GOMESA Application Details

Internal Project Number: 1185
1. Title of Project: Blue Skies Living Shoreline
2. Location of Project: Blue Skies Property 9th Street and West Beach Blvd. Pass Christian, MS Harrison County
3. Requesting Organization: Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain
4a. Name: Sara Guice
4b. Position
4c. Phone Number: 228-435-9191
4d. Fax Number
4e. Address Line 1: PO Box 245
4e. Address Line 2
4e. City, State Zip: Biloxi, MS 39530
4f. Email: Sara.guice@ltmcp.org
5. FundingRequested: $618,968
Awarded Amount:: $0
6. Other State or Federal Funding Sources: No
7a. Amount of Additional Funds: $0
7b. Source of Additional Funds
8. Total Project Funds Amount: $618,968
9. Project Description/Overview: The Blue Skies property was donated to the Land Trust of the Mississippi Coastal Plain (LTMCP) in 2013. Centrally located within a residential area off Hwy-90 in Harrison County, MS, this property provides an ideal opportunity to restore multiple coastal habitats (oyster reef, marsh, beach). In selecting one of LTMCP’s waterfront properties for this project, this site is particularly compelling as 1) it is adjacent to Henderson Point Park which has existing concrete walking paths allowing public footpath and viewpoint for the project; 2) it is highly visible to both east and west bound traffic on Highway 90 from the Bay St. Louis Bridge; and 3) there is strong community support and a direct residential neighbor who has expressed interest in allowing the living shoreline to extend to his property line while not impeding vessel access to his boathouse. The 2.5 acres Blue Skies Marina property will be restored to its former natural beach, marsh, and maritime forest habitat complemented with the installation of a 250-foot living shoreline breakwater to reduce erosion and create oyster and fish habitat. The LTMCP, for restoration tasks, proposes to remove the concrete debris and restore this property to its native and natural state of marsh and natural beach. This restoration effort will include recycling the concrete debris, removing invasive species, and planting native vegetation. The second restoration task, creating a living shoreline, is intended to enhance the waterfront through an ecological friendly manner, while decreasing erosive forces on the property. The recycled concrete will be placed off the shoreline to act as a breakwater from wave action and as a living reef for oysters, fish, and invertebrates while protecting 2.5 acres of natural beach and marsh landward.
10. Project Goals/Objectives: ACTIVITY/OUTPUT/OUTCOME 1) Restoration of Maritime Forest Vegetation / 2.5 acres marsh vegetation replanted / 2.5 acres of vegetation will act as a buffer for run-off and create rare habitat refuges among coastal land. 2) Living Shoreline creation / 330 feet of living shoreline breakwater / 0.25 acres of oyster / fish habitat / 330 feet of living shoreline breakwater will protect the restored coastal property (natural beach and marsh) and breakwater will serve as oyster and fish habitat. 3) Reporting on project performance / Semi-annual and Final Reports produced / Project performance is tracked ecologically and financially to satisfy grant reporting requirements and to inform adaptive management required. The project outputs described in the above table will be achieved through extensive oversight for restoration projects. Ecological project performance will be tracked by the project manager based on the following: as-built reports from contractors; footprint of restoration (acres) yearly for 3-years, plant survival (80% survival) for 3-years, and colonization of habitat by species (presence/absence of key species). LTMCP is an accredited Land Trust dedicated to the conservation, promotion, and protection of open spaces and green places of ecological, cultural or scenic significance in the counties of the Mississippi Coastal Plain. LTMCP is active in many coastal restoration projects on their land and associated education/outreach initiatives. LTMCP holds accreditation through the Land Trust Alliance with a good track record for monitoring and managing the lands under their trust. Records for annual monitoring are required for accreditation. The organization has numerous successful projects where they have utilized Mississippi Wildlife Federation Habitat Stewards, trained Mississippi State University Master Naturalists and CLIMB CDC to assist in citizen science including ones for NFWF Next Generation of Conservationist, NFWF Longleaf, and EPA 5-Star grants. In the last five years the Land Trust has been a recipient of several Federal Grants including CIAP, 5-Star, and NRCS programs which were successfully performed through good project management. All reporting was done in a timely manner and submitted successfully to the funding agency.
11. Which of the following authorized uses set forth in the GOMESA Act does this project fall under?

(A) Projects and activities for the purpose of coastal protection, including conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetlands losses: Yes: Living shorelines are both beautiful and practical. Their services to the environment—which also benefit people—include purifying water, buffering floods, reducing erosion, storing carbon, and attracting wildlife to habitat. Evidence shows that during major storms, a living, natural shoreline performs better than a hardened shoreline. People (and animals) who enjoy fishing will appreciate how it supports fish and other creatures. Per the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NOAA), the benefits of living shorelines: - One square mile of salt marsh stores the carbon equivalent of 76,000 gallons of gas annually - Marshes trap sediments from tidal waters, allowing them to grow in elevation as sea level rises - Living shorelines improve water quality, provide fisheries habitat, increase biodiversity, and promote recreation - Marshes and oyster reefs act as natural barriers to waves; 15 ft of marsh can absorb 50% of incoming wave energy - Living shorelines are more resilient against storms than bulkheads - 33% of shorelines in the U.S. will be hardened by 2100, decreasing fisheries habitat and biodiversity - Hard shoreline structures like bulkheads prevent natural marsh migration and may create seaward erosion

(B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.: Yes: Living shorelines are both beautiful and practical. Their services to the environment—which also benefit people—include purifying water, buffering floods, reducing erosion, storing carbon, and attracting wildlife to habitat. Evidence shows that during major storms, a living, natural shoreline performs better than a hardened shoreline. People (and animals) who enjoy fishing will appreciate how it supports fish and other creatures. Per the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NOAA), the benefits of living shorelines: - One square mile of salt marsh stores the carbon equivalent of 76,000 gallons of gas annually - Marshes trap sediments from tidal waters, allowing them to grow in elevation as sea level rises - Living shorelines improve water quality, provide fisheries habitat, increase biodiversity, and promote recreation - Marshes and oyster reefs act as natural barriers to waves; 15 ft of marsh can absorb 50% of incoming wave energy - Living shorelines are more resilient against storms than bulkheads - 33% of shorelines in the U.S. will be hardened by 2100, decreasing fisheries habitat and biodiversity - Hard shoreline structures like bulkheads prevent natural marsh migration and may create seaward erosion

(C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.

(D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.

12. Project Timetable/Milestones: Timetable in Months from Award Date Permit Preparation - month 1 through 2 Permitting* - month 3 through 14 Design - month 3 through 14 Bid Process - month 15-16 Construction** - month 17-20 * Permitting – Estimating 6 to 12 months total time as this is highly variable. DMR typically issues permit within 3-4 months. USACE is typically longer and now includes tribal coordination which has delayed recent efforts. This timeline shows a conservative estimate based on 12 months permitting process. ** Construction 60 to 120 days depending on contractor availability As previously noted herein, tracking and reporting of the ecological performance will be done on a yearly basis for the first 3 years post construction.
13. Project Timing: Short-term
14. Current status of architectural/engineering plans & specifications for this project (if applicable):: In Progress Funds Budgeted

15. In what way does this project meet the goals and objectives of the Department of Marine Resources, which includes enhancing, protecting and conserving the marine interest of Mississippi for present and future generations?: This living shoreline serves the direct purpose of protecting the marine interests of our state—which also benefits people—by purifying water, buffering floods, reducing erosion, storing carbon, and attracting wildlife to habitat. Evidence shows that during major storms, a living, natural shoreline performs better than a hardened shoreline. People (and animals) who enjoy fishing will appreciate how it supports fish and other creatures. With such a high visibility project with strong neighbor support, this shoreline will prove to be a model for which other landowners will want to replicate.

16. Estimated Years To Completion: 3
17. Estimated Completion Date: 1/1/2028

Budget:

Salaries,Wages, Fringe: $22,298
Travel: $0
Architecture & Engineering: $50,000
Legal: $20,000
Consulting: $0
Construction: $455,400
Site Work: $15,000
Equipment: $0
Indirects: $56,270
Other: $0
Total: $618,968


Application Submission Date: 07/28/2023
Fiscal Year: 2025
Project Status: Not Awarded
Application Status: Accepted
Meets Criteria: Yes
Internal Notes:
Attachments:
Hyperlink:: Attachments

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