificial reefs between the 1960’s through the 1980’s. These tires have proven to be unstable in the marine environment resulting in them washing up on the coastal beaches and/or becoming derelict in the coastal habitats of Pinellas County and potentially causing harm to natural habitat as they move across the ocean floor.
A total of $56,000,000.00 is expected to be available through the FY22 NOAA Marine Debris Removal Program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Funding will be competitively granted to selected projects to remove specific large marine debris with benefits to NOAA trust resources such as coast habitats.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no change to the funding approved by the Board.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $5,000,000.00. Requested NOAA grant funding is $4,750,000.00 (95%). The anticipated County match is $250,000.00 (5%). The local match will be funded through the FY 2024-2025 Solid Waste Operating Budget.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this grant application is granted per delegated authority of the Board at the September 22, 2022 meeting.
Staff Member Responsible:
Paul Sacco, Director, Solid Waste
Partners:
NOAA
Tampa Bay Estuary Program
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Attachments:
Grant Application
Notice of Funding Opportunity
OMB Intent to Apply
Project Location Map