NORFOLK, VA – This week, Norfolk City Council was briefed ahead of their upcoming vote to authorize the City Manager to move forward with a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) between the City and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk Office to support the Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) project known as Resilient Norfolk. The project aims to reduce the City’s risk from coastal flooding and damage due to nor’easters, hurricanes and other significant storm events. The vote is expected to take place at the next Council meeting on March 14.
The PPA is a legally binding agreement between the Federal Government and the City of Norfolk for the implementation and construction of the Resilient Norfolk project. With the PPA, Resilient Norfolk can now move from the Preliminary Engineering and Design Phase into the Construction Phase. The agreement’s terms are expected to be finalized and signed this spring.
“The City of Norfolk continues to lead the way in coastal resilience and adaptation, and we are fully committed to the Resilient Norfolk project,” said Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander, Ph.D. “Norfolk is challenged with rising sea levels making it imperative that we act now to ensure the ongoing safety and prosperity of our residents and businesses. We look forward to working with the Army Corps to make Norfolk a more resilient city of the future.”
This $2.6 billion project, comprised of 65 percent Federal and 35 percent City funding, will be implemented over the next 10 years in phases. As part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strengthen port and waterway supply chains and bolster climate resilience, the City will receive nearly $400 million in Federal funding to increase community resilience to flooding.
“We’re excited for this next step forward in the Resilient Norfolk project,” said Kyle Spencer, Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Norfolk. “Flooding events have tripled since the 1970s. The PPA allows the City of Norfolk to move forward in developing significant flood mitigation measures that will reduce the risk of flooding and damage to the City.”
Divided into five implementation phases, the Resilient Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project features storm-surge barriers, nearly eight miles of floodwalls, nearly one mile of levees, 11 tide gates, and 10 pump stations, along with a series of nonstructural projects that include home elevations, basement fills, and commercial floodproofing. Resilient Norfolk is a collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and City of Norfolk.
Visit the website for more information and ongoing project status updates at: www.resilientnorfolk.com.