PRESENTATION ITEM
FROM: City Council Vice President Ann Hill
SUBJECT:
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PRESENTATION - PENSACOLA PERDIDO BAYS ESTUARY PROGRAM - DONALD KILLORN
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REQUEST:
recommendation
That City Council accept a presentation from Donald Killorn regarding the Pensacola Perdido Bays Estuary Program.
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SUMMARY:
The mission of the Pensacola & Perdido Bays Esturary Program is to restore and protect the water quality and natural resources of the Pensacola and Perdido Bays and watersheds through partnerships, using a community-based, scientifically-sound approach to enhance resilience.
In 2018 the Bay Area Resources Council (BARC) transitioned into the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) after securing a $2 million competitive grant from the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of Mexico Program.
In 2020 the PPBEP was awarded $297,220 from the EPA to identify and mediate potential sources and contributors of water-borne trash in three creeks of the Pensacola Bay System: Jones Creek in Escambia County, Carpenter Creek in the City of Pensacola and Pond Creek in northern Santa Rosa County.
Through the Florida Legislative appropriates, the PPBEP was awarded $500,000 to (1) support the development of the CCMP, (2) enhance monitoring of the Pensacola and Perdido bays systems through the establishment of a comprehensive monitoring program and (3) implement water quality improvements, habitat restoration, resilience, citizen science, research, and education and outreach projects of the programs and partnering agencies and organizations through the establishment of the PPBEP Mini-Grant Program.
Santa Rosa County, in collaboration with the PPBEP received a National Coastal Resilience grant for $73,910 to develop a living shoreline habitat suitability model and master plan for the Pensacola Bay System. This project will assess approximately 175 miles of shoreline to evaluate land use, water depth, habitat type, wave dynamics, sediment transport and the presence or absence of hardened coastal infrastructure (i.e. sea walls).
PRIOR ACTION:
None
STAFF CONTACT:
Don Kraher, Council Executive
ATTACHMENTS:
1) None
PRESENTATION: Yes