The Coastal Advisory Committee just issued a warning. Let’s hope the decision-makers are paying attention.
The warning is that coastline resiliency can’t be achieved without at least some hardening – the use of rocks and concrete to protect against violent coastal storms, particularly over an extended period of time.
Hardening can’t just be summarily dismissed. No jetties, groins or floodwalls means no long-term protection.
Why bring this up now?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is about to issue a recommendation to Collier County officials that relies almost entirely on sand and plants to protect buildings and infrastructure along the Gulf coast. It’s called “nature-based” and it won’t get the job done.
Here’s how it all started.
Some eight years ago the county government entered into a partnership with the Corps of Engineers to develop a long-range plan to reduce the risk of coastal storm damage. Hurricanes Wilma and Irma underscored the importance of this.
A project was initiated in 2018, the first stage a feasibility study to be followed, if approved, by detailed engineering and eventually a request for federal funds. The goal was an all-inclusive 50-year project, likely costing in the billions. Some 65% of the money to implement the initial phases of the project was to come from the feds and 35% from Collier County.
When the feasibility study was nearing completion several years ago, costs rose significantly, rendering the Corps of Engineers recommendations invalid and essentially killing the project.
But no one was willing to give up, and another three-year analysis was initiated in 2022. Cowed by criticisms of the first study, the Corps of Engineers took great pains to ensure that everyone had an opportunity to provide input. Not surprisingly, the loudest voices got the most attention.
The loudest voices came from environmentalists across Southwest Florida. Academics and local conservation groups all called for a green-only approach – high sand dunes; lots of plants, including mangroves; sand bars; artificial barrier islands.
The Corps of Engineers caved and excluded all hardening from its plan.
That alarmed some scientists, including Coastal Advisory Committee members who had seen the effectiveness of rocks and concrete on Florida’s east coast and elsewhere up the Atlantic shoreline.
The Coastal Advisory Committee’s concern was not and is not the nature-based approach, but rather the complete omission of added structures and hardening. Even the Environmental Defense Fund has expressed concern.
The project is already burdened by many conditions and limitations.
· Approaches must be cost-effective in protecting buildings in order to justify use of government money.
· The project is specifically intended to reduce, not prevent losses.
· Some areas of the Collier shoreline are entirely excluded from the study, e.g., Marco Island.
Is it too late to sound the alarm? It may be. Key elements of the Tentatively Selected Plan, which will issue in September, are said to be “locked in.”
Even though time is running out, the Coastal Advisory Committee voted to alert the county commissioners of the almost certain failure of the USACE approach as it now stands. A totally nature-based project would be a terrible waste of taxpayer money.
Coastal Advisory Committee Chairman Joe Burke, an experienced professional engineer, says, “It would be a mistake to impose an artificial deadline on this important project. The experts need time to evaluate the different approaches and economic impacts. And at least a 90-day review period should be allowed.”
Let’s hope it’s not too late to salvage this important program.
Dave Trecker of Naples, a Ph.D. chemist, is vice chair of the Coastal Advisory Committee.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: No coastal hardening means no long-term protection
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