U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Moves Florida Keys Coastal Storm Risk Management Study Findings Forward

MONROE COUNTY, FL – The commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed the Chief’s Report for the Florida Keys Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Study, recommending the study’s findings for authorization by Congress. The plan significantly adds to the County’s current efforts to promote resiliency and reduce the risks of coastal storm damage. USACE’s Norfolk District, in collaboration with Jacksonville District, completed the study. Monroe County was the study’s non-federal sponsor.

The study began in October 2018 and addressed critical infrastructure, U.S. 1 evacuation route protection, and structure damage reduction in response to coastal storm risks and considers sea-level change. CSRM studies analyze and assess the economic, environmental, and social effects and formulate plans to address a local or regional issue to select, refine and present an optimal alternative that will be authorized and implemented on a cost-shared basis with the non-federal sponsor. The USACE study did not address resiliency for local roads, covered separately under a study Monroe County is conducting.

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners signed the required letter of support and financial certification to accept the feasibility study developed by the USACE in February 2021. The letter of support only shows the County intends to participate in the potential future implementation of the project as a cost-sharing partner with the federal government. Monroe County is not required to contribute funding for the project until Congress has appropriated funding for implementation and a formal agreement is executed between USACE and the County. The plan is subject to further congressional authorization and funding availability.

The Chief’s Report will undergo further review by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and Office of Management and Budget before formal submittal to Congress. After congressional authorization, the project would be eligible for construction appropriations.

The recommended plan includes the following measures to reduce coastal storm risk and damage throughout the Florida Keys:

• Shoreline stabilization in six different locations along Overseas Highway identified as having risk of damage due to erosion and/or wave energy during a storm event. These six rock revetment structures range in height from 4 to ten feet and were designed to reduce damage to a total of approximately 5,500 linear feet of the roadway by stabilizing the shoreline and reducing the risk of washout.
• Dry floodproofing 53 critical (public) infrastructure buildings identified as at risk to damage from coastal storms. Dry floodproofing will reduce the damage caused by storm surge so that emergency and critical services can resume more quickly after a storm event.
• Nonstructural measures to reduce coastal storm damage by elevating 4,698 residential homes and dry floodproofing 1,052 commercial structures at risk throughout the Keys. Nonstructural measures are applied to reduce damage from storm surge flooding. Participation is voluntary for the recommended nonstructural measures (elevation and floodproofing).

The study funds were appropriated at a federal cost of $3 million. The project is estimated at $2.6 billion, split 65 percent federal ($1.7 billion) and 35 percent non-federal ($893 million). Non-federal funds can come from state, county, municipalities,  and other non-federal entities.

“We are already committed to making Monroe County as resilient as possible against the effects of future storms and sea-level rise,” said Roman Gastesi, Monroe County Administrator. “This partnership with USACE will allow us to tap into federal money to help offset resiliency costs to Florida Keys residents.”

To learn more about the project, visit https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/FloridaKeysCSRMFeasibilityStudy/.