NEW ORLEANS, LA – The Corps is hosting a public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009 at St. Louis King of France School, 1600 Lake Ave., in Metairie to discuss development of the Request for Proposal to build the Permanent Canal Closures and Pumps at the 17th St., London Ave. and Orleans Ave. Outfall Canals.
Throughout the Individual Environmental Report (IER) review process, members of the community voiced their comments and opinions regarding the permanent canal closures and pump stations, according to Dan Bradley, senior project manager. “One of the main objectives expressed, going forward, was to ensure that the Corps was truly listening by providing a forum for meaningful dialog and a mechanism for community input into the kind of pump stations that will be constructed,” he said.
To achieve this and other objectives, the Corps has arranged a series of three community involvement meetings to discuss the design-build process and development of the Request for Proposal Statement of Work. The Statement of Work will provide performance specifications upon which the proposals will be evaluated.
The first public meeting will recap the project purpose and highlight the techincal sections of the RFP for the public’s review
Then at the second meeting, the public will be able to provide their feedback on the RFP in a small group setting. Written comments will also be accepted from Nov. 20, 2009, to Jan. 30, 2010.
At the third meeting, the Army Corps will review the modified RFP and explain what was and was not incorporated and why.
The meeting begins with an Open House that runs from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A presentation begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a discussion.
The Interim Control Structures currently at the mouths of the outfall canals reduce risk from a storm surge event that has a 1 percent chance of occurring each year; however the lifespan of the ICS is five to seven years. The Corps is currently awaiting a signed Project Partnership Agreement with the State of Louisiana, to begin the lengthy contract process.
The human and environmental impacts associated with construction of the Permanent Canal Closures and Pumps were described by the Corps in an environmental document called Individual Environmental Report 5, Outfall Canal Closure Structures. The Corps has hosted more than 30 public meetings throughout development of the proposed plan.
Meeting details are:
When: Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009
Open house 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Presentation 6:30 p.m.
Where: St. Louis King of France School
1600 Lake Ave., Metairie, LA 70005
Questions or comments concerning the Permanent Canal Closures and Pumps may be addressed to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Hurricane Protection Office -- PCCP
P.O. Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160-0267
Phone: 504-862-2201
Fax: 504-862-2088
E-mail:
PermanentPumpStations@usace.army.mil.
For more information or to sign up to be on a meeting notification list please visit the following web site:
www.nolaenvironmental.gov.