[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]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P