[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5522-5523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01901]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Report Availability.
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SUMMARY: The Congressional response to the devastation in the wake of
Hurricane Sandy included a mandate to collaborate with federal, state,
tribal and local government agencies to regionally address the
vulnerability of coastal populations at risk within the boundaries of
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) North Atlantic Division. The
goals of the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study (NACCS),
authorized under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, Public Law
113-2, were to: (1) Provide a risk management framework, consistent
with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/USACE
Infrastructure Systems Rebuilding Principles; and (2) support resilient
coastal communities and robust, sustainable coastal landscape systems,
considering future sea level and climate change scenarios, to manage
risk to vulnerable populations, property, ecosystems, and
infrastructure. In addition, the NACCS evaluated institutional and
other barriers to providing comprehensive coastal storm risk
management, along with other activities warranting additional analysis.
NACCS draft analyses were made available to stakeholders for review and
validation in March 2014. Throughout the study process several
additional opportunities for stakeholder input were made available,
including a webinar collaboration series, agency and public
engagements, and a feedback link on the NACCS Web page. Full NEPA and
other environmental compliance would be required as part of future
detailed evaluations and/or feasibility studies before any actions
could be implemented. The final report was submitted to Congress and
all associated documents and tools are now accessible on the NACCS Web
page at: https://www.nad.usace.army.mil/compstudy.
ADDRESSES: For media contacts please contact Mr. Justin Ward, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Public Affairs, 302 General Lee Avenue, Brooklyn,
NY 11252, at [email protected] or at (347) 370-4550.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Justin Ward, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Public Affairs.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NACCS recommends the use of a nine-step
Coastal Storm Risk Management Framework, which is customizable for any
coastal watershed and is informed by several planning tools and models
that are included in the report, among other resources. To further
manage coastal flood risk, the report also recommends better
institutional alignment and financing, better use of pre-storm planning
and post-storm monitoring tools, and better education on flood risk and
the availability of flood risk management solutions. The report
recognizes the long-term challenges facing the area, which makes it
clear that integrated solutions that promote sustainable communities
and ecosystems will be needed. The report also identifies nine high-
risk areas that warrant additional analysis. They are: Rhode Island
Coastline; Connecticut Coastline; New York-New Jersey Harbor and
Tributaries; Nassau County Back Bays, NY; New Jersey Back Bays, NJ;
Delaware Inland Bays and Delaware Bay Coast, DE; City of Baltimore, MD;
Washington, DC; and City of Norfolk, VA. The NACCS report represents a
start in the direction of the new paradigm that accounts for new and
changing conditions--this will need the attention and commitment of
public, private and commercial interests in order to succeed.
[[Page 5523]]
Dated: January 28, 2015.
Amy M. Guise,
Chief, Planning Division, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2015-01901 Filed 1-30-15; 8:45 am]
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