Chief of Engineers signs Ponte Vedra Beach CSRM Chief’s Report
Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, 55th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, signed the Chief’s Report April 18, 2024, for the Ponte Vedra Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Study Report in a ceremony at USACE Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The three-year study, which began with the signing of a Federal Cost Sharing Agreement between USACE Jacksonville District and St. Johns Co., Florida, the non-federal sponsor, in April 2021, was designed to address the risk from coastal storms due to inundation, erosion and wave attack along the St. Johns Co. shoreline, which continues to threaten infrastructure and contribute to public safety hazards.
“I want to commend the Jacksonville District project delivery team for their tenacious dedication to this critical study and for overcoming many challenges in delivering their final report for the Chief to sign off on schedule and under budget,” said USACE Jacksonville District Commander, Col. James Booth.
The Chief’s Report details the USACE plan to reduce coastal storm damages to residential and commercial structures, critical infrastructure, State Road A1A, and cultural and natural resources while reducing risk to life and safety in the study area.
“This is wonderful news for our St. Johns County beaches, both for the environment and our tourists,” said St. Johns Co. Commissioner Henry Dean.
With the signing of the Chief’s Report, the study’s recommended plan will begin the process of federal review and congressional consideration for inclusion in future Water Resources Development Act legislation to fund implementation.
“The true measure of this three-year effort will be the benefits this report contributes to the well-being of St. Johns Co. residents and tourists from around the globe and the resilience of this stretch of Atlantic coastline for decades to come,” said Booth.
Read the Chief’s Report and Transmittal Letter through the links to your left.
To review the report’s supporting appendices, go to Jacksonville District’s environmental documents website at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-Offices/Planning/Environmental-Branch/Environmental-Documents/
On that page, scroll down to click the “+” next to St, Johns County to open that section and scroll down to find the documents dated 29 February 2024.
Ponte Vedra Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Recommended Plan 2024
Public Presentation and Discussion of Draft Report for Ponte Vedra Beach CSRM Feasibility Study, May 11, 2023
USACE Jacksonville and its partner, St. Johns Co., conducted a public presentation and discussion of the Draft Report and Environmental Assessment for the Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study May 11, 2023, at the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve Center in Ponte Vedra Beach.
The program include informal discussion, a detailed presentation of the Draft Report and Tentatively Selected Plan, a question-and-answer period, and an opportunity to submit comments for consideration by the study team.
See below for the Draft Report Presentation.
USACE Jacksonville encourages submission of comments from all interested parties through May 16, 2023, for consideration by the study team.
The Draft Report and associated documents are available for review under the Draft IFR/EA Documents heading to the right.
Comments may be submitted by either email or U.S. Postal Service mail.
Email: PonteVedraBeachCSRM@usace.army.mil
U.S. Mail:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
Attn: Darren Pecora, Planning Division
701 San Marco Blvd.
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
Comments must be received by May 16, 2023, for consideration.
VIEW THE DRAFT FEASIBILITY REPORT PRESENTATION
USACE releases Draft Ponte Vedra Beach CSRM Feasibility Study for public review and comment
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, is pleased to announce the release of the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment for the St. Johns County, FL Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study (Ponte Vedra Beach).
The purpose of this three-year study is to address coastal storm damages and effects from sea level rise for long-term community resilience over a 50-year period of analysis along the shores of Ponte Vedra Beach.
“The Jacksonville District project delivery team has been working diligently since the signing of the Feasibility Cost Share Agreement back in April 2021 to come up with a tentatively selected plan that reduces risk from future storm events and sea level rise for the residents and tourists who love the St. Johns County beaches,” said Col. James Booth, District Commander.
The draft report includes the tentatively selected plan consisting of periodic beach and dune nourishment along some 5.1 miles of shoreline in South Ponte Vedra Beach. Initial construction is anticipated to require approximately 2.1 million cubic yards of sand placement. Planned future maintenance cycles are estimated to require approximately 660,000 cubic years of sand renourishment every 10 years.
The Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment (IFR/EA) document is available for public review and comment for a 30-day period from April 17, 2023, to May 16, 2023.
See the Draft IFR/EA Documents links in the righthand column of this page. Documents are also available for public review at http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-Offices/Planning/Environmental-Branch/Environmental-Documents/. On that page, scroll down to “St. Johns” and click on the “+” to open a list of environmental study and project materials. Scroll down the list to find the Draft IFR/EA documents dated 17 April 2023.
Comments may be submitted by either email or U.S. Postal Service mail.
Email: PonteVedraBeachCSRM@usace.army.mil
U.S. Mail:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
Attn: Darren Pecora, Planning Division
701 San Marco Blvd.
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
Comments must be received by May 16, 2023, for consideration.
The team’s goal is to complete the study process with the signing of a Chief of Engineers Report in April 2024.
The report will then be sent to Congress for authorization and appropriations to complete initial construction of the project.
Ponte Vedra Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study Milestones
Feb. 15, 2023 Tentatively Selected Plan Milestone
April 17, 2023 Draft Report / Environmental Assessment for Concurrent Review
Aug. 17, 2023 Agency Decision Milestone
Nov. 20, 2023 Start Final Legal and Policy Review
Jan. 23, 2024 Final Report Submittal
Feb. 28, 2024 Start State and Agency Review
April 17, 2024 Chief of Engineers Report Signing
Ponte Vedra Beach CSRM Feasibility Study NEPA Scoping Meeting -- July 15, 2021
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, has begun preparation of an integrated Feasibility Study and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document to address coastal storm damages and risks along the shores of Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Johns County, Fla.
Jacksonville District is seeking public comment through July 29, 2021, to its proposed Ponte Vedra Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management study.
Under a Feasibility Cost Share Agreement between the Jacksonville District and its non-federal sponsor, St. Johns County, the Corps is authorized to evaluate federal participation in coastal storm risk management opportunities for the shores of the county for a 50-year period.
The district conducted two public, virtual (online) NEPA scoping presentations July 15, 2021, to provide an overview of the project study area and the NEPA process. The district encourages the public to contribute their views, comments, information about environmental and cultural resources, study objectives and important features within the described project area for consideration in the study.
See below for the slide deck presentation and a video recording of the public scoping presentation.
View the July 2021 NEPA scoping Slide Presentation: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll11/id/5264
View the July 2021 NEPA scoping Video Presentation: https://youtu.be/g87-yQoOa2g