Apalachee RPC Awarded $15 Million for Shoreline Project 
 
The Apalachee RPC was recently awarded more than $15 million to implement a living shoreline project in Franklin County. This groundbreaking coastal resiliency project includes the establishment of nearshore reefs which will reduce wave energy and allow the creation of salt marshes to protect twelve miles of shoreline and U.S. Highway 98. The project will improve Apalachicola Bay's health and productivity with anticipated benefits to include:
  • twelve miles of shoreline habitat improvement and roadway protection,
  • thirty acres of salt marsh formation,
  • twenty acres of estuarine reef creation,
  • 3,000 community residents will benefit.
The Apalachee RPC leveraged the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Emergency Coastal Resilience Fund (ECRF) and Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (GEBF) dollars. The ECRF was established to increase the resilience of coastal communities impacted by natural disasters in 2018. GEBF was established through funds received as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The project is estimated to take four years to complete and will employ local displaced workers to build the living shoreline using the latest innovative techniques and strategies. The completed project will result in a more resilient coastline, enhanced habitat and an even more scenic views along this section of Franklin County.
Tampa Bay RPC Conducts Rapid Redesign Exercise 
 
The Tampa Bay RPC recently conducted a rapid redesign exercise for the City of New Port Richey in Pasco County. The exercise details steps that the City of New Port Richey can take with future development projects to make the downtown district more resilient to rising sea levels, storm surge, and inland flooding. The exercise centered on 3D visualization technology and mapping to provide a virtual experience for the participants.
The conceptual vision and 3D model of the rapid redesign incorporates urban design concepts that increase the area's resiliency to sea level rise, storm surge, and inland flooding. These concepts include:
  • Buildings that are elevated, on sea stilts, or are floodable at the ground level;
  • Green and blue infrastructure practices, including a park with water-absorbing features, porous concrete surfaces, and green roofs equipped to provide solar energy; and
  • Large scale bio-enhanced drainage to large catchment areas.
The Tampa Bay Climate Science Advisory Panel's updated study "Recommended Projections of Sea Level Rise in the Tampa Bay Region" states that the Tampa Bay region's sea levels have risen by 7.8 inches since 1946, and could increase an additional 2 ft. to 8.5 ft by 2100. According to the study, without a coordinated regional response, the area's economy could lose more than $15 billion in real estate value, $5 billion in property tax revenue, and 17,000 jobs as a direct result of sea level rise.
 
New Port Richey and Pasco County are among the 29 members of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council's Resiliency Coalition.
 
Northeast Florida RC Shelter-In-Place Program

In January and February of 2020, the Northeast Florida Healthcare Coalition (HCC) and Northeast Florida Local Emergency Planning Committee for Hazardous Materials (LEPC), programs of the Northeast Florida RC, partnered to implement a pilot training and exercise program. The goal of this program was to enhance shelter-in-place (SIP) capabilities of healthcare facilities for a hazardous materials incident. Healthcare agencies were asked to participate in a four step SIP training and exercise program. LEPC staff conducted SIP Train-the-Trainer courses and provided healthcare facilities training resources to implement SIP training at their healthcare facility. Once the internal SIP training was complete, the healthcare coalition initiated a community-wide SIP exercise. On February 25th, a notification was sent to the participating healthcare facilities for them to enact their SIP Plans. The following highlights the 4-step process.

1. PREPARE - Attended LEPC sponsored shelter-in-place training (offered in 7 counties).

2. IMPLEMENT TRAINING - Participants conducted a staff training at their healthcare facility  on shelter-in-place concepts and developed a kit.

3. CONDUCT EXERCISE - Participants conducted a shelter-in-place exercise at their healthcare facility on February 25, 2020.

4. EVALUATE EXERCISE - Participants completed a pre-developed after-action report for their facility exercise and submitted results through an online survey.
 
A total of 104 people participated in the shelter-in-place training program and 50 healthcare facilities conducted a shelter-in-place exercise. The feedback from participating healthcare facilities was overwhelmingly positive and the Northeast Florida RC hopes to implement a similar program for other disciplines in the future.
 
FRCA Partners Meetings Schedule 2020  
 
Listed below are the upcoming Partners Meetings hosted by FRCA throughout the year.  If you would like to attend or present at one of the Partners Meetings, please contact Denise Imbler  at [email protected]
 
December 4, 2020  9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. City Hall, Tallahassee
Contact: Denise Imbler  |  850.487.1426  |  flregionalcouncils.org