HRPDC resilience officer urges Portsmouth to pursue study and grants as Army Corps projects scale up

Ben McFarland, chief resilience officer at the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, briefed Portsmouth’s City Council on Feb. 24 about regional coastal resilience programs, Army Corps feasibility studies and state funding opportunities.

McFarland said the HRPDC coordinates regional technical assistance and cited ongoing projects including joint land‑use studies, outreach to increase flood insurance uptake, and a regional roadway flooding sensor program funded by the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF). He said Portsmouth and other participating localities will receive three sensors on critical roadways to transmit live flood data.

On federal funding, McFarland explained the Army Corps’ feasibility process commonly summarized as “3x3x3” — roughly three years, a $3 million study cap and three levels of Corps review — and said such feasibility studies and subsequent chief’s reports are necessary to unlock major Corps construction funding. He stressed that congressional authorization and a non‑federal cost share are prerequisites and that study language and funding sources materially affect scope and outcomes.

McFarland highlighted regional examples. He said the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Study originally estimated $1.4 billion for full implementation but that the estimate has since grown to about $2.6 billion, and that final construction could stretch into the 2040s. He described Virginia Beach and Peninsula studies as more recent and noted differences in authorization language and funding that have constrained or expanded their scopes.

McFarland described the CFPF as a major state program created in 2020; he said rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative could restore auction revenues (he cited an illustrative figure of about $460 million to the state and roughly half directed to the CFPF) and increase available state funding for local flood projects. He also said the region has brought in more than $100 million through CFPF rounds and that Portsmouth already has an approved resilience plan, positioning it to apply for future rounds.

Council members asked whether the Norfolk flood‑wall project could meaningfully change Portsmouth’s flood risk. McFarland said the Corps’ initial feasibility work indicated off‑site impacts were likely negligible but that Corps engineers are updating high‑resolution surge models this year; those updated analyses will provide a clearer determination. He said the Corps has a responsibility to consider and mitigate off‑site impacts as designs are finalized.

Council members and staff discussed capacity to pursue grants and feasibility studies; McFarland advised early coordination with district Corps staff, regional partners and the congressional delegation, and emphasized that local capacity (grant writers, dedicated resilience staff) improves competitiveness for state and federal funds.

McFarland closed by offering to help facilitate follow‑up conversations with Corps or study sponsors and by noting that many resilience projects require long timelines and substantial matching funds. Council then moved into a closed session on a separate personnel matter.