Subject:
Title
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Indian River Lagoon Grant Funding Agreements - All districts
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Fiscal Impact:
A total of $36,154,900 in revenue from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Indian River Lagoon Grants Program for the following projects, each of which has local match previously approved by the Board in the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan:
1. $900,000 - Septic Upgrades to Advanced Treatment Units
2. $1,800,000 - Quick Connects to Sewer
3. $10,053,228 - Grand Canal Muck Dredging Project - Phase VI
4. $400,000 - South Beaches Zones O and P Septic to Sewer Project
5. $1,900,000 - Merritt Island Zone C Septic to Sewer Project
6. $2,000,000 - Merritt Island Zone F Septic to Sewer Project
7. $10,327,172 - Merritt Island Zone G Septic to Sewer Project
8. $900,000 - South Banana Zone B Septic to Sewer Project
9. $1,874,500 - South Central Zone D Septic to Sewer Project
10. $6,000,000 - Sykes Creek Zone T Septic to Sewer Project
Dept/Office:
Natural Resources Management (NRM)
Requested Action:
Recommendation
In order to accomplish work proposed in the following awarded Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Indian River Lagoon Grant agreements:
LG001 - Indian River Lagoon, Septic Upgrades to Advanced Treatment Units (100 sites);
LG002 - Indian River Lagoon, Quick Connects to Sewer (200 homes);
LG003 - Grand Canal Muck Dredging Project - Phase VI;
LG004 - South Beaches Zones O and P Septic to Sewer Project;
WG004 - Merritt Island Zone C Septic to Sewer Project;
WG005 - Merritt Island Zone F Septic to Sewer Project;
WG006 - Merritt Island Zone G Septic to Sewer Project;
WG094 - South Banana Zone B Septic to Sewer Project;
WG011 - South Central Zone D Septic to Sewer Project; and
LGXXX - Sykes Creek Zone T Septic to Sewer Project;
it is requested that the Board of County Commissioners authorize the County Manager to: 1) execute the grant contracts, amendments, and modifications, upon review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, Risk Management, and Purchasing: 2) execute Task Orders and Change Orders, including in excess of $200,000,; 3) authorize competitive procurement following County policies and procedures for constructing projects receiving funds from these grants; 4) execute competitively procured construction contracts, modifications, amendments and change orders, as needed, including in excess of $100,000; 5) approve necessary budget change requests; and 6) authorize staff to submit grant funding applications to the state by June 30th for the FY 25 Water Quality and Indian River Lagoon Grants Programs (pending the Governor’s approval of the Legislature’s $75 million appropriation for FY 25).
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Summary Explanation and Background:
In 2023, the Legislature appropriated $100 million to fund an Indian River Lagoon Grants program. Brevard County submitted numerous funding proposals and was awarded state funding for ten Save Our Indian River Lagoon projects. These projects will reduce nutrient pollution in the Lagoon from wastewater and decaying muck. Scopes of work for each grant have been submitted and funding agreements are being drafted by the state. Final grant agreements are anticipated to be provided to the County for execution during the County Commission’s June break, therefore authorization to accept the funds is requested in advance of receiving the final grant contracts, but subject to review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, Risk Management, and Purchasing.
These grants will help the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Program advance the goal of improving water quality for a healthy Indian River Lagoon:
1. Brevard County - Indian River Lagoon 100 Septic Upgrades (Agreement Number: LG001). Grant funding of $900,000 will be used to help fund the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Voluntary Septic Upgrade Grant Program to provide financial assistance for 100 property owners to upgrade from their conventional septic system (which can remove, at best, 30-40% of the nitrogen from wastewater) to an advanced treatment unit (capable of 65% or greater nitrogen removal). This project is estimated to reduce total nitrogen pollution to the Lagoon by 2,200 lbs.
2. Brevard County - Indian River Lagoon 200 Quick Connects to Sewer (Agreement Number: LG002). Grant funding of $1,800,000 will be used to help fund the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Voluntary Septic-to-Sewer (Quick Connects) Grant Program to provide financial assistance for 200 property owners to connect to existing sewer infrastructure and decommission their conventional septic tank(s). This project is estimated to prevent approximately 1,500 lbs of total nitrogen from reaching the Lagoon.
3. Grand Canal Muck Dredging Project - Phase VI (Agreement Number: LG003). Grant funding of $10,053,228 will be used to fund muck removal via environmental dredging and the treatment of interstitial water in the Grand Canal, located southeast of the Pineda Causeway in Banana River Lagoon. The entire unincorporated area project will reduce the annual nitrogen and phosphorus flux by an estimated 23,765 and 1,698 lbs/yr, respectively. This will increase oxygen supply and decrease algal blooms, fish kills, and hydrogen sulfide while preserving nearby sandy sediments.
4. South Beaches Zones O and P Septic to Sewer Project (Agreement Number: LG004). Grant funding of $400,000 will be used to convert 11 residential properties on North Riverside Drive, Shore View Drive, Alamanda Court, and Rose Marie Lane from septic to sewer. This conversion to sewer project is estimated to achieve a reduction of 625 lbs of total nitrogen per year to the Lagoon.
5. Merritt Island Zone C Septic to Sewer Project (Agreement Number: WG004). Grant funding of $1,900,000 will be used to convert 43 residential properties along North Banana River Drive on Merritt Island from septic to sewer. This project is estimated to prevent approximately 1,400 pounds of excess nitrogen pollution from reaching the Lagoon. Grant funding can be used for construction, construction inspection, and abandonment of septic systems.
6. Merritt Island Zone F Septic to Sewer Project (Agreement Number: WG005). Grand funding of $2,000,000 will be used to convert 71 residential properties along North Banana River Drive on Merritt Island from septic to sewer. This project is estimated to prevent approximately 1,300 pounds of excess nitrogen pollution from reaching the Lagoon. Grant funding can be used for construction, construction inspection, and abandonment of septic systems.
7. Merritt Island Zone G Septic to Sewer Project (Agreement Number: WG006). Grant funding of $10,327,172 will be used to convert 785 residential properties along South Tropical Trail on Merritt Island from septic to sewer. This project is estimated to prevent approximately 7,600 pounds of excess nitrogen pollution from reaching the Lagoon. Grant funding can be used for construction, construction inspection, and abandonment of septic systems.
8. South Banana Zone B Septic to Sewer Project (Agreement Number: WG094). Grant funding of $900,000 will be used to convert 41 homes along South Banana River Drive on Merritt Island from septic to sewer. This project is estimated to prevent approximately 900 pounds of excess nitrogen pollution from reaching the Lagoon. Grant funding can be used for construction, construction inspection, and abandonment of septic systems.
9. South Central Zone D Septic to Sewer Project (Agreement Number: WG011). Grant funding of $1,874,500 will be used to convert approximately 98 residential properties located along Highway US 1 in the Palm Shores and Melbourne area from septic to sewer. This project is estimated to prevent approximately 3,400 pounds of excess nitrogen pollution from reaching the Lagoon. Grant funding can be used for construction, construction inspection, and abandonment of septic systems.
10. Sykes Creek Zone T Septic to Sewer Project. Grant funding of $6,000,000 will be used to install sewer infrastructure for 148 homes on Horti Point in Merritt Island within unincorporated Brevard County. The project will provide connection points for each lot in the proposed area and mandate connection for all properties according to state statutes. This conversion to sewer project is estimated to achieve a reduction of 3,360 lbs of total nitrogen per year to the Lagoon.
When conventional septic tanks are poorly maintained or installed too close to the groundwater table, or too close to the lagoon (including any natural or manmade tributary), they can be a major contributor of nutrients and viral pathogens to the Indian River Lagoon system. Priority is given to addressing the properties that pose the highest threat to Lagoon water quality in terms of nutrient loading. Grants are offered to homeowners who agree to connect to sewer.
Where sewer service is not available, there are options to upgrade to advanced septic systems with greater nutrient and pathogen removal efficiency. Grants are offered to homeowners of the highest priority sites who upgrade to nitrogen-reducing NSF-certified aerobic treatment units or In-ground Nitrogen Reducing drainfields.
Muck is an internal source of excess nutrient cycling that contributes to harmful algae blooms, fish kills, loss of benthic habitat, a decrease in dissolved oxygen as well as increased hydrogen sulfide, total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity. Muck is an accumulation of decades of pollution. The removal of decaying muck from the Indian River Lagoon system is essential to timely restoration of health to the estuarine environment and meeting established water quality goals.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please execute 2 copies of each grant agreement (when available), one for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and one to be returned to Natural Resources.