The Army Corps of Engineers returned to Collier County last week with a round of public information meetings to provide updates on their study of coastal storm risk management. The study’s goal is to find solutions to combat the county’s low-lying topography, which puts the area at risk for flooding and deterioration of the coast due to sea-level rise and large storms.
The Army Corps hosted a series of charrettes in April with local stakeholders, subject matter experts and local government staff to discuss possible measures that can be taken to reduce risk to the county’s coast. Last week, the group of engineers returned to show the progress that has been made in the past two months.
Today marks the final day to submit formal comments on the Army Corps’ proposal.
The original feasibility study began in 2018 but ultimately was terminated in October 2021 before the final draft report was released. In August 2022, the Army Corps was approved for $2.97 million in federal funding to restart its study.
Multiple solutions were screened out upon feedback from the April meetings, including the Wiggins Pass surge barrier and the Vanderbilt and Bonita beaches floodwalls. April Olson, senior environmental planning specialist with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, was pleased to see one structural measure was ruled out.
“We believe [the barriers] would have had serious environmental impacts to coastal resources, essential fish habitat, water quality, hydrology, numerous issues,” Olson said. “Not to mention, it would have drastically changed the aesthetics of the area.”
Of the almost 300 public comments received, more than half focused on supporting nature-based solutions, emphasizing green over gray infrastructure. Nature-based measures include mangrove and oyster reef restoration.
Joe Schmitt is on the Collier County Planning Commission and will be a member of the newly formed Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study Advisory Committee. He is a former district commander in the Army Corps’ Savannah District.
Schmitt said it will be a challenge to follow through with the project once the study has been finalized and authorized by Congress because of the county money that will need to be spent.
“I think it will be interesting politically to see what the will is of both the community and the Collier County Commissioners,” he said.
Although the last Army Corps study attempted in Collier wasn’t completed, Michella Hamor, chief of the Army Corps’ Norfolk, Virigina, District’s Planning and Policy Branch, said the current study will have a different outcome.
“Some people feel like there’s no need for this project, and sometimes that is the answer of a feasibility study,” Hamor said. “You go all the way through it and realize there is no federal interest here and that is an answer. We believe there is an interest, certainly from the damage that occurred during Hurricane Ian and from our original feasibility study, I believe there is federal interest within this area.”
It is anticipated that the draft feasibility report and environmental impact statement will be completed by summer 2024, which then is followed by a 45-day comment period. The signed chief’s report, signaling the end of the study, is projected to be complete by August 2025.
