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Had to go to GS today and drove by the pier for the first time in over a year. That about sums it up. I’m tired of telling customers on a daily basis the bleak outlook. At least after Ivan, we were given light less than a year later, but in this case, total darkness.
I understand your frustrations from a lack of news about the pier repair because the state hasn't said a lot (publically) about what is going on in an agonizingly slow process.
But they are doing whatever they can, if for no other reason than getting folks like us off their backs about it.
Anyway, Chris Blankenship has responded to me occasionally as progress is made.
This is what the Commissioner wrote Jan 17, 2023
Not sure why the delay getting the permit from the US ACoE since they had previously done so a year ago.Quote:
NOAA has provided the COE with their Biological Assessment report. One step closer!
Our goal is to bid it as soon as we get the COE permit and award ASAP this spring/summer so the contractor can go ahead and order the materials/have the concrete pilings and spans built on land and ready for in water installation/construction at the end of turtle nesting season(November 2023). Even though we don’t have the permit, we know the permit from NOAA/COE will specify that we can’t do the in water work during the turtle nesting season.
Chris Blankenship
Commissioner
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
But with all this in mind, it sounds like the "water work" will proceed by the end of this year.
Not sure how long that will take due to winter weather constraints, removing the debris, repairing broken piling, etc...
Hate to think turtle nesting season would have come in to the initial build or they would still be working on it. Only 3 months out of the year it would have taken 15 years to build.
Thanks Dave! There is a shimmer of light.
Yeah, the wheels of bureaucracy grind slowly.