FSBPA 2008 Annual Conference, Captiva Island

The federal process: Working harder and smarter,

together

Florida and ASBPA – the beginning

L.H. Atkinson of Florida was on the first ASBPA board of directors in 1926

July 1933 “Shore & Beach” journal article spotlighted “Conservation of Florida beaches and waterways – A general plan of organization and finance”

Florida and ASBPA -- now

Of current ASBPA officers:

VICE PRESIDENTThomas Campbell, P.E. Boca Raton, FL

TREASURERBrad Pickel Beaufort, SC

(formerly with Beaches of Walton County FL)

Our 2008 Florida-based directors

Michael Dombrowski DestinNicole Elko, Ph.D. Clearwater Deborah Flack TallahasseeSteve Higgins Fort LauderdaleD.T. Minich St. PetersburgMichael Walther Vero Beach

ASBPA Advisory BoardRobert Dean Gainesville

William Stronge Fort Lauderdale

• 53% of Americans live in coastal counties• 2015 coastal population -- 165 million • Daily average, gaining 3,600 people• Produces 32% of America's gross

domestic product

America’s coasts now

Local letterto the Corpsto start process

1 – 3 years

Civil Works project development process

Project identification phase

Authority - Congress!Study resolutionsWRDA billsStanding authoritiesAppropriations bills

Appropriations Bill

$100K for a Reconn. Study

BeginFeasibility

Study

Feasibility Funds ( GI )50 % - Federal

50 % - Non-Federal

Conduct Feasibility Study6 Steps & NEPA

Preferred Plan

Congressional Funding

Avg. total cost: $700,000-$2M 2-6 yrs. completion

Quality Assurance

District -Quality ControlInd. Tech. Review

Cost Shared

DivisionIndependent Peer

Review -Sect. 2034 WRDA 2007

Federally Funded

Civil Works project development process

Feasibility phase

Final Feasibility Report / NEPA

Division Review

Sponsor Approval

Civil Works project development process

Public and agency review phase

Chief of EngrsReport

2 – 3 years

Final Feasibility Report / NEPA

Corps HQ

Office of Water Project Review

Civil Works Review Board

Assist. Sec. of the Army for Civil Works

OMB

Senate Bill House Bill

Environment & Public Works

Committee

Every 2 years(in theory)

WRDA – Water Resources Development Act

Congressional authorization

ASA (CW)

Report Submission

President signs into law or Congress overrides veto

Energy & Water Development Appropriations Senate Bill House Bill

Appropriations Committee

Congressional funding

Project Partnership Agreement

Signed PPA

President signs into law or Congress overrides veto

What we learned in high school civics• Congress develops and adopts a budget, not

the president. Earmarks are how Congress exercises its constitutionally-directed “power of the purse”

• Eliminating earmarks will not save taxpayers federal dollars

• Congress isn't the only source of earmarks; the president submits hundreds of earmarksin his annual budget proposal

Congressional adds (aka earmarks)

• Congress specifies which studies and projects to spend nearly all the money it appropriates to the Corps

• Every beach project has a benefit-cost-ratio of greater than 1:1, which is more than can be said for most federal projects

• Earmarks are included in the federal funding bills currently under consideration in Congress

The problems we all face

• No new starts• Mature projects, what’s next?• Tight budget• Brain drain• Not enough research

No new starts: Administration policy

• President has not recommended funding of “new” beach & shore restoration projects since 1995

• Office of Management & Budget claimsthese projects are a “local responsibility”

Mature projects• Section 216 Study to review the operation

of a completed project and possibly recommend reauthorization.

• 3-5 years to complete and will require Congressional reauthorization.

• Cost shared 50/50 with the non-federal sponsor.

Mature projectsProject Current

May Be Affected: Start Date: End Date:

Broward County (seg. 2) 1970 2020Pinellas County 1969 2019(Treasure Island) Ft. Pierce Beach 1971 2021Dade County 1975 2025Palm Beach County 1973 2023(Delray segment)

Backlog of projects = Lack of agency resources

• For the FY09 Corps Civil Works program, the president requested $800 million LESSthen the amount appropriated by Congress in FY08

• The FY09 “need” of the total Corps Civil Works program is $10.33 billion; they’ll be lucky to get half that

Brain drain

• Corps strapped by personnel shortages and extended overseas deployments

• Future personnel reductions expected due to retiring staff and fewer new hires

Research & development

Research & Development Funding History(FY 2001 - 2008)

$20,000,000

$25,000,000

$30,000,000

$35,000,000

$40,000,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Fiscal Year

($)

FY09 Pres. Request House Bill Senate Bill$16,892,000 $16,892,000 $28,000,000

Federal coastal erosion funding

$0

$40

$80

$120

$160

$200

$240

$280

Mill

ions

of D

olla

rs

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Fiscal Year

Federal spending on beaches 1995-2008

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$300,000

$350,000

Fund

ing

(in th

ousa

nds

of d

olla

rs)

Beach Economics 101

• Travel & tourism is America’s largest industry, employer and earner of foreign exchange

• America’s beaches -- top tourist destination

• Tourism produces $105 billion in annual tax revenue -- $35 billion in federal taxes alone

Visitors to Walton County, FL

Visitors from every single Congressional district!

America’s beaches vs. national parks

Beaches contributed $322 billion to the 2007American economy

That’s 13 times more than the $25 billion coming from America’s national parks!

Return on investment?

There are 7 times more visits to America’s beaches than visits to ALL National Park

Service properties combinedBut the annual federal investment in

beach restoration is only around $100 million…less than 4% of the $2.65 billion

budget of the National Park Service

Beaches a great national investment

Federal government collects $320 in tax revenues from beach tourists for every $1 it spends on beach restoration

The largest beneficiary of beach-related tax revenue is the federal government, not state or local governments

Beaches are a good insurance policy

• For every $1 invested in beach restoration, we have a $4 return in storm damage reduction benefits

Before and after pictures of my hometown of Caswell Beach, NC

Beaches need to be an American priority

• Germany spent about $3.3 billion over 40 years on shore protection, compared with U.S. expenditures of approximately $660 million over the same period – for a coastline less than 5% of the length of our coast!

• In one year, Japan spent $1.5 billion -- more than twice the total American expenditures over 40 years.

Working together, different focus• FSBPA -- federal and state funding,

specifically for Florida projects

• ASBPA -- funding and policy for all American beach restoration projects

• If only one state receives money, the process is doomed

• We need both!

Working together, different focus

• FSBPA focuses on the Army Corps Jacksonville and Mobile Districts

• ASBPA focuses on making the Army Corps more effective nationwide

• We need both!

But we can do more together!

• ASBPA is working to enhance federal beach policy so our efforts go beyond simply a storm damage reduction program

• Federal policy should reflect both the economic and recreational values of America’s beaches

• ASBPA is also working diligently with other interest groups to maximize our potential and avoid conflicts later

ASBPA governmental advocacy

Ensure that America’s beach issues are fairly represented

Educate Members of Congress and their staff on beach processes

Work with other coastal organizationsForge new coalitions with agencies

Science and technology form the basis for ASBPA policy positions

ASBPA supports:

• Appropriation of $288 million in FY09 for studies and beach restoration projects

• A common-sense approach to federal water resources policy that factors in the massive benefits of America’s beaches

US Access Board meets on beach access for persons with disabilities, July 2008

Meeting attendees included Steve Higgins, Mayor Harry Simmons and Tony Pratt of ASBPA; Peppino Persio and Greg Malon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and John Fay of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

ASBPA at CNN & The Weather Channel

◄ASBPA on

weather set at CNN

Following a productive meeting with Executive Producer Peter Dykstra (third from right) and two other

senior producers at CNN, we got the grand tour.

ASBPA Coastal SummitAnnual policy conference held each spring in Washington, DC

Policy presentations & discussionsMeetings with other coastal groupsEvents to enable coastal constituents

to interact with Members of Congress and staff

In 2009 we hope to engage more non-coastal Members of Congress

Plan to join us!Oct. 15-17, 2008

ASBPA’s 2008 National Coastal ConferenceHoliday Inn Mart Plaza, Chicago

March 25-27, 2009ASBPA’s 2009 Coastal Summit

Washington Court Hotel, Washington, DC

Contact Us

Online atwww.asbpa.org

Thank you!Questions?