Posted on September 16, 2021
As Miami-Dade County advances critical efforts to build a more resilient community and prepare for the impacts of sea level rise, the county plans to move forward with a locally preferred option for the Miami-Dade Back Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study (the “Back Bay” study).
Through the community feedback process over recent months, Miami-Dade has heard extensive input from residents and stakeholders. In particular this feedback focused on ensuring that the Back Bay project takes a comprehensive approach incorporating natural resilience features wherever possible rather than building new man-made structures, addressing the unique needs of our natural environment and nature-driven local economy.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava informed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) of the county’s intent to pursue a locally preferred plan (LPP) for the Back Bay study, and during this preliminary discussion, USACE outlined the process to pursue an LPP.
“Miami-Dade County and the Army Corps of Engineers have learned a great deal in partnership about how best to protect our community from sea level rise and its impacts, and we have listened closely to the community throughout this process,” Mayor Levine Cava said. “Based on the feedback of residents and stakeholders, we are moving forward with our storm resilience efforts through a ‘Locally Preferred Plan’ to focus our readiness strategy on nature-based features and to continue working directly with impacted residents and cities.”
By seeking an LPP, Miami-Dade aims to take a comprehensive approach to storm surge protection measures that incorporates nature features, invests equitably across the county, and also protects against flooding. The LPP also will provide many more opportunities for community stakeholder involvement as the county continues to develop and refine the plan.
The current recommended plan includes flood protection for critical infrastructure, nonstructural measures for residential and commercial structures, and natural and nature-based features in the Cutler Bay area. All these measures received broad support from both local governments and residents. Also included in the recommended plan are five structural measures located in the City of Miami, Coral Gables, and Miami Shores, which brought up concerns that would need to be addressed moving forward.
“An LPP allows the county to propose additional measures that have multiple benefits including reducing storm surge flooding, while also tackling our other resilience challenges,” said Jim Murley, Miami-Dade County chief resilience officer.
Final approval of an LPP must come from the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works in Washington, DC. The LPP request also will require additional funding and a time extension for USACE to complete the study.
In the days ahead, the county is committed to continued and increased stakeholder involvement to review the plan and provide additional input, which will offer opportunities for stakeholders and communities to be more involved in shaping the design of the LPP.
The Back Bay study began in October 2018 as part of a series of Congress-directed coastal storm risk management studies in response to Hurricane Irma. The three-year, federally funded study was aimed at identifying ways to reduce damage from future storms. The effort, led by the USACE Norfolk District, initially anticipated delivery of a Chief’s Report, which would advance the study to Congress for authorization, by fall 2021.
“We look forward to continuing collaboration with USACE along with our residents, businesses, cities, and local stakeholders to develop a plan that incorporates community input and embraces the challenges and features of our unique, treasured natural environment,” Mayor Levine Cava said.
