LTC 310-2015 Update on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Review of Alternative Sand Sources for Beach Renourishment MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 310-2015 REVISED LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Philip Levine and Members of the ity Commission
I
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager 00 - •,
DATE: August 6, 2015
SUBJECT: Update on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Review of Alternative Sand
Sources for Beach Renourishment
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to provide information about the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers' (USACE) newly released reports titled Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Identification of Alternative Sand Sources
for the Remaining Period of Federal Participation, Dade County Beach Erosion Control and
Hurricane Protection Project, Miami-Dade County, Florida.
In September 2014, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and USACE jointly
prepared a Southeast Florida Sediment Availability and Needs Determination (SAND) Report to
assess Southeast Florida's sand availability and needs for the next 50 years. The purpose of
the Draft EA and FONSI reports is to review the environmental effects of utilizing the sand
source alternatives identified in the SAND Report which have been determined to meet the
requirements for future renourishments. The Draft EA and FONSI for Alternative Sand Sources
are available for your review at the following link:
http://www:saj.usace.army.mil/About/DivisionsOffices/Planninq/EnvironmentalBranch/Environm
entalDocuments.aspx#Dade.
The USACE has approximately $16 million allocated in FY16/17 for beach nourishment projects
in Miami-Dade County. Based on the findings of these reports, the next project in FY16/17 will
be a truck haul renourishment using sand from Central Florida. The project is anticipated to
place approximately 220,000 cubic yards of sand in the vicinity of 46 Street and 53 Street
erosional hot spots. The USACE will be holding a series of public meetings to present the
reports and allow the public to provide comments and ask questions. The Miami-Dade County
meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25 at Miami Beach City Hall in the
Commission Chambers. Selected City staff will be in attendance to represent the City's
interests.
Additionally, the USACE will be holding a special meeting for local elected officials on Tuesday,
August 18 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the City Manager's Large Conference Room. If you are
unable to attend, we recommend that you send a representative to attend on your behalf.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.
AI%
/MKW
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