AGENDA TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM POLICY BOARD MEETING ACTION ITEMS. 2. Changes to the agenda Holly Greening

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1 3 DATE/TIME: Friday, November 18, :00 a.m. AGENDA TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM POLICY BOARD MEETING LOCATION: Call to Order Roll Call Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council 4000 Gateway Centre Blvd., Suite 100 Pinellas Park, FL Citizens Comments ACTION ITEMS 2. Changes to the agenda Holly Greening 3. Approval of Minutes of August 19, 2016 Policy Board meeting 4. Acceptance of Financial Reports Ron Hosler (additional information) 5. Acceptance of the Final Agency-Wide Budget Ron Hosler (additional information) Bay Mini-Grants Misty Cladas/CAC Co-Chair (additional information) Recommended Action: Approve funding Bay Mini-Grants based on findings from the Community Advisory Committee. 7. Tampa Bay High Priority Projects Holly Greening (additional information) Recommended Action: a. Approve Tampa Bay High Priority Projects b. Authorize TBEP staff to enter Projects into State RESTORE Projects Portal and NOAA Natural Resources Damage Assessment portal. 8. CCMP Actions Nanette O Hara (additional information) Recommended Action: Preliminary approval of draft Water Quality and Public Education actions in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Tampa Bay.

2 9. CCMP Elements TBEP staff (additional information) 4 Recommended Action: Preliminary approval of CCMP chapters for Financial Strategy and Strategic Plan. 10. Legal Services Contract Holly Greening (additional information) Recommended Action: Approve the legal services contract with Conn & Buenaventura, P.A., to be effective on December 1, Senior Management Class for Program Administrator Holly Greening (additional information) a. Approve Senior Management Service Class for TBEP Program Administrator b. Authorize Executive Director to submit application to designate the current TBEP Program Administrator, Ron Hosler, to Senior Management Service Class. REPORTS 12. Executive Director and Staff Reports TBEP Staff 13. #LoveTampaBay Nanette O Hara DISCUSSION ITEMS 14. Communication Plan elements Holly Greening (additional information) No action required. Input from Board requested. 15. Quarterly Grant Progress Report Ron Hosler (additional information) 16. Board Comments/Announcements INFORMATION ITEMS Upcoming Meetings The next Policy Board meeting will be February 17, 2017 at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. Adjournment Please note that if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the Policy Board with respect to any matter considered at the above cited meeting or hearing he will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, he may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. ** THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC **

3 7 TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM SUMMARY OF POLICY BOARD MEETING DATE/TIME: Friday, August 19, :00 a.m. LOCATION: Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council 4000 Gateway Centre Blvd, Suite 100 Pinellas Park, Florida Councilwoman DiSabatino chaired the meeting. Call Policy Board meeting to order: Mr. Ron Hosler took Roll Call: Commissioner Robin DiSabatino Commissioner Charlie Justice Commissioner Stacy White Ms. Wendy Griffin Councilman Steve Kornell Councilman Bob Cundiff Councilman Guido Maniscalco Commissioner Jack Mariano Ms. Mary Yeargan Ms. Mary Jo Bragan Others in attendance included: Ms. Holly Greening Mr. Ed Sherwood Ms. Misty Cladas Mr. Ron Hosler Ms. Nanette O Hara Dr. Gary Raulerson Ms. Maya Burke Mr. Don Conn Mr. David Westmark Manatee County Pinellas County Hillsborough County Southwest FL Water Mgt. Dist. Governing Board City of St. Petersburg City of Clearwater City of Tampa Pasco County FL Department of Environmental Protection US EPA TBEP TBEP TBEP TBEP TBEP TBEP TBEP TBEP Legal Counsel Co-Chair, Community Advisory Committee Commissioner DiSabatino welcomed Ms. Mary Jo Bragan who is filling in for Mr. Tom McGill from the US EPA and asked for introductions from all the Board members. 1. PUBLIC HEARING ON FY PROPOSED PROGRAM-WIDE BUDGET Commissioner DiSabatino announced this budget hearing is a requirement that has to be completed each August for the budget beginning October 1 st, The budget includes $785k in federal funds, representing $2.4Million total. a. Open Public Hearing

4 8 b. Staff Presentation c. Citizens Comments. No citizens were present to make comment. d. Close Public Hearing 2. General Citizens Comments No citizens were present to make comment. Commissioner DiSabatino welcomed and thanked visitors for their attendance at the meeting. Ms. Holly Greening announced that the recommendations from the prior Management Board meeting are at their places. She also announced that she ll be sending around a digital postcard with information and deadline for submitting a Bay Mini-Grant, so members can forward to their interested parties. Ms. Greening asked members to please gather for a photo. Members had suggestions for advertising the Bay Mini-Grant opportunity, including creating a message on NPR, MNF or other radio station, creating a YouTube video. Councilman Cundiff offered to do any voice-over work, if needed. 3. Approval of changes to agenda None. 4. Approval of Minutes of May 20, 2016 Policy Board meeting Motion by Ms. Wendy Griffin to approve the minutes of the May 20, 2016 Policy Board Meeting and seconded by Commissioner Charlie Justice. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Acceptance of Financial Reports Mr. Hosler explained this report was for the period ending July 31, 2016, nine months into the fiscal year. He asked members to use the handout at their places, which has updates not included in the report sent with their packet. Mr. Hosler explained the footnote was included due to printing of the Lower Tampa Bay Boater s Guide, which recently was completed, but included in the FY 2012/13 budget. There will be adjustments to capital equipment and insurance as those categories were slightly over budget. TBEP has the funds for these items, and will be reflected correctly in the next financial report. Motion by Councilman Cundiff to accept the Financial Reports and seconded by Commissioner Justice. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Adoption of Initial FY16-17 TBEP Program-Wide Budget Mr. Hosler explained that the budget will begin on October 1, 2016; the beginning of the TBEP fiscal year. The personnel column now includes salary dollars for new staff for the entire year as well as a 3% cost of living increase, if approved. This budget year is nearly the same as last fiscal year, with the addition of new staff members. Motion by Ms. Griffin to adopt the Initial FY16-17 TBEP Program-Wide Budget and seconded by Councilman Guido Maniscalco. Motion passed unanimously.

5 9 7. TBERF 2016-Round 2 Projects Approval Ms. Maya Burke explained that this is a re-release for the TBERF funds with a deadline of May 31, The newly submitted projects were reviewed in August by the proposal review team. Funds available for round-2 are $625,000 and TBEP received 9 proposals totaling $897,971 for funding through TBERF. She explained that the handout outlines the 4 projects selected for funding. In addition, the recommended action includes the potential to amend the scope and budget for up to $25,000 if additional funds become available. Motion by Commissioner Justice and seconded by Commissioner Stacy White to: a. Approve the list of projects and budgets for 2016 TBERF-Round 2 awards. b. Authorize Executive Director to enter into contract for the following projects: 1. Eagle Lake with Pinellas County, $150, Fish communities associated with hard bottom habitats with FWC, $80, MacDill AFB saltern habitat with Ecosphere Restoration, $93, Microplastics in Tampa Bay with Eckerd College, $14, c. Authorize Executive Director to amend Scope and Budget (up to $25,000) for contract(s) if additional funds become available. Motion passed unanimously. 8. Approval of the Extension to TBRPC Support Contract Ms. Greening explained this contract provides services such as financial tracking, auditing, payroll support, and conference room use. The contract provides for a 3% increase over last year s cost. Motion by Commissioner Jack Mariano to approve extending contract with TBRPC for accounting and legal support through September 30, 2018 and seconded by Councilman Steve Kornell. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Approval for Extending Monitoring Support Services under the DISTRICT Funded Channels A & G Salinity Barrier Monitoring Project Mr. Ed Sherwood explained this request is to amend the existing contract for the salinity barriers gates on Channels A and G which were left open by SWFWMD and continue to remain open for the purposes of this project. The District plans to leave these barriers in the open position, indefinitely as both SWFWMD and TBEP agree that continued monitoring is necessary. Ms. Greening thanked the District for their cooperation on this project. Motion by Commissioner Stacy White and seconded by Councilman Maniscalco to: a. Authorize Executive Director to amend existing contract with GPI Inc. to extend monitoring in the Channels A & G system for an additional year. b. Authorize Executive Director to amend Scope and Budget ($40,737) for an additional year of monitoring that will include the following Tasks: 1) Rocky Creek

6 10 Hydrographic Survey, 2) Groundwater Monitoring, 3) Fish Sampling, 4) Vegetative Monitoring and 5) Land-Based WQ Sampling. c. Authorize Executive Director to amend the scope and budget (up to $25,000) for additional tasks if additional funds become available. Motion passed unanimously. 10. Approval for Evaluation of TBEP Outreach Activities Ms. Greening explained this project is the first step in the Communication Plan and will help to determine if current TBEP programs are successful. Results of this evaluation will be used to increase effectiveness of future programming and targeted audiences. Ms. Greening explained that the cost, $20,000 will be paid from uncommitted specialty license plate funds. Motion by Councilman Maniscalco and seconded by Commissioner Mariano to: a. Approve up to $20,000 from uncommitted Tampa Bay Estuary license plate revenues to support an evaluation of TBEP outreach activities b. Authorize TBEP to issue a Request for Bids to evaluate TBEP Outreach activities. c. Authorize TBEP Executive Director to enter into agreement with the winning bidder. Motion passed unanimously. 11. Preliminary Approval of CCMP Actions for Wastewater, Freshwater Inflow, Atmospheric Deposition and Stormwater Ms. Nanette O Hara announced that she would be reviewing 7 actions today with 8 actions remaining. The Management Board recommended the Policy Board preliminarily approve draft final actions for inclusion in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Tampa Bay, with the following recommendations: WW-1 Expand the Beneficial Use of Reclaimed Water Add to Activity 1: Evaluate constituents of reclaimed water that would limit the beneficial use of reclaimed water in the region Move text in background addressing Emerging Contaminants of Concern to WW-1 status section and reference link to TX-4 actions Remove Activity 6 from WW-1 action; Move to TX-4 (modify title of that action plan from Toxic contaminants to Emerging Contaminants or Contaminants of Concern ) PB addition: Develop alternative strategies for reclaimed water distribution based on these evaluations SW-1 Reduce Nitrogen Runoff from Urban Landscapes Strategy OK PB addition: Note need to monitor state legislation that may impact local implementation

7 11 SW-8 Expand Adoption and Implementation of Best Management Plans on Farms Revise and expand title: Expand Adoption and Implementation of Best Management Plans for Commercial and Urban Agriculture Note that FDEP is aligning rules w/ new EPA requirements for electronic reporting for facilities with NPDES permits SW-10 Expand Use of Green Infrastructure Practices Strategy OK AD-1 Continue to Reduce Nitrogen Loading from Atmospheric Deposition Strategy OK FI-1 Maintain Seasonal Freshwater Flows in Rivers Strategy OK PB addition: Note in background the need to monitor Impacts of Bridge construction on freshwater flows in Manatee/Braden River systems PH-5 Reduce Pollution from Recreational Boaters Strategy OK Motion passed unanimously. 12. Approval of MOU for the Florida Estuaries Alliance Ms. Greening stated this partnership is between the 4 NEPs, the 3 National Estuarine Research Reserves and the 41 State Aquatic Preserves, which covers roughly half of the Florida coastline. TBEP as well as the other partners will be better poised to attract funds for partner projects in a combined effort. The Alliance would develop Legislative agenda items for the next session. Ms. Greening stated that all 4 NEP Directors have approved the MOU. The NERRS and Aquatic Preserves could not sign the MOU due to their involvement with the State. Motion by Councilman Kornell and seconded by Ms. Griffin to: a. Approve the Florida Estuaries Alliance MOU in substantially the same form as attached b. Authorize TBEP Executive Director to revise the Potential Partners list, if needed c. Authorize TBEP Executive Director to sign the Florida Estuaries Alliance MOU Motion passed unanimously. 13. Approval of selection process for Tampa Bay Priority Projects Ms. Greening stated that projects from the areas within Manatee, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties may submit up to 5 priority projects. Ms. Greening stated that many of the projects in the SWFRERP may no longer be each entity s priority or the project many already be complete, so entities would want to review the SWFRERP list as a starting point. She stated that having this list will be position partners to move quickly should funds become available.

8 12 Entities should submit priority projects by September 16, Ms. Greening explained that the selection process for the projects is included in the packet. The working group will rank the projects based on goals and categories also outlined in the packet materials as well as identify any projects not suitable for this funding list. Motion by Commissioner Justice and seconded by Councilman Kornell to Approve selection process for Tampa Bay Region Priority Projects list. Motion passed unanimously. 14. Executive Director and Staff Reports Ms. Greening announced that staff reports were at members places. 15. Strategic Plan Updates Ms. Greening stated that due to time constrains, the Strategic Plan update presentation will be deferred until the November meeting. 16. Executive Director Performance Evaluation process Following discussion, Commissioner DiSabatino informed the Executive Director of a 5% increase in salary for her and a 3% merit salary increase for staff starting October 1, The Board reiterated that the Director should ensure that all staff was also compensated, and encouraged the use of the $10,000 set aside for staff. 17. Quarterly Progress Report to the Boards Mr. Ron Hosler reminded members the quarterly progress report is in their packet, and is for information purposes Management and Policy Board Dates Mr. Hosler asked members to note that the November, 2016 meeting dates will occur back to back due to the holiday. 19. Board Comments/Announcements An announcement was made that FDEP will host an open house and invited TBEP to have a table at their event being help September 28, 2016 from 9:00 am to 2:00pm. An announcement was made that National Estuaries Week is coming up and TBERF will celebrate its funding partners on Friday, September 23, Meeting adjourned at 12:37 p.m. Next Policy Board meeting will be November 18, 2016 at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

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12 17 Agenda Item #6 Policy Board November 18, Bay Mini-Grants Action: Approve funding Bay Mini-Grants as recommended by the Executive Director based on findings from the Community Advisory Committee. Background: This past fiscal year the TBEP received approximately $85,000 in license tag revenue and interest for Bay Mini-Grant funding. This year we received 38 proposals totaling $169,000 for the application period ending September 1st. Each proposal has been reviewed and scored by the CAC Bay Mini-Grants Judging Committee. The attached documents summarize the applications received and the 21 proposals recommended for full funding totaling $85, If you would like to see a copy of any of the project proposals, please contact Misty at or misty@tbep.org and she will gladly fax or send you a scanned copy by .

13 /2017 BAY MINI-GRANTS RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BASE ON FINDINGS FROM COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (November 17/18, 2016) This year $85,000 was available to fund Bay Mini-Grant projects. TBEP received 38 applications totaling $169,000 in funding requests. This list contains the 21 grant applications that were recommended by the Executive Director using findings supplied by the Community Advisory Committee. 1. Around the Bend Nature Tours $3, Protecting our Watershed through Bird Education With this grant, students will learn about Tampa Bay watershed and the importance of protecting the watershed to protect the wildlife. This will be accomplished by providing 7 field trips to Felts Preserve for 3rd graders in Manatee Co. Students will rotate through 3 activities during the trip. Funds awarded will provide for 5 field trips. 2. Audubon Florida, Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries $5, History of Tampa Bay Conservation A Bird s-eye View The six-month exhibit, scheduled from June through December 2017 at the Tampa Bay History Center (TBHC), will present the History of Conservation in Tampa Bay with the focus on its avifauna. The 1,300 square foot exhibit room provides ample space for wall- and free-standing displays, and video/sound projections to tell the stories of Tampa Bay s natural history and the pivotal people who initiated bird conservation activities. 3. Bayou Outdoor Learning and Discovery, Inc. $3, aka Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center Educational Program Upgrades The Collecting Pond project will allow our rotation station program to have a more realistic critter netting experience than can be done with the time and group size constraints we currently experience. The Wildlife Blind will convert our pavilion into a place where students can gather to watch the wildlife outside with less intrusion. The Floating Observation Platforms will allow more visitors to discover the wonders of the river to embrace stewardship and protection of the Little Manatee River. 4. Blue Turtle Green Bird Society $3, Blue Green Fleet Keeps Waters Neat The goals of this project are: 1) Use kayaks for BTS and Watergoat cleanups; 2) Loan and deliver kayaks to small organizations for their waterway cleanups; 3) Collect, analyze, and make available data on marine debris collection amounts and locations. 5. Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, Inc. $2,975.00

14 19 Great Bay Great Futures Implement and increase our environmental programming through field trips. Teach fish and wildlife conservation and its importance, as well as increase knowledge of invasive species and water quality. Kayak trips, crab inquiry field trip and dip netting trips will provide an opportunity for participants to venture outside their neighborhoods. 6. Canterbury School of Florida $3, Tampa Bay Plastic Pollution Project The primary goal of this project is to engage students in active science research projects on marine debris and micro plastics in Tampa Bay. This project will be incorporated into established dolphin research cruises that occur monthly with Canterbury students and Eckerd College students and professors. The proposed project will involve students in grades kindergarten through twelve at the Canterbury School of Florida, students in grades 3 through 5 at Shoreacres Elementary and college students from Eckerd College. 7. Crescent Lake Neighborhood Association $3, Littoral Wetland Enhancement at Crescent Lake: Building on Success The grant addresses fish and wildlife conservation by providing a robust model of volunteer activism for the sole purpose of enhancing native biological diversity and increasing ecological support functions of the lake. Prior work has created and restored habitats that would otherwise not exist given the status quo of maintaining an open and un-vegetated shoreline. This project s goal is further the improvements in the lake by removing non-native plant species and expand the installation of a diverse flora of native littoral vegetation around the perimeter of the lake. 8. Ecosphere Restoration Institute $5, Ulele Springs Flow Enhancement Project In 2014 Ecosphere spearheaded the restoration of Ulele Spring; restoring the natural spring run from the existing spring boil to the Hillsborough River. This successful restoration project now supports over 25 species of native fish and also manatees. This third spring currently flows through the adjacent stormwater system. The objective of this is project is to capture this third spring flow and deliver this flow into the recently restored spring run. This additional flow will ensure that the all of the available natural spring flows are delivered through the recently restored spring run. 9. Florida Southern College $4, Fostering Ecosystem Awareness by Examining Macroinvertebrate Community Structure in Tampa Bay This project seeks to establish an initial baseline for continued monitoring of macroinvertebrate community structure which will be used to evaluate Bay-wide restoration efforts. Student volunteers will be taught data collection techniques and educated to become future conservationists for Tampa bay. Likewise, by learning the connectivity between overall Bay

15 20 health and macroinvertebrate communities, students will become ambassadors for the Bay, capable of scientifically discussing ecosystem health by examining bioindicators. 10. Friends of DeSoto National Memorial Park Inc. $3, DeSoto National Memorial Park Shoreline Reconstitution The DeSoto shoreline project is needed to stop the erosion of the shoreline. Sections are slowly disappearing and need to be reinforced by native plants and riprap. The size and mass of the riprap material absorbs the impact energy of waves, while the gaps between the riprap traps and slows the flow of water, lessening its ability to erode soil or structures. Native plants will be purchased as replacements for the plants that have either died or washed away due to erosion. 11. Gulf Beaches Elementary Magnet School, PTA $3, Coastal Woodlands Restoration Our goal is to revive this area and continue educating students & families about native species and their value to the Tampa Bay. This natural agricultural layout will educate the students on how the plants and animals depend on this habitat for survival. Our goal is to have a natural school environment that will continue to teach throughout Tampa Bay. 12. Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Inc. $5, Educating "We All Live Downstream" Watershed Communities For this project, habitat beautification, litter prevention, and maintenance of the natural environment will be incorporated into customized education curriculum with biannual cleanups targeted for kids. The project will provide a strong foundation on the topics of discussion while incorporating practical hands on application of the proposed solutions in the field. 13. Manatee School for the Arts $5, Exploring and Conserving Tampa Bay Through Field Work, Interactive Art Infused Notes and Labs The main goal of this project is to engage and educate the marine science students of Manatee School for the Arts (MSA) through hands-on curriculum, not only in the classroom, but in and around Tampa Bay. The students will become stewards and knowledgeable scientists of Florida s largest estuary through field trips to Tampa Bay Watch and the Florida Aquarium, as well as creating an interactive, art infused binder that will assist the students in the classroom. 14. Mulrennan Middle School Science Club $2, Tampa Bay Restoration Science Club students will actively participate in the restoration of Tampa Bay by maintaing a Spartina alternifloran nursery, on campus, that houses approximately 100 square feet of bay grass. This grass will be harvested and divided. Half of the plants will be replanted in the nursery to regenerate. The other half will be planted in Tampa Bay by students, teachers and parent volunteers.

16 NAUI Green Diver Initiative $5, Gasp-Our Beads of Tampa Bay A nod to the 101-year old Gasparilla flotilla and parade tradition of throwing bead necklaces and a direct reflection of our sentiments on the issue of plastic bead necklaces in Tampa Bay. In its early years the Gasparilla flotilla and parade Krewes only tossed glass beads, but over time and with increased popularity the inexpensive plastic bead necklace has stayed. Sinking plastic bead necklaces has thus become an out of sight, out of mind issue for Bay health. We will work with local middle school and high school students from SCUBAnauts International to aid in collecting data from our survey dives. 16. One More Generation (OMG) $2, OneLessStraw Pledge Campaign Did you know that every day in America, we are using 500,000,000 (no that s not a typo) plastic straws and that none ever get recycled? That is enough plastic straws to fill 127 school busses every day of the year. This is a three-pronged approach targeting schools, restaurants and using social media to create a change in behavior by asking people to take a pledge to not use plastic straws. 17. START Solutions to Avoid Red Tide $5, Gulf Coast Oyster Recycle and Renewal This project will launch a Manatee County fresh oyster shell recycling effort to help restore the coastal ecosystem and improve water quality of Tampa Bay. Shell collection will occur at restaurants located in Anna Maria and Longboat Key; shell recycling and seeding activities will occur at Perico Preserve and/or Robinson Preserve in Bradenton. At a minimum 2400 gallons of shell will be returned to the Tampa Bay natural habitat, based upon three months of shell collection, with one collection from each restaurant per week (16 pickups). 18. Tampa Bay Watch, Inc. $5, Safety Harbor Community Wetland Enhancements A partnership with the City of Safety Harbor, is proposing to conduct several plantings at the new Safety Harbor Waterfront Park. The area targeted is part of a two phase project for the city and the proposed planting site is part of phase 2. The site will be cleared of invasive species and the area will be graded for wetland habitat specifically Spartina alterniflora or smooth cordgrass. Students from Bay Grasses in Classes along with volunteers will plant native grasses in the cleared areas. 19. The Shores of Long Bayou HOA $5, Sweep the Street in Front of Your Own Home Education and restoration at the Shores of Long Bayou community. Invasive plants will be removed; litter will be cleared out as the community works towards an invasive species-free

17 27 Bay Mini-Grants /2017 ID No. Organization Project Title Funded Yes/No Amount Requested Amount Funded County Project Will Take Place Education/ Restoration CCMP Goal 1 Around the Bend Nature Tours Protecting our Watershed through Bird Education YES $4, $3, Manatee Education PE Audubon of Florida History of Tampa Bay Conservation-A Bird's Eye View YES $5, $5, Hillsborough Education PE Bayou Outdoor Learning and Educational Program Updates YES $5, $3, Hillsborough Education PE Blue Turtle Green Bird Society Blue Green Fleet Keeps Waters Neat YES $3, $3, All Restoration BH Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee Great Bay Great Futures YES $2, $2, Manatee Education PE Buchanan Middle School Aquaponics at Buchanan Middle School no $2, $0.00 Hills., Manatee Education PE Canterbury School of Florida Tampa Bay Plastic Pollution Project YES $3, $3, Pinellas Education PE Chart 411 Every Day is Earth Day Website Development no $5, $0.00 All Education PE Creekside Preserve Pond Restoration Creekside Preserve no $3, $0.00 Manatee Both PE-1-04, BH Crescent Lake Neighborhood Littoral Wetland Enhancements: Building Success YES $3, $3, Pinellas Both PE-1-04, BH Ecosphere Restoration Institute Ulele Springs Flow Enhancement Project YES $5, $5, Hillsborough Both PE-1-04, BH Florida Department of Estuary and Environmental Awareness Utilizing Augmented Reality no $5, $0.00 All Education PE Florida Southern College Fostering Ecosystem Awareness by Examining Macroinvertebrate YES $4, $4, All Education PE Friends of DeSoto National DeSoto National Memorial Park Shoreline Restoration YES $3, $3, Manatee Restoration BH Gulf Beaches Elementary Magnet Coastal Woodlands Restoration YES $5, $3, Pinellas Both PE-1-04, BH Gulfport Food Forest Educational Outreach Project no $4, $0.00 Pinellas Education PE Keep Manatee Beautiful, Inc. Enhancing and Restoring Palma Sola Scenic Highway Shoreline no $5, $0.00 Manatee Restoration BH Keep Pinellas Beautiful,Inc. Educating "We All Live Downstream" Watershed Communities YES $5, $5, Pinellas Both PE-1-04, BH Manatee County BOCC Public Check Out Tampa Bay Fishing no $3, $0.00 Manatee Education PE Manatee School for the Arts Exploring and Conserving Tampa Bay Through Field Work, Interactive YES $5, $5, Manatee Education PE Mulrennan Middle School Science Tampa Bay Restoration YES $2, $2, Hillsborough Both PE-1-04, BH Nature's Academy STEM Literacy Project no $4, $0.00 Pinellas Both PE-1-04, BH NAUI Green Diver Initiative Gasp-Our Beads of Tampa Bay YES $4, $5, Hillsborough Both PE-1-04, BH One More Generation (OMG) OneLessStraw Pledge Campaign YES $5, $2, All Education PE Palmetto Youth Center HYPED for the Environment no $4, $0.00 Manatee Education PE Pasco County Stormwater Stormwater Calendar no $4, $0.00 Pasco Education PE START Solutions to Avoid Red Gulf Coast Oyster Recycle and Renewal YES $5, $5, Manatee Both PE-1-04, BH Sun City Center Audubon Club Exotic species removal from Sun City Center Canal no $5, $0.00 Hillsborough Restoration BH Suncoast Surfrider Foundation Blue Water Task Force Pilot Program no $5, $0.00 Pinellas Education PE Tampa Bay Watch, Inc. Safety Harbor Community Wetland Enhancements YES $5, $5, Pinellas Both PE-1-04, BH The Florida Aquarium Adaptions of the Estuary no $3, $0.00 Hillsborough Education PE The Foundation for Sustainable Sustainable Family Farm no $5, $0.00 Pinellas Both PE-1-04, BH The Shores of Long Bayou HOA Sweep the Street in Front of Your Own Home YES $5, $5, Pinellas Both PE-1-04, BH The Sustany Foundation Student training and community outreach through the 2017 Tampa no $5, $0.00 All Education PE Tutoring Incentives and Mentoring Success Via Tutoring no $4, $0.00 Hillsborough Education PE UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas Reducing Microplastics in the Tampa Bay Area YES $4, $5, Pinellas & Education PE Wildlands Conservation Bat Diversity and Abuncance in the Tampa Bay Watershed YES $4, $4, Pin., Hills., Education PE Women of Water Fishing Catches On no $5, $0.00 Pinellas Education PE-1-04 $168, $85, County break-out of projects received/funded Received Recommended for funding Percent Funded per County Total all county projects % Total all Hillsborough county projects % Total all Pinellas county projects % Total all Manatee county projects % Total all Pasco county projects 1 0 0% Total all projects received %

18 29 Agenda Item #7 Policy Board November 18, 2016 Tampa Bay High Priority Projects Action Recommended: a. Approve Tampa Bay High Priority Projects b. Authorize TBEP staff to enter Projects into State RESTORE Projects Portal and NOAA NRDA Portal Background: With the recent final judge s order to approve the BP settlement, Round 2 of the RESTORE funds will likely become available within the next year. In addition, the Tampa Bay area may be eligible to receive funds for projects which address impacts to the Gulf through the Full Natural Resource Damage Assessment and the National Fish and Wildlife Federation s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. State and federal priorities for these potential funding sources focus on water quality, habitat and other improvement projects and programs. The Florida Estuaries Alliance will also include high priority projects to restore and protect estuarine waters and watersheds. In August 2016, the Policy Board approved the selection criteria and process for projects submitted for inclusion in the Tampa Bay Region High Priority Projects list. This will help ensure that the Tampa Bay region is prepared to be as competitive as possible for these potentially large funding opportunities and others as they become available. Eligible projects include those proposed by local and state governments, NGOs, and academic institutions within the geographic areas of Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough and Manatee counties. Each entity is allowed to submit no more than 5 projects. Revised project proposals will be reviewed by the Review Committee on Friday, November 4 th. The findings of the Review Committee will be provided at the Board meetings in November. 1

19 31 Agenda Item #8 Policy Board November 18, 2016 Preliminary Approval of Draft CCMP Actions Action Recommended: Preliminary approval of five actions as part of revision of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for Tampa Bay. Background: TBEP continues to update the CCMP, with actions being revised quarterly. Five draft actions are presented for Board review at the November meeting. These actions incorporate reviews from the Technical Advisory Committee, Agency on Bay Management, Community Advisory Committee and individual/departmental reviewers from various agencies and organizations. The draft actions have been posted on the tbeptech.org website, and publicized through various committees and lists. WATER AND SEDIMENT QUALITY: NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT WQ-1 Implement the nutrient management strategy for Tampa Bay WQ-3 Reduce frequency and duration of Harmful Algal Blooms PUBLIC ACCESS PA-1 Provide Public Access and Manage Recreational Uses of the Bay PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND EDUCATION PE-1 Promote public involvement in bay restoration and protection PE-2 Promote public education about key issues affecting the bay Draft Actions incorporating Technical Advisory Committee and Agency on Bay Management feedback follow. 1

20 59 Agenda Item #9 Policy Board November 18, 2016 Preliminary Approval of CCMP Elements Action Recommended: Preliminary approval of CCMP chapters for Strategic Plan and Financial Strategy Background: In addition to the Actions, a number of other elements are required for inclusion in the final updated Tampa Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, as listed in the attached Outline. The Strategic Plan was initially approved in 2014, following a day-long working session with the Policy and Management Board. As noted, the Strategic Plan is a living document, to be updated as the Plan is implemented and new priorities are approved. The attached version of the Strategic Plan has been updated to include progress to date on a number of issues identified in The Financial Strategy outlines the diversified sources of funding developed and approved by the TBEP Boards over the last 10 years, supporting programmatic needs and CCMP implementation. TBEP staff request input and preliminary approval of these two elements of the CCMP. 1

21 60 Charting The Course: The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Tampa Bay (Outline) Acknowledgments About Charting The Course Management and Policy Board Members TABLE OF CONTENTS Action Plans Water and Sediment Quality Water Quality (2 actions) Stormwater Runoff (3 actions) Atmospheric Deposition (1 action) Wastewater (4 actions) Contaminants of Concern (2 actions) Public Health (3 actions) Bay Habitats Habitat Restoration/Protection (8 actions) Freshwater Inflow (1 action) Fish and Wildlife (4 actions) Dredging and Dredge Material Management (2 actions) Spill Prevention and Response (2 actions) Invasive Species (1 action) Public Involvement and Education (2 actions) Public Access (1 action) Climate Change (2 actions) Local Implementation of CCMP Goals and Targets (1 action) Strategic Plan Financial Strategy Research and Monitoring Priorities Climate Change Vulnerability Analysis Communications Plan References 2

22 91 IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN This chapter describes how the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for Tampa Bay will be implemented by local governments, agencies and other bay stakeholders, and discusses financing mechanisms to ensure that the goals of the Plan are achieved. ACTION PLANS Charting The Course presents a comprehensive slate of actions to assist TBEP s partners in selecting bay improvement strategies that are the most cost-effective and environmentally beneficial for their communities. The original 1996 Charting The Course document included action plans for five key areas: Water & Sediment Quality, Bay Habitats, Fish & Wildlife, Dredging & Dredged Material Management and Spill Prevention & Response. A sixth action plan outlined strategies for continued Public Education and Involvement. Two additional action plans were added to the 2006 update of Charting The Course: Invasive Species and Public Education and Involvement. This updated version of Charting The Course features revised strategies for many of the 38 actions in the 2006 Plan, reflecting progress toward implementing the original objectives of the action or, in some cases, a recognition that a different approach is needed. Some similar actions with common themes, strategies or target audiences have been merged and a few have been eliminated altogether either because they are now considered complete as originally written or because they are no longer deemed necessary or feasible. Three additional action plans were added to the 2017 update of Charting the Course: Climate Change, Public Access and Local Implementation. These additions reflect new or emerging issues not identified as priorities during development of the 2006 Plan. Action plans for Tampa Bay identify a range of strategies that allow local communities to maximize return on their investment in bay recovery and protection. Many actions also achieve multiple objectives, such as pollution prevention and water conservation. Each action plan summarizes the topic and its present status, presents specific management objectives, and includes a Strategy to guide implementation of the action over the next five years. THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT In 1998, local government and regulatory partners of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program formally affirmed their commitment to implementing the goals of Charting The Course through the adoption of a precedent-setting Interlocal Agreement. The agreement, the first of its kind among the nation s 28 NEPs, represented a binding pledge by TBEP s major partners to work together to achieve bay recovery targets. The 1998 Interlocal Agreement also established the Tampa Bay Estuary Program as an Independent Special District

23 92 under Florida Statutes; spelled out the governance structure of the program, and established funding contributions by the signatories based on population. In 2015, the Interlocal Agreement was revised and restated to update or delete components deemed necessary by the Policy Board. In late 2015, Pasco County and the Manatee County Port Authority joined TBEP by executing a Joinder to the 2015 Interlocal Agreement, further strengthening the regional partnership. A key component of the update included a revised funding schedule and dues of our local government partners. The changes in funding are listed below. Other highlights of the 2015 agreement include: Participation by local governments, regulatory agencies and other organizations with a stake in the bay s health. The seven largest local governments in the Tampa Bay region the counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Pasco and the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater -- are parties to the agreement, along with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The Tampa Port Authority, Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County, Florida Wildlife Commission s Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Tampa Bay Water, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and Manatee County Port Authority are also signatories. A separate agreement was signed by the Region 4 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, defining its support for implementing the Plan. The TBEP partners agree to work together to collectively address CCMP Goals, and adopted measurable and achievable goals to maintain important water quality and seagrass gains, and issues that must be addressed to sustain a healthier bay that will support both recreation and commerce, as defined in the CCMP. FINANCING THE PLAN TBEP has historically and will continue to pursue at least eight separate avenues to secure funding or in-kind support to finance operation of the base program and to advance implementation of the CCMP. The updated financing plan includes a balance of both dedicated and variable funding sources at federal, state, and local levels as well as private and non-profit sources. The major objectives of the financing strategy are: Developing dedicated sources of funding to sustain the base operations of the TBEP, including personnel, administrative cost, community outreach, environmental monitoring, and technical support.

24 93 Securing dedicated and variable sources of funding that enhance implementation of the CCMP and maintain adequate progress toward bay restoration goals. Dedicated Funding Sources Currently, the following four funding sources provide dedicated or reasonably secure funding to support the base program and/or enhance CCMP implementation. Federal NEP Funding. In 2016, Congress and the President signed into law the first reauthorization of the National Estuary Program (NEP) since it expired in 2010, supporting the community-based conservation efforts of Tampa Bay and the 27 other estuaries that are part of the NEP family. The new law authorizes spending up to $26.5 million per year nationwide for the next five years, with 80% of the annual appropriations dedicated for NEP field programs. This reauthorization equates to a maximum of about $757,000 per NEP per year for the next 5 years, if annual appropriations equaled the authorized amount. In view of the popularity of the NEP within Congress and recent appropriation amounts, it is reasonably safe to expect that TBEP will not receive less than $500,000 to $600,000 each year in federal funding through Sec. 320 CWA through Funding Commitments in 2015 Interlocal Agreement. The Interlocal Agreement (IA) through which the CCMP is implemented obligates local government and agencies partners to fund TBEP costs approved by the Policy Board in the annual program budget. A key component of the 2015 IA update included a revised funding schedule and dues from local partners. The revised funding strategy calls for a minimum increase in annual dues of 2.5% per year for 5 years for those member governments contributing to the Tampa Bay Environmental Fund, and slightly higher annual dues for those members that do not contribute to TBERF. This funding commitment will allow TBEP to keep up with inflation and continue to provide support to our partners. When coupled with the anticipated federal NEP allocation administered through EPA and other external grants, local government and agency cash contributions are expected to meet the amount required to fully support program operations through Specialty License Plate. Revenue from the Tampa Bay Estuary specialty license plate has generated more than $2,000,000 since 2000, the first full year of plate sales. The Policy Board is authorized under the state law that created the Tampa Bay Estuary plate to use those funds for any types of projects that contribute to CCMP implementation. Over the last 10 years, the majority of these funds have been authorized to support TBEP s successful Bay Mini-Grant Program. Bay Mini-Grants generate tens of thousands of dollars in matching funds and in-kind services. Up to 10% of TBEP s annual portion of the Tampa Bay Estuary tag revenues can be used for administration of the grant program (typically about $8,000 per year). Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund. TBERF is a partnership of Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Restore America s Estuaries, local governments and private industry. TBERF was created to raise funds for projects that help advance implementation of the CCMP. From , TBERF awarded more than $2.8 million in grants for projects throughout the bay area that contribute to CCMP implementation. These projects leveraged an additional $8 million in

25 94 project implementation costs. TBEP staff are actively exploring opportunities to increase contributions to the Fund from public and private entities in the Tampa Bay region. TBERF administrative fees have generated between $30,000 and $40,000 per year since Variable Funding Sources The following funding sources supplement CCMP implementation through local action plans of TBEP partners, grants, cooperative agreements, and other mechanisms. While variable from year to year, they represent significant funding sources for TBEP and its partners. External Grants and Cooperative Agreements. TBEP staff have had significant success partnering with federal, state and local agencies to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for developing management tools and for research, environmental monitoring, habitat restoration, water quality improvement and environmental education projects as called for in the CCMP. Funding sources for these external grants include FDOT, USFWS, NOAA, EPA, and SWFWMD. TBEP will continue to pursue these opportunities as a means of financing priority research, monitoring, and resource management needs. RESTORE funds from Deepwater Horizon oil spill fines and penalties TBEP currently has seven projects on the approved priority funding list for RESTORE funds. The seven projects total $2,000,000 and include $100,000 for TBEP as project coordinators. Several of our local partners have also submitted projects for other RESTORE funds that meet our CCMP objectives. Non-Federal Overmatch Fund. TBEP maintains a Non-Federal Overmatch Fund that provides a source of matching funds for grants helping to implement the CCMP and serves as a contingency fund for continuing program operations in the event a major funding source is lost. Expenses which cannot be paid for with federal money such as the program s dues to the Association of National Estuary Programs are also funded from the Overmatch Fund. The fund balance as of May 2016 was about $384,000.

26 95 Agenda Item #10 Policy Board November 18, 2016 Legal Services Contract Recommended Action: Approve the legal services contract with Conn & Buenaventura, P.A., to be effective on December 1, Background: Since May, 2007, Donald Conn has served as General Counsel to the TBEP under an informal letter agreement with the TBRPC. On December 1, he will be leaving his current firm, Pennington, P.A., and starting his own firm to be known as Conn & Buenaventura, P.A. It is appropriate at this time for TBEP to enter into a formal legal services contract with Mr. Conn for General Counsel services. Under this legal services contract, there will be no change in the terms and conditions of his services that have been in effect since 2007, except that the contract will be for a specified term that ends on December 31, A draft contract is attached.

27 101 Agenda Item #11 Policy Board November 18, 2016 Senior Management Service Class for Program Administrator Action: a. Approve Senior Management Service Class for TBEP Program Administrator; b. Authorize Executive Director to submit application to designate the current TBEP Program Administrator, Ron Hosler, to Senior Management Service Class. Background: The Department of Management Services has adopted Rule 60S , Florida Administrative Code, which designates a Senior Management Service Class for positions which meet the following requirements: a. The position must be managerial or policymaking; and b. The position must be the head of an organizational unit, or responsible for effecting or recommending personnel, budget, expenditure, or policy decisions in its area of responsibility; and c. The position must be one in which the employee filling the position is not subject to continuing contract and does not have civil service protection, that is, is subject to termination without cause. Responsibilities of the Program Administrator for the TBEP include: - Manages all EPA grants in coordination with the National and Regional EPA Project Officers to ensure that all grant reporting requirements, documentation, and tracking are done on a timely and accurate basis. - Designated the Interim Executive Director and manages program staff and operations when Executive Director is not available. - Overall management responsibility for administration and budgetary expenditures of all grants and cooperative agreements. - Works with TBEP attorney and TBEP Executive Director to create formal contracts and intergovernmental agreements, and processes them for execution ensuring that all federal and state requirements are met. - Human resources coordinator responsible for personnel recommendations and actions. - Prepares and processes all purchase orders, contracts, TBEP accounts payable, and requests for subcontractor payments, ensuring that all federal and state requirements are adhered to. - Assists with the setting up of general TBEP meetings and arrangements as required. - Assists Executive Director in establishing Annual Workplan and Agency-wide budgets; responsible for annually recommending required funding for budget line items for action by the Executive Director and Policy Board, and managing budget expenditures throughout the fiscal year; recommends budget amendments which necessary. - Coordinates Management and Policy Board meetings, scheduling, notices, and agendas. - Manages all RFP and bid processes.