Corps hosts public scoping meetings for the Florida Keys Storm Risk Management Study
Corps hosts public scoping meetings for the Florida Keys Storm Risk Management Study https://www.saj.usace.army.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host a series of three National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) public scoping meetings for the Florida Keys Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Feasibility Study, and will accept public scoping comments until January 8, 2019. 
The purpose of this study is to reduce potential damages caused by coastal storms and improve human safety and coastal resiliency in the Florida Keys. Issues to be addressed may include protection of critical infrastructure, reduction of structure damages, and evacuation route protection in response to the risks and effects of coastal storms and associated impacts such as sea level rise, storm surge, and extreme wind and tidal effects. The study area extends from the vicinity of Key Largo to Key West, Florida.
“Scoping” is the step in the NEPA process when the public is invited to participate in identifying issues, alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in the analysis. This helps the Corps identify and eliminate from detailed study any issues that are not significant or that have been covered by prior environmental review.
Members of the public and stakeholders are invited to learn more about the project and provide input to the team at the following public scoping meetings:
Key West
Monday, December 3, 2018
6 – 8 p.m.
Key West Commission Room
Harvey Government Center
1200 Truman Avenue
Key West FL 33040
Marathon
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Marathon Commission Room
Marathon Government Center
2798 Overseas Highway
Marathon FL 33040
Key Largo
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
6 – 8 p.m.
Holiday Inn Key Largo
99701 Overseas Highway
Key Largo FL 33037
The same information will be available at all three meetings. Each meeting will begin with a brief presentation, followed by an open house, where members of the public may view posters, talk with Corps and Monroe County staff, and provide written comments.
The purpose of the scoping meetings is to present and discuss the production of a NEPA document, either an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), for the feasibility study, and to assess the effects of the alternatives associated with the Florida Keys Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study. The scoping meetings will aid in determining the scope of the NEPA analysis and any potentially significant issues. The NEPA process will also identify alternatives and information needed to evaluate alternatives.
Potential measures being considered include, but are not limited to:
– structural alternatives such as tidal gates and backflow preventers
– non-structural alternatives such as flood proofing, relocation and elevation of structures
– nature-based features such as living shorelines, mangroves, coral and wetland plantings
The study authority is Public Law 84-71, June 15, 1955, which authorizes and examination and survey of the coastal and tidal areas of the United States, with particular reference to areas where severe damages have occurred from hurricane winds and tides. The Corps is the lead federal agency for this study and Monroe County is the nonfederal sponsor.
We welcome your views, questions, comments, concerns and suggestions. The Corps believes this study will benefit significantly from public involvement and encourages participation in the NEPA scoping process. Please submit written public scoping comments to Kimberley Koelsch at [email protected].
Project information will be available at the Florida Keys Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study web page: www.saj.usace.army.mil/
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