Posted on April 22, 2024
Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, 55th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, signed the Chief’s Report April 18, 2024, for the Ponte Vedra Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Study Report in a ceremony at USACE Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The three-year study, which began with the signing of a Federal Cost Sharing Agreement between USACE Jacksonville District and St. Johns Co., Florida, the non-federal sponsor, in April 2021, was designed to address the risk from coastal storms due to inundation, erosion and wave attack along the St. Johns Co. shoreline, which continues to threaten infrastructure and contribute to public safety hazards.
“I want to commend the Jacksonville District project delivery team for their tenacious dedication to this critical study and for overcoming many challenges in delivering their final report for the Chief to sign off on schedule and under budget,” said USACE Jacksonville District Commander, Col. James Booth.
The Chief’s Report details the USACE plan to reduce coastal storm damages to residential and commercial structures, critical infrastructure, State Road A1A, and cultural and natural resources while reducing risk to life and safety in the study area.
“This is wonderful news for our St. Johns County beaches, both for the environment and our tourists,” said St. Johns Co. Commissioner Henry Dean
With the signing of the Chief’s Report, the study’s recommended plan will begin the process of federal review and congressional consideration for inclusion in future Water Resources Development Act legislation to fund implementation.
“The true measure of this three-year effort will be the benefits this report contributes to the well-being of St. Johns Co. residents and tourists from around the globe and the resilience of this stretch of Atlantic coastline for decades to come,” said Booth.
