Boardman River Dams Implementation Team. Approved Meeting Minutes

Transcription

1 Location: Traverse City Governmental Center, 2 nd Floor Training Room 400 Boardman Avenue Traverse City, MI Boardman River Dams Implementation Team Grand Traverse County Traverse City Light and Power Department Michigan Hydro Relicensing Coalition Michigan Department of Natural Resources Grand Traverse Conservation District (Ex officio) Rotary Camps and Services (Ex officio) Grand Traverse County Road Commission (Ex officio) City of Traverse City Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians US Fish and Wildlife Service Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Conservation Resource Alliance (Ex officio) Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay (Ex officio) Charter Township of Garfield (Ex officio) Approved Meeting Minutes Date: September 22, 2011 Facilitator: Todd Kalish, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Notes: hand written notes by Nate Winkler, Conservation Resource Alliance Present: Brett Fessell, Frank Dituri (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians) Christine Crissman, Steve Largent, Lew Coulter (Grand Traverse Conservation District) Amy Beyer, Nate Winkler (Conservation Resource Alliance) Rick Westerhof (US Fish and Wildlife Service) Todd Kalish (Michigan Department of Natural Resources) Andy Knott (Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay) Mary Gillis (Grand Traverse County Road Commission) Dennis Aloia (Grand Traverse County) Ben Bifoss (City of Traverse City) Jim Pawloski (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality) Jim Cooper (Traverse City Light and Power Department) Brad Kaye (Charter Township of Garfield) By Phone: Jim Schramm (Michigan Hydro Relicensing Coalition

2 1:00-1:05 Introductions 1:05-1:05 Public comment none. 1:05-1:10 Additions/deletions to the agenda Winkler suggested that the item regarding documents received since last meeting be rolled in with the AMEC report. 1:10-1:10 Review and potential approval of the August 18, 2011 meeting minutes: discussion/decision item Item approved with no discussion. 1:10-1:15 Review action items from August IT meeting: report Winkler noted that there are no outstanding action items. 1:15-1:25 IT Chair transition: discussion (Kalish) Kalish related that he was taking a new position in the DNR and would have to eventually step down as IT Chairperson. Action: Kalish indicated that he would draft a position description for a successor and provide for discussion and approval at the October 7 th project managers meeting. 1:25-1:55 Brown Bridge Dam Concept Design for Restoration; discussion/decision (AMEC and InterFluve) Rick Westerhof and Sandra Sroonian led a discussion regarding the development of the Brown Bridge Dam Concept Design for Restoration ( concept design ) with assistance from Lyle Tracy (AMEC) and Andy Selle (InterFluve), both of whom participated via conference call. Sroonian related that there had been a request made by AMEC of three local contractors to provide cost estimates for the removal at Brown Bridge dam as well as channel restoration and sediment mitigation. By meeting time, two estimates for removal and one for restoration had been received. Amy Beyer provided that the purpose in discussing this item was to have formulated a recommendation to the IT regarding a preferred alternative for restoration which in turn provides the consultants with direction regarding proceeding with development of a restoration plan. Kalish and Westerhof followed up with a description of how the process for determining the preferred alternative occurred. During discussion, Mary Gillis noted that the county road commission may be interested in utilizing the dredged spoils from the sediment mitigation work. Gillis indicated that she would follow up with Sroonian regarding. 2

3 Lyle Tracy gave a report on an assessment performed on the power house to determine if there was less expensive alternative to ECT s proposal for demolition. Tracy indicated that there could be a major cost savings if the drawdown and demolition could be affected by opening up two sealed chambers located well below the powerhouse superstructure. Using this technique, it is estimated that up to 80% of the structure could be removed in the dry. Discussion ensued regarding the elimination of the 100% passive and 100% active options and that the recommendation before the IT was to approve the blended approach to restoration which combines techniques from both approaches. The IT subsequently approved going forward with the blended approach. 1:55-2:00 Bottomlands Update: report (Largent) Steve Largent provided an update on the development of the short-term bottomlands plan matrix developed and subsequently finalized by the Bottomlands Management Group over the course of the last couple of meetings. Largent also related that it was determined by the group that the short-term plan would be the purview of the IT and the long-term plan would be that of the watershed stewardship team. The short-term matrix is intended to address issues at Brown Bridge and subsequently Sabin once interim drawdown is complete. A working copy of the short term plan is available on the website and can be shared in response to inquiries. IT members should refer to this plan to determine who has lead for any actions needed between drawdown and removal. 2:00-2:05 Communications update: report (Winkler) Winkler directed the group to the communications report in the meeting packet and described other items not included in the report including a tour of the project by personnel from the USFWS in addition to a visit and tour by DNR director Rodney Stokes. No one had questions but others in the group had their own update including the following, Steve Largent-time lapse cameras have been set up at Brown Bridge pond Andy Knott-Grand Vision meeting/presentation at the State Theatre on Tuesday, September 26 th (6-8 pm) Brett Fessell-presented recently project at the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society Becky Ewing-she and Tim Irvin are presenting the Boardman and Bay Front projects at the upcoming Great Lakes Funders meeting Todd Kalish-presented the project to Michigan Natural Resources Commission and the Huron River Association Frank Dituri-presentation on the project to a local Boy Scout troop 2:05-2:15 Fundraising activity report and fundraising updates (discuss open items): discussion, report (Winkler, Beyer) 3

4 Amy Beyer asked for updates and corrections on the fundraising tables. Fessell gave an EPA update and amount correction. Largent provided that the District re-applied to the Coastal Management program for the lower Boardman and was successful. Kalish indicated a need to have the discussion on whether or not to continue to ask for Army Corps assistance for Brown Bridge and eventually Sabin. The subject of Union Street dam came up and that discussions regarding it were imminent. Action: Kalish to generate position statement regarding Army Corps. Involvement for discussion at the October 7 th project management team meeting. Open items related to fundraising to be discussed as well at the project management meeting. 2:15-2:20 Prosperity Plan/Stewardship update: report (Knott) Andy Knott reported that in August, the Stewardship Team selected Public Sector Consultants (PSC) to develop the prosperity plan for the Boardman River watershed as well as organizational start-up and transition, and to begin the implementation of the plan. Currently the Stewardship Team is developing a scope of work with PSC and a contract with them is imminent. Knott noted that he anticipated the IT and the Stewardship Team would be working closely together going forward. 2:20-2:35 AMEC invoice #3 (report by GLFT grant manager): report (Kalish) Kalish, as manager for the Great Lakes Fishery Trust grant, provided a report to correlate activities performed and detailed in the AMEC invoice #3. The Fishery Trust grant will be paying for all activities in invoice #3 so Kalish s was the only report. However, Amy Beyer noted that the next invoice (#4) will be somewhat more complex as other grant sources would be paying for different components. 2:35-2:50 AMEC update (including FEMA floodplain mapping discussion): report (Sandra Sroonian, Wayne Ingram) Sandra Sroonian provided a brief overview of the past months activities which were also summarized in a report included in the meeting packet (associated with invoice #3). Wayne Ingram joined the conversation regarding the FEMA floodplain mapping effort which was not being delayed by FEMA until the dams were removed. Ingram noted that the local community was responsible for anything that changes the flood profile (as far as corrections to the floodplain mapping). Kalish inquired of Ingram whether or not the IT should attempt to meet with FEMA. Ingram thought it would be prudent to meet with them regarding the Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) and Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) process (CLOMR takes a minimum of three months). This would best be attended by FEMA and local community representatives as well as Gabe Schneider. Action: Sandra Sroonian to make contact with Gabe Schneider (Sen. Levin s office) to set up a meeting with FEMA regarding postponement of the finalization of the floodplain mapping. 4

5 2:50-3:00 Authorization for funds: Sabin Pond (impoundment survey): discussion/decision (Sandra) Sroonian gave a brief explanation of requirement of funding to perform an impoundment survey (Task 1.2.1) at Sabin Pond. Kalish posed the question of which funding source will fund the work. Fessell indicated that BIA funding was imminent suggesting that it could pay for the work. The task and funding was approved with the caveat that AMEC look into whether or not the Army Corps has already performed the work or not. 3:00-3:05 Agenda items for the next meeting: Sea lamprey with regard to Union Street and Sabin Dams 3:05-3:05 Public comment-none. 3:05 Meeting Adjourned 5