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 2001 OCS Scientific Committee Meeting
Summary
Sand Gravel Update Program Status Update
Ms. Carol Hartgen, Chief of INTERMAR, presented a program status update on the Sand and
Gravel Program.
Carol Hartgen presents her speech to the SAC.
NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS
Public Law 103-426, enacted October 31, 1994, gave the MMS the authority to
convey, on a non- competitive basis, the rights to OCS sand, gravel, or shell resources
for shore protection, beach or wetlands restoration projects, or for use in construction
projects funded in whole or part or authorized by the Federal Government. The Shore
Protection Provisions of the Water Resource Development Act of 1999 (S. 507 as passed by
Congress on August 4, 1999) amended that law by prohibiting charging non-Federal interests
a fee for using OCS sand. The following figure lists the MMS sand conveyances to date:
WHAT’S BEEN CONVEYED THUS FAR |
| State |
Locality |
Cubic yards of sand |
| FLORIDA |
Jacksonville (Duval County) |
1,240,000 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA |
Myrtle Beach (Surfside) |
150,000 |
| VIRGINIA |
Dam Neck Naval Facility |
808,600 |
| VIRGINIA |
Sandbridge Beach |
1,098,191 |
| MARYLAND |
Assateague National Seashore |
134,000 |
| FLORIDA |
Brevard County |
4,500,000 |
| FLORIDA |
Patrick Air Force Base |
600,000 |
Most recent activity: MMS Provides Sand to Patrick Air Force Base, Florida
- The MMS and the U.S. Department of the Air Force 45th Civil Engineer Squadron at Patrick
Air Force Base signed a Memorandum of Agreement to provide 600,000 cubic yards of Federal
OCS sand for use in the construction of a shoreline protection project as part of the
Brevard County Shore Protection Project. The Base will use the sand to provide shore
protection from storm surges, high wave conditions, and beach erosion control for
facilities and island evacuation routes along the 3.1 miles of Atlantic shoreline portion
of the Base.
Negotiated agreements in progress:
 | MMS recently received a request from the Army Corps of Engineers for 1.2 million cubic
yards of OCS sand off Corson Inlet, New Jersey, for use in the renourishment of beaches
between Strathmere and Sea Isle City.
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| The MMS and EPA are working with the Army Corps on a possible demonstration project
which would use sand from Ship Shoal to restore a portion of land near Belle Pass,
Louisiana.
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| Brevard County, Florida has requested that MMS provide an additional 2.8 million cubic
yards of Federal OCS sand for the South Reach of the project area. The South Reach segment
involves restoration of 3.4 miles of shoreline encompassing the Towns of Indialantic and
Melbourne Beach.
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| MMS recently received a request from the State of Maryland for use of additional sand
from Great Gull Bank for nourishment of the State beach on Assateague Island. |
COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES
| MMS/State of Texas Cooperative Arrangement: MMS and the State of Texas through the
Bureau of Economic Geology and the University of Texas at Austin expect to enter into a
cooperative effort focused on possible use of sand located offshore northeast Texas for
use in coastal public works projects in the Galveston area.
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| Florida Coastal Marine Institute: MMS and the State of Florida (effective March 5, 2001)
have established a Florida Coastal Marine Institute (FCMI) to support research offshore
Florida to provide data and information relative to the use of OCS sand for beach,
coastal, and shore restoration. The FCMI will provide an efficient mechanism for bringing
local expertise to bear on the priority sand and gravel information needs of the MMS and
the State of Florida. The FCMI is a cost-sharing collaboration between the MMS, the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and the Florida State University
(FSU) and will support high-quality scientific research and research training regarding
the location and quality of OCS sand and gravel resources on the Florida OCS, and the
environmental implications of extracting these resources relative to the coastal and
marine waters offshore Florida. |
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
| Site-specific biological/physical environmental studies have been completed offshore
Virginia, Alabama, Maryland/Delaware, and central/southern New Jersey. Studies which
commenced prior to Fiscal year 2001 are ongoing offshore North Carolina, and the central
East Coast of Florida.
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| A study to examine various methods to monitor the long-term biological/physical effects
of offshore dredging is ongoing. Final monitoring protocols are due for delivery in May
2001. The study is also examining the feasibility and appropriateness of convening
oversight/management groups that include Federal, State, and local interests for
responsible, environmentally sound long-term management of Federal offshore sand areas.
Workshops at which a host of State, Federal, and local government officials will attend
are planned for May 1, 2001 in Houston and the end of May in Trenton, New Jersey.
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| In Fiscal Year 2001, a new study was initiated to collect biological samples and to
undertake numerical wave modeling offshore northern New Jersey and off Long Island. The
kick-off meeting was held in Hyannis on April 16, 2001. Representatives from the New
Jersey Geological Survey and the Army Corps of Engineers - New York District Office
attended the meeting.
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| Proposal evaluations are underway for a study to develop or, if practical, modify an
existing computer mathematical model which can be used to predict the level and extent of
water column and bottom sediment disturbance, the resulting water column/near-bottom
turbidity, the degree to which the disturbed sediment persists within the various water
layers during offshore sand and gravel dredging operations, and, ultimately, the resultant
aerial "footprint" of the disturbed material on the seabed. Using available
site-specific biological information, the model runs/output relative to the
"footprint" of impact could then be used as a predictive tool to assist in the
evaluation of the impact of a proposed dredging operation on resident benthic biological
communities. |
For more information, contact Julie Reynolds.
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