P.O. Box 2749 Charleston, WV 25330 (304) 348-8174 Office Amy Shuler Goodwin Office of the Mayor City of Charleston MEMORANDUM TO: Charleston City Council Members FROM: Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin DATE: May 6, 2022 SUBJECT: Blaine Boulevard Since February 2019, this Administration has been engaged in the ongoing conversations related to Blaine Boulevard. In that time, we have engaged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Ch itary Board, Senator Manchin’s Office, Senator Capito's Office, the West Virginia State Conservation Agency, the West Virginia Office of Community Advancement and Development, the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council, and others. In addition, we have met with and spoken with Blaine Boulevard residents on dozens of occasions over the past three years and we fully understand and appreciate their concerns. rleston, ‘We continue to work with our federal leaders ~ including Senators Joe Manchin and Shelly Moore Capito - to identify all available funding options. In addition, we plan to apply for a CDBG mitigation grant through the West Virginia Office of Community Ad Development, which is due in June. We are currently working through the grant application process ycement and Outlined below is a detailed timeline of the steps this Administration has taken to address this, complex issue ~ including multiple site and resident visits, and countless conversatio federal, state, and local government agencies ~ as well as follow-up/information that has been provided to the public. s with Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. ‘TIMELINE/NARRATIVE: Blaine Boulevard February 28, 2019: The Mayor's Office received a call from Mr. Hendricks regarding the crack in the road at 3004 Blaine Boulevard. The inquiry was forwarded to Director Knox who returned Mr. Hendricks’ call 2019: The City consulted with American Geotech to perform borings at the Blaine Boulevard site After an initial site visi, it was determined that a pile and lagging wall wouldn't work without Page 1 of 4tiebacks and toe support in the river. The borings were then cancelled. This is when the City engaged the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Spring 2019: Mayor Goodwin visited Blaine Boulevard. August 2, 2019: Mayor Goodwin contacted the Charleston Sanitary Board (CSB) regarding the issue at Blaine Boulevard. CSB and Council Member Jones met regarding a sewer odor and whether the slip area along Blaine Boulevard may have impacted the sewer—contributing to the odlor issues being experienced. Subsequent camera work of the Utility Service Pipe along Blaine Boulevard identified no issues with the sewers or identified any issues with odor. August 12, 2019: The City sent a letter of intent (LON) to the USACE requesting assistance in addressing the streambank erosion problem. August 13, 2019: City Manager Storage sent an email stating, “Pursuant to Section 14 of the Flood Control Act of 1946, the City (through the Engineering Department) submitted an. assistance request to USACE to address the severe streambank erosion problem at Blaine Boulevard...” [Reference File: 2019.08.13 Email - Jonathan Storage] EXACT DATE UNK: USACE determined Blaine Boulevard was not eligible under Section 14. It believed, based on a conversation with Director Knox, a formal response was nor received, but tead the determination may have been shared via phone call. EXACT DATE UNK: Outreach (by State Legislators and others) to individuals/offices who may be able to troubleshoot the Blaine Boulevard issue took place. August 31, 2020: The City sent a letter of intent (LOD to USACE requesting assistance in addressing the streambank erosion problem “causing severe degradation of Blaine Boulevard between 29 and 32™ Street adjacent to the Kanawha River.” At that time, it was noted the City was aware and willing to mect the cost-sharing requirements associated with the project. [Reference File: 2020.08.31 LOT] September 1, 2020: A site visit with USACE took place, February 11, 2021: Email from Director Knox stating: “itis my understanding that through a ‘Federal Interest Determination’ process, if a construction project which is ‘critically essential to public facilities’ is deemed more expensive than a ‘relocation’ alternative, then that project cannot be funded with federal monies allocated through the USACE.” [Reference File: 2021.02.11 Email - Chris Knox] March 22, 2021: A skype meeting with USACE took place. April 2, 2021: Mayor Goodwin visited Blaine Boulevard during the Ward 1 Visit with Couneil Member Jones. Page 2 of 4April 5, 2021: A site visit with USACE took place. April 15, 2021: A site visit with USACE took place May 19, 2021: Josh Dudley, USACE Relocation Engineer, corresponded with Director Knox about relocating the sewers on Blaine Boulevard. Director Knox forwarded the correspondence to ‘Tim Haapala, CSB Operations Manager for followup. May 26, 2021: Tim Haapala, CSB Operation Manager forwarded the information request from. Director Knox and Josh Dudley, USACE Relocation Engineer to begin looking at a preliminary relocation plan and preliminary sewer relocation construction costs. July 20, 2021: The Federal Interest Determination (FID) Decision Brief was received from the USS. Army Corps of Engineers which determined there “is no Federal interest to move forward with the proposed Blaine Blvd Section [4 emergency streambank stabilization project because all viable alternatives were found to exceed the federal funding limit.” A site visit / meeting also took place. [Reference File: 2021.07.20 Blaine Blvd Section ~ Meeting with Army Corps) July 21, 2021: Senator Manchin’s Office reached out via email stating: “Making sure you are aware of this, and letting you know we'll help in any way you need us to.” The forwarded email included the update related to Blaine Boulevard. [Reference File: 2021.07.21 Email - Mara Boggs] August 24, 2021: Jennelle Armstrong, CSB Engineering Manager sent a letter to Josh Dudley, USACE Relocation Engincer outlining a proposed sewer relocation option for the Blaine Boulevard sewers and a proposed relocation cost of $2.7 million. [Reference File: 2021.08.24 CSB Response Letter re Blaine Blvd Sewer Reroute] August 25, 2021: Jennelle Armstrong, CSB Engineering Manager followed up with Josh Dudley, USACE Relocation Engineer via email of the proposed sanitary sewer relocation plan and costs. October 21, 2021: Mayor Goodwin sent a letter to Senator Manchin requesting support in the City's efforts to address the serious roadway failure along Blaine Boulevard and support in helping identify any potential funding sources—including possible future “Community Project Requests” to address our serious right of way instability concerns along Blaine Boulevard. [Reference File: 2021.10.21 Ltr to Sen. Manchin] February 7, 2022: Council Member Jones provided photos to Council Members of Blaine Boulevard at the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting, February 16, 2022: Mayor Good actions related to Blaine Boulevard. n met with Council Member Jones to discuss the timeline and February 18, 2022: Tina Stinson emailed Council Member Jones the working Blaine Boulevard Timeline/Narrative. In that emul, follow-up was in progress relating to the “entities noted (by USACE) as potentially being able to provide alternate forms of assistance (the WV State Page 3 0f 4Conservation Agency, the WV Office of Community Advancement and Development, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the West Virginia State Hazard Mitigation Office, or the WV Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council).” [Reference File: 2022.02.18 Email - Tina Stinson} February 22, 2022: Director Knox received a followaup call from Brian Farkas, Executive Director of the WV State Conservation Agency. During the call, Mr. Farkas explained that his agency doesn’t have a program for landslides or riverbank failures and that since it involved the riverbank, USACE would be the agency that controls that property. March 2, 2022: Shared working Timeline / Narrative with Anne Hendricks, constituent who lives on Blaine Boulevard. March 3, 2022: Director Knox noted, in an update, that he had received a response from Wayne Morgan at WVIJDC. Any funding they provide must be tied to the sewer line relocation. Mr. Morgan directed Director Knox to the Governor's Office regarding potential ARC funding which must be associated with the 2016 flooding. Director Knox did not believe we can prove that this issue is caused by one flooding event. As of this writing, phone calls to Sherry Risk at the WV Office of Community Advancement & Development or Kelli Batch at the Hazard Mitigation Office have not been returned April 13, 2022: The Administration submitted a Congressional Directed Spending request to Senator Joe Manchin for $250,000 to conduct a needed feasibility study to address the issues with Blaine Boulevard, through the U.S. DOT Highway Infrastructure Project fund. April 20, 2022: The Administration submitted a Congressional Directed Spending request to Senator Shelley Moore Capito for $250,000 to conduct a needed feasibility study to address the issues with Blaine Boulevard, through the U.S. DOT Highway Infrastructure Project fund. May 4, 2022: Director Knox has been unable to connect with the Hazard Mitigation Office—the phone line is busy each time he calls. May 5, 2022: The Administration worked with Senator Joe Manchin’s Office, at Senator Manchin's request, to resubmit a Congressional Directed Spending request through the Energy & Water, Corps Investigations funding to conduct the planning, design and engineering for the riverbank stabilisation project ro address the failing Blaine Boulevard and public sewer infrastructure problem caused by the riverbank undermining and partial collapse. The investigation request is structured as a 65/35 federaklocal match. The total investigation cost would be $1,385,000. The Congressional Directed Spending request was for $900,000 in USACE Investigations funding which would cover 65% of the cost, matched by a 35% share or $485,000 from the City of Charleston a8 Paue 4 of 4