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Home My Public Portal About030_010_THE WAY FORWARD T0 2014 THE WAY FORWARD TO 2014. As it has been written elsewhere, the Federal Authorization for the Tybee Island Shore Protection project expires in 2024, 50 years after the initiation of construction. We have 10 years to prepare for a new era with a change in the funding and execution of shore protection projects. It can be said that there are several ways forward towards a continuation of the placement of sand on the seaward beach on a regular basis. These are: 1. Seek an extension of the existing Federal Renourishment Project through enacting Section 1037 of WRRDA 2014 allows for: 1. "the Secretary shall, at the request of the non-Federal interest, carry out a study to determine the feasibility of extending the period of nourishment described in subsection (a) for a period not to exceed 15 additional years beyond the maximum period described in subsection (a). This provision would allow for the Local Sponsor(The City of Tybee Island) to request the Corps to perform another Feasibility Study(similar to the 1989 Section 934 report) to re-verify the Engineering, Economics and Environmental aspects of the Federal Shore protection project. The cost of the 1988 Section 934 Report was $2.5 million and took three years to complete. Because this is a delegated authority to the ASA(CW), no new Congressional Authorization would be required. It is assumed that the study would be cost shared 50% Federal and 50%non-Federal.- Timeline: Upon the receipt of a letter from the City of Tybee Island for the study, funds would be requested from Congress (18 months), a Feasibility Cost Sharing agreement executed(one year), Study completed (3 years), review and approval (2 years), a total of 7 to 8 years, depending on funding. End result: a 15 year extension of Federal Authorization to 2039, if approved. 2. Complete the Phase II of the Channel Impacts study, which would provide the Engineering, Economics and Environmental impacts of the mitigation options to offset the impacts of the on-going Federal Navigation project, along with a specific recommendation to resolve the problem The completed study with a specific recommendation, a project cost estimate and environmental approvals would have to be reviewed and approved by UQUSACE, OMB, ASA(CW), etc. and submitted to Congress for a New Congressional Authorization. The remainder of the study would be cost-shared at 50%Federal and 50%non-Federal, with the implementation cost of the mitigation feature cost shared to be determined. A possible benefit to this path is that the project would no longer be justified on Storm Damage Prevention and/or Recreation,but as a mitigation feature that must be funded as long and the Offshore Channel is maintained. Timeline: Revise the Feasibility Cost sharing agreement to include the new Phase 2. Prepare the Phase 2 report(3 years), obtain approval (one year) and obtain inclusion in a new Water Resources Development Act (problematic). 3. Go it alone. Beginning 2015,work to obtain State and Local funding for a 2025 Renourishment. Similar to Hilton Head, funds could come from GPA, GaDNR, Ga DOT, Chatham County. The City of Tybee Island would be responsible for obtaining all environmental approval and government coordination. Sand could be placed where ever the City wanted with no regard to the "Federal"template,but still subject to Federal and State environmental permits. 4. FEMA has a program to reduce the flood insurance rates if homes were raised to provide additional "freeboard"to prevent the first floor from flooding during a storm event. If freeboard is provided to homes, it may provide for a reduction in Federal Flood Insurance Program Insurance premiums. However, since the existing Federal project is mostly justified based on the Storm Damages prevented, raising the first floor will reduce some the project benefits to any future Federal project not justified on Mitigation from the Channel Impacts. Page 2 It is a recommendation of the Tybee Island Beach Task Force that a meeting should be held this fall to fully explore each of these, and other options to map out the best way forward for the beach at Tybee Island. All stakeholders should be invited to participate at the Federal, state and local levels to fully explore each of these options, with the benefits, risks and uncertainties of each option. 2024 is just around the corner. Page 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ms. Berta Adams,Tybee Island Beach Task Force Dr. Clark Alexander, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography and Georgia Southern University Ms. Deb Barreiro, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division Mr. Bart Brophy, Living Independence for Everyone (LIFE) Inc. Mr.Jimmy Brown, City of Tybee Island,Tybee Island Emergency Management Mr. Karl Burgess, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Major Chris Case, City of Tybee Island Police Department Ms. Elizabeth Cheney, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division Mr. Spencer Davis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mr. Paul DeVivo, DeVivo Marketing Mr. Brad Gane, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division Mr.Alan Garrett, US Army Corps of Engineers (Retired) Mr. Mike Gleaton, Georgia Department of Community Affairs Mr. Mike Harris, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division Ms. Mary Hogan, City of Tybee Island Finance Director Mr. Bubba Hughes, City of Tybee Island Attorney Mr.Jonathan Lynn, City of Tybee Zoning and Planning Manager Ms.Jan MacKinnon, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division Mr. Pat Monahan, Chatham County, Assistant County Manager Mr. Burt Moore, Savannah District Corp of Engineers Ms. Hope Moorer, Georgia Ports Authority Page 4 Mr. Lou Off,Tybee Island Beach Task Force Olsen & Associates Mr. Daniel L. Parrott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Retired) Mr.James W. Price,Tybee Island Police Chief Mr. Daniel Parrott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Retired) Mr. Pete Ryerson,Tybee Island Parking Services (Retired) Mr. Clifton "Skip" Sasser,Tybee Island Fire Chief(Retired) Ms. Diane Schleicher, City of Tybee Island City Manager Mr. Clayton Scott, Chatham Emergency Management Agency Ms. Susan Shipman, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division (Retired) Ms.Jennifer Spivey, Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority Ms.Ann Thran, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division Ms. Fran Todd, Living Independence for Everyone LIFE Inc. Ms. Lawanna Tsolous,Tybee Island Ecotourism Council Mr.John Walden, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Retired) Ms. Kathryn Williams,Tybee Island City Council and Tybee Island Beatification Mr.Joe Wilson, City of Tybee, Department of Public Works Director Mr. Brad Winn, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division Mr. Paul Wolff,Tybee Island City Council Ms. Vivian Woods, City of Tybee Island Clerk of Council Mr. Spud Woodward, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division The sources of funding for this project are The Coastal Management Program of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And, of course, all the private citizens of Tybee Island who attended the public meetings and gave their comments and recommendations! Page 5 LITERATURE CITED AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS A Guide to a Georgia Barrier Island,Taylor Schoettle, 1996. Watermarks Publishing, St. Simons Island, Georgia. Beach Long Range Management Plan by Erik Olsen. This provides lots of info on the beach and monitoring, projects,funding. Chatham County Hurricane Plan, revised August 2004. Chatham Emergency Management Agency. Found online at: http://www.chathamemergency.org/Documents/EOP%201ncident%20Annex%20A%20Hurricane%201ncide nt%20Management%20REV0709.pdf City-Data.Com, 2005. http://www.city-data.com/city/Tybee-Island-Georgia.html. City of Tybee Island, 2005. http://www.cityoftybee.org/code. Comprehensive Plan for Tybee Island Georgia, 1992, and short-term work update of 1998, as submitted to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Limited Reevaluation Report,Tybee Island, Georgia, 2007 Re-nourishment, August 2005, US Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District North Beach berm construction permits from DNR. Spells out requirements from DNR that the City must follow. Page 6 Project Cooperation Agreement between the Department of the Army and the City of Tybee Island regarding each re-nourishment funding. Sherpa Guides, Lenz Design. 2005. http://www.sherpaguides.com/georgia/coast/northern coast/tybee fort screven north midbeach .html#Lighthouse. State of Georgia ADA Coordinator's Office, 2005. http://www.ganet.org/gsfic/ada/overview.shtml. Tybee Island Fire Department Ocean Rescue Division, Standard Operating Procedure Manual Tybee Island, Georgia, Shoreline Protection Project, Operations, Maintenance, Replacement, Repair, and Rehabilitation Manual, May 2002. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District. Tybee Issues, 2002. http://www.tybeetyme.com/ti/tybee_beaches_lou_off.htm. Tybee Island South Beach Business District Design Charrette. Prepared by HDR,January 2005. Tybee Island Traffic& Parking Study. prepared by HDR Engineering, Inc. Atlanta,GA,January 2005. View of Tybee from the Lighthouse, 2004, Application for Urban & Community Forestry Financial Assistance Program. Virginia Beach Management Plan, April, 2002, Beaches and Waterways Advisory Commission. Page 7 Page 8