The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced yesterday additional work that it will accomplish with funding provided in Public Law 115-123, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.
The act provides nearly $17.4 billion to the Corps for disaster recovery, among other things.
The Jacksonville District received $3.348 billion for long term recovery investments in its area of responsibility, which includes Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The funding will go towards 13 studies, and 19 construction projects that will reduce risk to communities damaged by storm events.
The Corps allocated an initial $360 million in April 2018 for Corps’ operations and maintenance priority repairs. Jacksonville District received $31.6 million to immediately address short-term repairs to seven authorized projects; some repairs have already started.
Additionally, the District received $143.6 million in work-plan funding in June 2018, and $268.9 million under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (totaling $412.5 million).
The total Federal funding allocation for Jacksonville District efforts so far exceeds $4 billion.
“ We’re very grateful for the opportunity this funding will provide to make tomorrow better for so many Americans ,” said Jacksonville District Commander, Col. Jason Kirk.
“ This massive work effort will make a significant difference in helping protect millions of people and their communities damaged by hurricanes Maria and Irma in particular . We have worked very closely with our non-federal sponsors, elected leaders and the state/agency leaders from Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to document storm-related damages and risks to help the Corps focus these investments, ” Kirk explained.
The Supplemental Construction funding includes $514.2 million for Herbert Hoover Dike; this will fully fund construction through completion in 2022 with $162.4 million projected in the Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations Bill and the $100 million contributed from the State of Florida.
In addition to reducing both coastal and inland flood risks, a $16 million South Atlantic Coastal Study (SACS) will offer possible future solutions. The study will produce a framework for identifying coastal vulnerability along the entire South Atlantic coast, spanning 18,000 coastal miles, including inland, from North Carolina to the Florida Keys, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.