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POTENTIAL DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL RESTORATION PROJECTS: PROVIDING INFORMATION TO ASSIST WITH PROJECT ASSESSMENT 

To help you propose projects to the State of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), we developed this project submission form. You are not required to complete this form to submit a project. However, completion of the form will help DEP gather the information required to completely and accurately evaluate a project against the selection and evaluation criteria. Where appropriate in the form, please provide references to any additional supporting information. 

Project Name: (Include project number from DEP’s existing list of submitted projects, if applicable.) Collier-Seminole State Park Aids to Navigation
___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
Contact Information: 
	                          Kirby Wilson-Park Manager/Terrance Torvund-Assistant Park Manager
                                        Collier-Seminole State Park  20200 E. Tamiami Trail, Naples, Fl. 34114

Location for Project Implementation: (For example, city and county, GIS coordinates if known.) : Naples, Florida, Collier County   Lat. North 25.987964 decimal degrees, Long. -081.593467 decimal degrees.
Brief Project Narrative: (Describe what the project will do.)  This project will replace the existing old pilings and signs along the Blackwater River and estuary within the park. Additional pilings and signs will also be installed to improve navigation in areas where currently local knowledge is required.   This project will improve the protection of  wildlife and important habitat for several state and federally listed species, including manatees, wading birds, shorebirds, sea turtles,  American crocodiles, and the smalltooth sawfish. In addition, marked slow speed zones, where the channel meanders and is narrow, will improve safety for recreational users that canoe, kayak, and boat on the park’s waterways. This project will also protect the structural integrity of important shorelines where cultural sites exist by reducing wave energy and erosion from boat wakes through the use of slow speed zones.  The additional signage is anticipated to decrease the number of recreational users that get disoriented and lost navigating the park’s waterways.
Estimated Project Costs: (Describe the costs of the project, including any assumptions for contingency and ongoing operations and maintenance. Identify other available funding sources such as matching funds, in kind contributions or state or federal dollars. If possible, attach a schedule of anticipated costs, by year, over the anticipated project life.) : The permitting and installation of pilings and signs will approximately be 15,000 dollars.
Anticipated Project Outcome with Respect to Screening Criteria:  This project will provide a safe habitat for marine organisms, smalltooth sawfish, juvenile game fish, manatee, and wading birds to name a few. Also, it will provide a better and safer paddling experience for park visitors.
S1. Technically and administratively feasible: (Briefly describe the critical technologies involved and any relevant past experience with similar projects.) The location of new and old pilings should be accessible by boat and small barge. Also, some of the signs have been acquired and need to be installed once the pilings are in place.  Authorization and permits will be required for this work, however they should be attainable.

S2. Provides environmental benefits: (Briefly describe the nature, magnitude, and timing of any environmental benefits attributable to the project and any potential environmental costs associated with implementing or maintaining the project, e.g., loss of a habitat or conversion of habitat from one type to another during implementation.)
It will reduce the impacts from boaters on the marine substrate (prop dredging), wildlife (e.g. manatees and sawtooth fish), and reduce the wave energy impacts and erosion of shorelines along threaten coastal plant communities such as mangrove forests and cultural sites. Keeping boaters away from shallow habitats such as seagrass beds and oyster reefs will allow those habitats to regenerate and improve for the multitude of species dependant on them.

S3. Does not conflict with any ongoing or planned response or remediation work: (Briefly describe ongoing response activities in the project implementation area, if any, and why the project does or does not interfere with that work.) 
Does not conflict with any ongoing or planned response or remediation work: 
No conflict.

S4. Complies with applicable and relevant federal, state, local, and tribal laws and regulations: (No information is needed for this screening criteria.)  Yes and there is no conflict.
Anticipated Project Outcome with Respect to Evaluation Criteria
E1. Will restore, rehabilitate, or replace a natural resource or service1 believed/demonstrated to have been injured as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill or associated response activities: (Briefly describe the nature of any relationship between the new/improved resources or services and those adversely impacted by the oil spill.)  Will restore, rehabilitate, or replace a natural resource or service believed/ demonstrated to have been injured as a of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill or associated response activities: It will restore and improve habitat for many invertebrate and vertebrate species that reside in and around the Blackwater River and the estuarine bays that encompass the southern half of the park.

1 In this form, “Services” (or “natural resource services”) refers to the functions performed by a natural resource for the benefit of another natural resource and/or the public. Services can be “ecological services” – physical, chemical or biological functions that one natural resource provides for another (such as provision of food) – or “human services” – the use of natural resources used by humans that provide value to the public (such as hunting and fishing). 
E2. Is located in, or nearby, resources or services injured by the deepwater horizon spill: (Briefly describe where the project would be implemented with respect to past/ongoing remediation work.)  Is located in, or nearby resources or services injured by the Deepwater horizon spill: The pilings and signs will be located within the Blackwater River and estuary within the park that flows to the Ten-thousand Islands and Gulf of Mexico.
E3. Is ready for implementation, e.g., design, permitting, and necessary impacts assessments have been completed: (Briefly describe where in the permitting process the project stands along with an estimated date of when the project can be implemented if it is not currently ready.)  The permitting process had been put on hold until the new pilings and signs can be purchased and installed. The project will take approximately 1 to 2 year to complete.

E4. Is cost effective:  (Briefly describe why you think the project is cost effective.  Discuss whether this project is more cost effective than alternative projects which would provide similar resource or service benefits.)  
 The cost of this project is low compared to the expected benefits of improved habitat for several federally and state listed species; reduced erosion; and improved safety. Indirectly it will increase park visitation because it will provide a safer and serene environment to paddle.

E5. Has a high potential for long-term success as demonstrated by incorporating established/reliable methods and technologies: (Briefly describe if/how critical methods and technologies that will be used to implement the project could be considered reliable or proven.)  This project uses established and reliable construction and installation methods.
E6. Is likely to provide benefits rapidly following implementation: (Briefly describe the anticipated change in benefits anticipated over time.)  The installation of pilings with aids to navigation signs is intended to aid law enforcement and park staff in the protection of important habitats, and improved safety to wildlife and park visitors.

E7. Has a high likelihood of public acceptance: (Briefly describe evidence to support the given answer based on surveys or results and assessments from past projects. Known or likely opposition to a project should be recognized.) 
Public acceptance will be very high because of the improved safety to recreational users, protection of listed species and important habitat; and protection of cultural sites.  The current signage is inadequate to protect the park’s natural and cultural resources, and reduce conflicts between kayak and canoe users and boaters, and provide law enforcement with a tool it needs.  The need for improved signage has been brought to the attention of park staff on several (numerous?) occasions.

 
WE WANT YOUR INPUT! 
Submit this form via email to Jessica Kanes at Jessica.Kanes@dep.state.fl.us .  If you have any questions or concerns about the process for submitting a project, please contact:  
 
     Jessica Kanes 
     Florida Department of Environmental Protection 
     Environmental Specialist I 
     (850) 670-7707 
     Jessica.Kanes@dep.state.fl.us  
Apalachicola NERR/FDEP      
108 Island Drive 
     Eastpoint, FL 32328 
 
A current summary of projects is accessible through the Florida DEP’s website at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/projects.htm (click on “View the list of restoration project ideas”).