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Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan Bay County, Florida September 2, 2014 Prepared by the Bay County RESTORE Act Advisory Committee Approved by the Bay County Board of County Commissioners ---PAGE BREAK--- Photo credits: Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau; lower right photo – Bay Economic Development Alliance ---PAGE BREAK--- 1. Introduction a. Background The Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster caused the death of 11 people and is the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. The long-term effects on the environment and human health are unknown. This tragic event has also led to an unprecedented opportunity for the environment and the economy of the Gulf region. The funding available because of the disaster is intended not only to restore all natural resource and economic damages caused by the disaster, but also to redress other ills of the Gulf and to strengthen the economy of the region. The RESTORE Act was created to help the Gulf of Mexico’s environment and economy recover from the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster and other harmful influences. Signed into law in July 2012, the RESTORE Act (Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act) dedicates 80 percent of all Clean Water Act administrative and civil penalties related to the Deepwater Horizon spill to the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund. This trust fund set up by the RESTORE Act may eventually receive up to $15 billion. In addition to the RESTORE Act, other major Gulf restoration funding sources are available or anticipated in the future. BP advanced $1 billion related to the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process for early restoration, and much more is expected from the regular NRDA process for environmental restoration. Most of Florida’s share of the early restoration funds have been committed to projects. Florida has also filed suit for injuries to the natural resources and environment the state suffered as a result of the oil spill. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation manages the $2.5 billion Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, established through criminal penalty settlements with BP and Transocean, to “remedy harm and eliminate or reduce the risk of future harm to Gulf Coast natural resources”. Florida will receive $356 million from this fund over 5 years; most of the funds are expected to be spent in northwest Florida. The Florida Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against BP and Halliburton to recover $5.5 billion in damages for the State of Florida’s economic losses due to the oil spill. According to the Gulf Coast Economic Corridor Act, 75 percent of the funds from the lawsuit will be expended on economic development in the eight Florida Gulf coastal counties from Escambia to Wakulla. Spent wisely, Gulf restoration funds can do much to restore the health of the Gulf of Mexico and to bolster the economy of the region. This is an unparalleled opportunity for Gulf coastal Florida, especially northwest Florida. And while these various sources will provide much money, the environmental and economic development needs far exceed the funds that will be ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 2 of 18 available. It will be critical to focus on those projects and programs that address the highest priority needs and to focus on those that will have the most impact and provide long-lasting, sustainable progress. In many cases this will be accomplished by participating in regional projects, by securing matching funds and/or by pursuing complementary projects. As we advance through this planning and project selection process, Bay Countians should reflect on what we want our community to be, and how we can use Gulf restoration funds to help us achieve our vision. This will be an ongoing, adaptive process. We will have time to reflect on what is succeeding, what changes are needed, and how we can work with our neighboring counties and states to achieve environmental restoration and economic progress not just for Bay County, but for the entire Gulf. b. Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund The Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, established by the RESTORE Act, has five "pots" of money to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands, and economy of the Gulf Coast region. All Florida Gulf coastal counties will receive a portion of Pot 1, also known as the Direct Component or the Equal-Share State Allocation (35% of the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, 7% to each state). Bay County will receive 11.3% of Florida's Pot 1. This equals 0.79% of the entire amount of the RESTORE funds. These funds can be used for restoration and protection of natural resources, mitigation of damage to fish and wildlife, and workforce development and job creation. Bay County must prepare a Multi-Year Implementation Plan (MYIP, or Plan) before receiving funds. Pot 2 (30% of the trust fund) is controlled by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. Projects to be considered for funding must be nominated by a governor of one of the five Gulf States or one of the six federal entities on the Council. These funds will focus on environmental projects with guidance from the Council’s Comprehensive Plan. The Council adopted five goals to provide the overarching framework for an integrated and coordinated approach for region- wide Gulf Coast restoration and to help guide the collective actions at the local, state, tribal and federal levels. • Restore and Conserve Habitat – Restore and conserve the health, diversity, and resilience of key coastal, estuarine, and marine habitats • Restore Water Quality – Restore and protect water quality of the Gulf Coast region’s fresh, estuarine, and marine waters • Replenish and Protect Living Coastal and Marine Resources – Restore and protect healthy, diverse, and sustainable living coastal and marine resources • Enhance Community Resilience – Build upon and sustain communities with capacity to ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 3 of 18 adapt to short- and long-term changes • Restore and Revitalize the Gulf Economy – Enhance the sustainability and resiliency of the Gulf economy Bay County is a member of the intergovernmental group known as the Florida Gulf Coastal Counties Consortium. The Gulf Consortium will plan how to spend Florida’s share of Pot 3 funds, the Oil Spill Impact-Based Allocation (30% of trust funds). The proportion of Pot 3 coming to Florida is not yet known. Each state will receive at least 5% of Pot 3. Funds can be used on the same types of projects as for Pot 1. Pots 4 and 5 (2.5% each) will be used for research and monitoring through the NOAA Gulf Restoration Science Program and State Centers of Excellence. The amount of money that Bay County will receive through the RESTORE Act is unknown. The main source of funds is anticipated to be the federal lawsuit against BP. The federal government and Transocean have agreed to a partial settlement that will provide $6.3 million to Bay County from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund after the County has an approved Multi-Year Implementation Plan. c. Purpose of the Bay County RESTORE Act Multi-Year Implementation Plan The RESTORE Act requires that all entities receiving Direct Component funds from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund meet certain conditions, including develop and submit a multiyear implementation plan for the use of such amounts, which may include milestones, projected completion of each activity, and a mechanism to evaluate the success of each activity in helping to restore and protect the Gulf Coast region impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill….” Another condition of the RESTORE Act is that projects are selected based on meaningful input from the public, including broad-based participation from individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations….” To meet these conditions, on January 21, 2014, the Bay County Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution 3207 that established the nine-member RESTORE Act Advisory Committee. All Committee meetings are noticed and open to the public; the public is encouraged to attend and provide comments. The Committee was tasked to draft a Multi-Year Implementation Plan and propose criteria to guide the Committee in selecting projects for funding through the trust fund. The Commission directed that the plan contain goals, objectives, and policies to guide the Committee and the Board in selecting projects for funding with RESTORE Act funds, and that the plan contain at least elements for economic development and job creation, the environment, and public infrastructure. ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 4 of 18 The draft Plan and draft project criteria require the review and approval of the Commission. The Committee will also select and recommend projects to the Commission. The Committee is also allowed to make recommendations to the Board about projects to be funded from other sources. In addition, the Committee was tasked to prepare an annual report for to the Board on the activities of the Committee, on the progress made on projects approved by the Board, and on Restore Act funds requested and received. Members of the Bay County RESTORE Act Advisory Committee are: • Neal Wade, representing Bay County Economic Development Alliance • Wayne Stubbs, representing Port Panama City • Kim Bodine, representing CareerSource Gulf Coast • Interim Dean Steve Leach, representing Florida State University Panama City • W.C. Harlow, nominated by Commission Chairman Guy M. Tunnell • Jay Trumbull, nominated by Comm. William T. Dozier • Adam Albritton, nominated by Comm. George B. Gainer • Gail A. Carmody, nominated by Comm. Mike Nelson • Jack Bishop, nominated by Comm. Mike Thomas d. RESTORE Act eligible activities The RESTORE Act requires that Direct Component/Equal-Share State Allocation funds may only be used to carry out specified eligible activities in the Gulf Coast region, including: • Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region • Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources • Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring • Workforce development and job creation • Improvements to or on State parks located in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill • Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure • Coastal flood protection and related infrastructure • Planning assistance • Administrative costs of complying with this subsection • Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing • Promotion of the consumption of seafood harvested from the Gulf Coast Region ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 5 of 18 e. Additional requirements for using Direct Component funds Additional conditions to receive Direct Component money from the trust fund are that a funded project or program is designed to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands, or economy of the Gulf Coast. Also, in the case of a natural resource protection or restoration project, the project must be based on the best available science. “Best available science” is defined in the RESTORE Act as science that maximizes the quality, objectivity, and integrity of information, including statistical information; uses peer-reviewed and publicly available data; and clearly documents and communicates risks and uncertainties in the scientific basis for such projects. The U.S. Treasury rule implementing the RESTORE Act and the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund further described the required components of the Multi-Year Implementation Plan. [Note: the following is based on the draft rule and is subject to change. The format of this draft plan may change, depending on the final rule]. The Plan must describe each program, project, and activity for which it seeks funding. For each program, project, and activity, the Plan must include a description showing need, purpose, and objectives. It must also identify the eligible activity it will undertake and include the project location, budget, milestones, and projected completion dates. The Plan must also specify the criteria to be used to evaluate the success of each activity in helping to restore and protect the Gulf Coast region. Bay County must also indicate whether an application has been made for a grant to fund the program, project, or activity under any other part of the RESTORE Act. In addition, Bay County must provide supporting information that the proposed activities meet the RESTORE Act requirements for eligibility, and that the Plan was made available for public review and comment for a minimum of 30 days. All meaningful input from the public, including broad-based participation from individuals, businesses, Tribal nations, and non-profit organizations, must be considered before each program, project, and activity is adopted. Finally, for each program, project, and activity that is designed to protect or restore natural resources, Bay County must provide information that shows it is based on the best available science. ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 6 of 18 2. Overview a. Mission: The mission of the Bay County RESTORE Act Advisory Committee is to draft a Multi-Year Implementation Plan (MYIP) for the Direct Component funds from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund that meets all the requirements of the RESTORE Act and related rules and accomplishes the tasks set forth in the Bay County Board of County Commissioners’ resolution establishing the Committee. The Committee may also make recommendations to the Board about projects funded from other sources. b. Guiding principles 1. Process a. Meet all RESTORE Act statutory and rule requirements b. Use a transparent process and engage the public c. Use best available information d. Employ adaptive management – consider results and use the information to improve the MYIP and its implementation e. Ensure the MYIP is consistent with the Bay County Comprehensive Plan 2. Strategies a. Determine and focus on high priority projects b. Use Gulf restoration funds on sustainable long-lasting projects or projects that will have positive long-lasting effects c. Favor high impact projects, including environmental, economic and quality of life considerations d. Avoid creating undue future burdens for taxpayers e. Ensure that every recommended project provides a public benefit 3. Funding a. For RESTORE Direct Component funds, favor funding priority projects that do not have adequate sources of funding, such as other Gulf restoration funds or revenue sources from the project that could be used to fund the project b. Use Direct Component funds to leverage other sources of funds for the project or to fund other aspects of high priority projects/objectives c. Annually consider limits and/or maximums to funding for a single project, reserving a portion of funds to support future ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 7 of 18 priority projects, and/or annual allocations of available funds. c. Summary of Needs Bay County is blessed with an outstanding bay system, beautiful beaches and abundant fisheries. It has a solid economy based on tourism, the military and the port. For Bay County to thrive, we need to protect and enhance our environment, and broaden and strengthen our economy. We need healthy uplands and good water quality. Our stormwater system is inadequate and high rain events wash sediments off our unpaved roads. Many areas rely on septic tanks installed in marginal conditions. The sediment, nutrients and pollutants from these sources threaten our drinking water, the bays and the Gulf where we and our visitors swim, fish and recreate. We need to ensure our economic progress by strengthening our existing economic base and broadening it through job training, new and improved infrastructure, and diversification of our economy. Although Bay County has done well with our current economic pillars, a more diversified economy will bring increased prosperity and stability. The Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Direct Component moneys can help Bay County make tremendous progress in these areas. The amount of Direct Component funds will be far from sufficient to accomplish all that is needed. By focusing on the most important projects and leveraging these funds with those from other sources, we can make a significant contribution to Bay County’s future. ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 8 of 18 3. Goals and objectives Overall Goal: Use RESTORE funds to enhance economic development, job creation, the environment and public infrastructure to improve the quality of life and environment for Bay County citizens and visitors. GENERAL STRATEGY: View the environment of the Gulf and St. Andrew Bay and its system as intertwined with and vital to Bay County’s economy and quality of life which, if not maintained in a healthy condition, can cause missed opportunities for new industry, loss of existing industry, tourism and defense-related jobs, loss of natural resource-based jobs, reduction in property values, increased costs of providing infrastructure services, and decline of the community in general. a. Economic Development and Job Creation GOAL: Support the long-term viability, diversity, and sustainability of the economy of Bay County. Objective 1.1: Diversify the economy in areas of aerospace, medical technology, logistics, and advanced manufacturing, tourism development projects and defense. Objective 1.2: Provide or contribute to infrastructure to attract new and technology-based industry - e.g. high-tech infrastructure, hangars/facilities, industrial sites Objective 1.3: Support efforts that expand economic benefits from the airport Objective 1.4: Provide in-demand job training and align training infrastructure resources for those jobs that are in the community or are anticipated Objective 1.5: Establish a flexible workforce development fund able to rapidly respond to specific job-training needs Objective 1.6: Develop and promote additional facilities, attractions, ecotourism opportunities, cultural and heritage resources, and other tourism amenities to foster tourism and economic development Objective 1.7: Support recreation (including improved beach and water access), public transportation (including bike lanes), and opportunities for wage improvements that enhance the quality of life of Bay County residents and visitors. ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 9 of 18 Objective 1.8: Conserve and protect those natural resources that form the basis of the tourist industry. Objective 1.9: Promote recreational Gulf fishing by establishing artificial reefs, highlighting recreational fish species that have fewer catch restrictions, and emphasizing the activity and enjoyment of fishing rather than particular fish species Objective 1.10: Support community resilience planning for locally owned businesses to assist continuity of operations planning for post man-made or natural disasters. b. Environment GOAL: Ensure that the quality of environmental resources of the Gulf and St. Andrew Bay and its system is maintained or improved. Objective 2.1: Improve and protect the St. Andrew Bay watershed water quality and watershed condition taking into consideration the recommendations and priorities in the St. Andrew Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan, the St. Andrew Bay Stormwater Management Plan (2009), and the Northwest Florida Water Management District Gulf restoration projects list, as well as the priority recommendations of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and fishery strategies. Objective 2.2: Improve and protect the water quality of the St. Andrew Bay, its watershed, coastal lakes, and the Gulf near-shore waters by advancing acquisition of lands and restoration of wetlands and uplands in proximity to the Bay Objective2.3: Protect seagrass beds by partnering with organizations to institute a public awareness program to inform residents and visitors about the value and potential threats to seagrass beds Objective 2.4: Increase awareness of the beach and near-shore areas as wildlife habitat Objective 2.5: Support acquisition and active management of properties important to coastal conservation lands in order to protect the natural resources Objective 2.6: Preserve and restore dune systems and living shorelines, including oyster reefs, seagrass beds and marshes, to improve estuarine habitat and water quality, reduce shoreline erosion, increase coastal resilience and minimize the potential damage to life and property caused by coastal storms ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 10 of 18 Objective 2.7: Support projects that contribute to the protection and recovery of protected species listed by the state or federal government and that improve the flexibility of local infrastructure management, development, and business operations. Objective 2.8: Support a sustainable approach to long-term collection of water quality and other important environmental data that can be used as indicators of ecosystem health and recovery and provide information for use in adaptive management. c. Public Infrastructure For this plan, public infrastructure is defined as man-made infrastructure owned by the public and/or for public use. Environmental infrastructure, such as wetlands, the seagrass beds, and other habitats, are included in the Environment section. GOAL: Provide the public infrastructure necessary to protect and enhance the environment, strengthen and diversify the economy, and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors Objective 3.1: Maintain water quality in Deer Point Lake, the local potable water supply, at current levels or better through conservation land acquisition, septic tank removal, stabilization of unpaved roads and fertilizer application education Objective 3.2: Stabilize unpaved roads in Bay County to reduce nutrient and sedimentation input into the St. Andrew Bay system; prioritize efforts based on proximity to water bodies and other factors, including guidance in the St. Andrew Bay SWIM plan. Objective 3.3: Maintain and improve the water quality of the Gulf and the St. Andrew Bay system by upgrading sewage treatment facilities to advanced wastewater treatment levels or greater Objective 3.4: Facilitate replacement of septic tanks with centralized wastewater treatment, prioritizing efforts based on factors including proximity to the bay system, density of septic tanks, age and condition of septic tanks, and soils. Objective 3.5: Maintain and improve the water quality of the Gulf and the St. Andrew Bay system by installing or upgrading stormwater treatment facilities, using the St. Andrew Bay Stormwater Management Plan (2009) and the SWIM plan for guidance and with emphasis on multi-jurisdictional approaches. Objective 3.6: Promote low impact development (LID) practices Objective 3.7: Increase coastal resilience and protect key public assets from coastal flooding ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 11 of 18 Objective 3.8: Support the Port Authority’s efforts to add Port capacity and increase trade, including land acquisition for facilities, expansion of port related infrastructure, continued development of the Intermodal Distribution Center, maintaining and expanding deepwater access, and the capacity to provide alternative fuels ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 12 of 18 4. Bay County Direct Component project evaluation criteria and ranking considerations a. Criteria for eligible projects - a proposed project must meet the all the following criteria in order to be eligible for Bay County’s Direct Component funds: i. Within Bay County or adjacent surface and Gulf waters, or with an identified and strong benefit to the County ii. Addresses one or more RESTORE Act eligible activity iii. Addresses one or more Bay County Multi-Year Implementation Plan objectives iv. Is not fully funded by another source of money v. Has a recognizable public benefit b. Additional ranking considerations i. General 1. Number of RESTORE Act eligible activities clearly addressed 2. Number of County MYIP objectives clearly addressed 3. Provides countywide and/or regional benefits 4. Long term benefits – economic, environmental, social, other – and how direct, how much benefit [quantify as much as possible]; how project addresses the root cause of the issue being addressed 5. Project cost a. Overall cost and demonstrated value b. ongoing costs (maintenance, monitoring, other) i. borne by the County ii. borne by other source, reliability of source 6. Matching funds provided, % of project cost 7. Funding is not readily available from other sources 8. Partnerships 9. Complements other funded projects 10. Best Available Science (for projects designed to protect or restore natural resources ii. Project readiness and feasibility 1. Project implementation readiness – is project ready to start when funded, amount of time anticipated after funding is received that the major work of the project can start, and likelihood of major delays due to factors such as permitting requirements 2. Project feasibility a. Likelihood of obtaining necessary permits b. Likely to complete project 3. Likelihood of project success – will it do what it is proposed to do ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 13 of 18 4. Time to completion of the project – 0-2 yrs, 3-6 yrs, 7-10 years, 11+ years 5. Measuring success of each project/monitoring – ability to measure success using meaningful measures iii. Capacity of applicant who proposes to manage a project 1. Experience in completing similar projects – size, type, cost, length of time 2. Demonstrated applicant experience managing grants and contracts, financial history and track record, etc. 3. Capability to maintain the project after completion – technical, fiscal aspects, organization stability c. RESTORE Act eligible activities - The RESTORE Act requires that Direct Component/Equal-Share State Allocation funds may only be used to carry out specified eligible activities in the Gulf Coast region. See 1.d., above, for list of eligible activities. d. Bay County Multi-Year Implementation Plan Guiding Principles – see 2.b., above. e. Bay County Multi-Year Implementation Plan Goals and Objectives – see 3, above. ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 14 of 18 5. Evaluation and Ranking Process for Proposals for Bay County Direct Component RESTORE Funding a. Pre-proposals solicited from public and governments for a 30-day period b. Pre-proposals received, logged in, acknowledged c. Staff prepares a summary spreadsheet of all proposed projects, determines whether each pre-proposal meets the required eligibility criteria, and compiles a brief evaluation for each project based on guiding principles, objectives, criteria and considerations. (Estimated time for spreadsheet preparation is two weeks, with an additional two weeks for Committee review before the voting meeting.) d. Public comment meeting e. During a Bay County RESTORE Act Advisory Committee meeting, the Committee votes to decide which pre-proposals will advance to full proposal stage. An affirmative vote of at least six committee members is required to advance a pre-proposal. f. Applicants for selected pre-proposals prepare and submit full proposals within a 30-day window g. Staff compiles an evaluation for each proposed project based on guiding principles, objectives, criteria and considerations. (Estimated time for spreadsheet preparation is two weeks, with an additional two weeks for Committee review before the voting meeting.) h. Public comment meeting(s), not the same day as the ranking so as to allow time for Committee members to consider public comments and incorporate the information into each member’s ranking decision i. Second vote and ranking i. Committee votes during a meeting to decide which proposals will be placed on the recommended project list. An affirmative vote of at least six committee members is required to place a proposal on the recommended project list. ii. Committee then ranks projects numerically. Each committee member independently assigns a numerical rank to each project, with the combined ranks from all committee members determining the rank of each project. Votes are made by roll call voice vote during a public Committee meeting. (If there are 15 projects, each committee member ranks the projects from 1 to 15, with being the highest. The project with the lowest combined numerical score will be ranked number one, the project with the second lowest would be ranked number two, etc. Ties would be broken by a motion and approval by the committee.) iii. The total estimated cost of all recommended projects is added up and divided by three. Based on this calculation, the ranked recommended project list is divided into three groups – high priority (highest-ranked ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 15 of 18 projects on the list making up one-third of the total estimated cost of all projects on the list), medium priority (next highest-ranked projects making up one-third of the cost) and low priority projects (lowest-ranked projects making up the final one-third of the cost). iv. The Committee then votes to approve the ranked recommended projects list and submit the list to the Board of County Commissioners j. Recommended projects and ranking are presented to the Board of County Commissioners for review and approval. The Board can add or remove projects and can change the rank of projects. k. Work Plan – Funds anticipated to be available will be restricted for use on projects in the top one-third, or “high priority” group, unless there is a compelling reason to fund a project in the medium or low group. Generally, projects will be funded in order of rank. Notes • Staff provides objective information describing how each project addresses MYIP objectives and ranking criteria and considerations. Staff will not provide quantitative values unless these are very straightforward. • Each committee member ranks all projects on the list from 1 to x based on each committee member’s interpretation as to how well each project addresses eligible activities, guidelines, criteria and considerations in toto, and in relation to other projects being considered and those already on an approved Bay County RESTORE project list. • Conflicts of interest [to be completed later]. ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 16 of 18 Appendix A. Bay County project application description for Direct Component of the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund August 18, 2014 [Note: The material in this appendix will be replaced by the project pre-proposal and full proposal application forms after they are developed.] Guidelines • The amount of funds anticipated to be available in an application cycle may be stated. A maximum amount available for a single project may be established. • Application instructions may state whether phasing, partial funding or progressive funding of projects is allowed and under what conditions. Criteria for eligible projects A proposed project must meet the all the following criteria in order to be eligible for Bay County’s Direct Component funds: 1. Within Bay County or adjacent surface and Gulf waters, or with an identified and strong benefit to the County 2. Addresses one or more RESTORE Act eligible activities 3. Addresses one or more Bay County Multi-Year Implementation Plan objectives 4. Is not fully funded by another source of money 5. Has a recognizable public benefit Pre-proposal – one to two pages • project name • project proposer and contact info • project description including need, purpose, objectives and rationale • RESTORE Act Direct Component/Equal Allocation eligible activity that the project undertakes • Bay County Multi-Year Implementation Plan objectives addressed • location: map, location description, latitude/longitude • estimated cost and what the cost is for; if long term funding needed, indicate anticipated funding source and availability • anticipated outcomes and benefits o economic o environmental o social o other • proposed project manager and experience/competence (experience, capabilities, have they agreed to manage) ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 17 of 18 • time needed to complete the project, anticipated start/stop dates • matching funds o statement whether matching funds are available o amount and percent of estimated project cost o source • partnerships • statement whether funds requested for this project have also been requested from another source, including other parts of the RESTORE Act; if yes, which source, when requested, anticipated decision and date If a pre-proposal is selected for further evaluation, the proposer will be required to complete a more comprehensive proposal. Proposal Proposal to include information required for pre-proposal but in more detail, plus everything required by Treasury rule, plus other information All information provided in pre-proposal, in more detail if needed, plus: • budget sheet – more details Cost by categories, including ongoing costs (maintenance, monitoring, other) that would have to be borne by the County • project milestones • projected completion dates of each phase and overall project • criteria to be used to evaluate the success of each activity in helping to restore and protect the Gulf Coast region • for projects designed to protect or restore natural resources, provide information that shows the project is based on the best available science • public support • anticipated outcomes and benefits and estimated timing and duration of each o economic o environmental o social o other • complements other funded or planned projects Project readiness and feasibility • project implementation readiness – whether project is ready to start when funded – amount of time anticipated after funding is received that the major work of the project can start, and likelihood of major delays due to factors such as permitting requirements • project feasibility o likelihood of obtaining necessary permits o likelihood of completion of project • likelihood of project success – will it do what it is proposed to do ---PAGE BREAK--- Bay County Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Partial Multi-Year Implementation Plan September 2, 2014 Page 18 of 18 • time to completion of the project – 0-2 yrs, 3-6 yrs, 7-10 years, 11+ years • measuring success of each project/monitoring – ability to measure success using meaningful measures • timeline and benchmarks for project For those applicants who propose to manage the proposed project • experience in completing similar projects – size, type, cost, length of time • demonstrated applicant experience managing grants and contracts, financial history and track record, etc. • capability to maintain the project after completion – technical, fiscal aspects, organization stability Photographs of the project area and proposed activities are allowed END OF PARTIAL PLAN. Future sections to include a list of projects and information on recommended projects.