THE PORT EVERGLADES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
This item supports the Broward County Board of County Commissioners’ Value of “[E]nsuring economic opportunities for Broward's diverse population and businesses” and Goal to “[I]ncrease the economic strength and impact of revenue-generating County enterprises balancing economic, environmental, and community needs”.
Section 2106 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA) established a “donor port” program to address disparities between the amount of Harbor Maintenance Tax collected from, and the dollars spent from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund on a port. Ports receiving less than 25% of the taxes collected at that port were designated as “donor ports.” Donor ports may use excess funds to address other navigation infrastructure needs in lieu of federal channel maintenance and/or may reimburse shippers. Original calculations by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers left Broward County short of the donor port threshold. Between 2014 and 2016, Port Everglades Department staff, in collaboration with the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional Standards, were successful in having Section 2106 amended in 2016 to allow Port Everglades to qualify as a donor port.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fiscal Year 2018 Work Plan included $171,000 for Port Everglades as a qualified donor port. Eligible activities include: maintenance dredging of non-Federal berthing areas and access channels; placement of material dredged from berthing areas and access channels; maintenance dredging and placement of legacy-contaminated sediment and sediment unsuitable for open water placement, if such dredging and placement would benefit commercial navigation at the harbor and such sediment is located in and affects the maintenance of a Federal navigation project; necessary engineering, design, and supervision and administration, including hydrographic surveys; dredged material testing and monitoring; permitting; and environmental documentation. The Port Everglades Department intends to utilize the funds in line with the qualified activities.
The Memorandum of Agreement has been approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney, and will be executed by the Federal government after approval by the Board. |