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Regional resiliency plan, military readiness review and shoaling study presented to Waterways Commission
Summary
The Northeast Florida Regional Council described phase 2 of its regional resilience action plan, a military installation readiness review that will include shoaling issues, and other salt‑marsh and seafood-industry projects. The council invited the Waterways Commission to participate in a technical advisory committee on shoaling.
The Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC) briefed the Jacksonville Waterways Commission May 15 on its resiliency program and invited commission participation in regional studies that include shoaling and shoreline projects.
Beth Payne, executive-level staff for the NEFRC, introduced the council’s mission and funding structure, and handed the presentation to Farrah Alami, the council’s resiliency manager, who described the collaborative and four priority pillars: environment, quality of life, infrastructure and economic resilience.
Alami told the commission the resilience program operates in three “spheres of action”: assessing vulnerabilities, mitigation and adaptation, and military and community involvement. She highlighted four projects relevant to the Waterways Commission: phase 2 of the Regional Resilience Action Plan (focused on implementable actions, metrics and funding streams), a Military Installation Readiness Review (MIRR), the South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI) work and a seafood‑industry market study for Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
Alami said the MIRR — an 18‑month, regionwide initiative kicked off in April — will assess environmental, infrastructure and social risks to military installations and recommend implementable measures to increase mission assurance. The MIRR will assess impacts outside installations’ fence lines, prioritize nature-based solutions where appropriate, and establish a technical advisory committee; Alami invited the Waterways Commission to attend the committee and said one advisory meeting will focus on shoaling.
Commission members asked whether the council was collaborating with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on shrimp-industry work. Alami said she would check with project partners and follow up with specific contacts. Commissioner Mark Hardesty noted prior meetings with Jacksonville University marine sciences staff and the NEFRC about shoaling near Clapboard Creek and welcomed the MIRR as a way to bring additional experts to the issue.
Payne said NEFRC receives roughly $3–4 million annually from a mix of federal, state and local sources and staffs about 17 people; projects are funded through departments such as the Florida Department of Health, the Division of Emergency Management and U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Commissioners thanked NEFRC staff and the commission indicated willingness to participate in the MIRR technical advisory committee and to receive follow-up about FWC involvement in shrimp‑industry and shore‑stabilization work.
