Mayor Michelle Wu, US Army Corps of Engineers Announce Draft Plan to Protect Boston against Sea-Level Rise and Extreme Weather

Today Mayor Michelle Wu announced the release of the US Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) draft Boston Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study, a once-in-a-generation study to protect Boston against coastal flooding and sea level rise. This study, projected to be completed by 2028, will allow the City of Boston to access up to 65% federal cost-sharing to construct coastal resilience projects to prevent an estimated $41 billion in damages from coastal flooding. The proposed projects outlined in the draft report are open to public comment from July 24 through September 18. Residents and stakeholders can submit their feedback and learn about upcoming community meetings and webinars at boston.gov/flood-prevention.

"Boston leads with bold action to protect our communities and our future," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "The future of our city depends on the steps we take now to build resilient communities. With more frequent flooding in vulnerable areas during extreme weather events, the Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study is critical to understanding how to protect inland neighborhoods most at risk and unlocking resources to take action. I'm grateful for all our partners working to ensure Boston is resilient, prepared, and beautiful."

"Today marks a major milestone in our shared mission of community resilience," said Lieutenant Colonel David MacPhail, Deputy Commander of the New England District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "The reality is that doing nothing is not a viable option. Without action, the costs to public safety and economic vitality from coastal flooding will only be compounded."

Flood Risk in Boston

Roughly one sixth of Boston is built on filled tidelands and is in danger of flooding due to sea-level rise and extreme weather. Since 1991, Boston has experienced 24 severe storm events that triggered federal or state disaster declarations,14 of which caused major flooding. Flooding already affects many coastal neighborhoods even on blue sky days, and flood paths on Boston's low-lying land will carry coastal storm flooding deep into neighborhoods in the decades to come.

Boston is at greater risk of coastal flooding due to expected increasing storm intensity and sea-level rise. According to USACE, over 40 percent of Boston residents (an estimated 284,000 total) live in areas that are at risk of coastal flooding, and approximately 20,000 buildings are at risk of severe flooding.

Building coastal infrastructure is critical to protect inland parts of Dorchester, Roxbury, the South End, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, East Boston, Charlestown, and even Allston, as well as access to hospitals, the MBTA, I-93, the Mass Pike, Logan Airport, and more. Without any action, some neighborhoods over a mile away from the ocean could experience severe flooding in the next 25 years.

USACE Boston Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study

The draft Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study outlines a multi-decade scope of work consisting of over 20 infrastructure projects along 16 miles of Boston's 47-mile coastline, largely in alignment with Boston's Climate Ready Boston neighborhood plans. These projects would permanently close 20 long-term coastal flood pathways (inland areas that could flood during extreme weather events). These sites have been identified by the federal government as key areas of risk that could compromise the safety and economic future of both Boston and the country at large.

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The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) estimates $54 billion in projected losses by the end of the century if Boston takes no action to improve its coastal resilience. However, USACE estimates that every $1 invested in Boston's resilience through these projects will save residents, businesses, and the public sector at least $4 in future avoided disaster losses. According to USACE's draft report, it will cost approximately $10 billion for the baseline infrastructure to close all of Boston's coastal flood pathways. This draft report does not include additional cost estimates for project upgrades to improve public access to Boston Harbor. As these projects are further designed in the years to come, the City expects to invest billions of additional dollars through federal, state, and private funding streams to enhance USACE's baseline coastal resilience infrastructure and improve residents' access to green space and recreational opportunities along Boston Harbor.

By partnering with USACE, the City of Boston can access up to a 65% federal cost-share for construction of the baseline infrastructure to protect Boston from flooding. Boston will work closely alongside the Commonwealth and private-sector partners to secure the remaining funding needed to finance these critical projects as they are further designed and delivered over the coming several decades. On June 1, the Boston Green Ribbon Commission announced the launch of a one-year study to identify how Boston and its government and private sector partners can fund and finance the 35% non-federal cost share to deliver on these critical coastal resilience projects. This study will analyze the total cost of inaction, the benefit and Return on Investment (ROI) of resilience investments, the funding gap to fill, funding and financing options from public and private sources, and a recommended financial strategy.

The USACE draft Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study report contains:

• Locations for projects to protect Boston against coastal flooding
• Different types of infrastructure projects proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers, such as floodwalls, berms, and floodgates
• Neighborhood characteristics, such as the environmental resources, cultural institutions, and local history, that will affect what types of projects are constructed.

Public Feedback

The locations for coastal resilience infrastructure proposed by USACE in this study are not final. As of today, the public can visit boston.gov/flood-prevention to see:

• A summary of the USACE draft study report,
• A storymap, an immersive multimedia presentation highlighting maps, proposed coastal infrastructure projects, and notable features of the draft study report,
• Proposed neighborhood plan summaries, including the possible locations and types of coastal infrastructure projects, and
• Upcoming community meetings and webinars, including a webinar on best practices for providing public comment on August 6 at 10 AM.

USACE will publish the full draft Boston Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study on their website later this week. Residents and stakeholders can submit their feedback by September 18 at 5 PM.

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Coastal Resilience Planning in Boston

This work to protect Boston would not be possible without the collaboration and perspective of our communities. Over the last decade, the City of Boston has engaged thousands of residents and stakeholders across coastal neighborhoods, making this one of the most extensive community-driven resilience planning processes in the country.

In 2016, the City of Boston published its Climate Ready Boston plan, which outlined the adaptation efforts to protect Boston from extreme heat, stormwater flooding, and coastal and river flooding. It also identified climate resilience initiatives to enable Boston to address these risks and continue to thrive in the face of climate change.

From 2017-2022, the City of Boston created local Coastal Resilience Solution Plans to identify the location of flood risks and opportunities for flood prevention infrastructure across each neighborhood. As a result, the City developed coastal resilience solutions and an implementation roadmap that outlines the timing by which strategies need to be constructed and next steps for advancing each proposed project in each neighborhood. USACE will be a critical partner in implementing these projects.

Following the completion of the neighborhood coastal resilience plans, the City has taken action to implement priority projects across the city's waterfront to reduce near-term coastal flood risk for Boston's communities. The City projects underway in each coastal neighborhood include 11 projects currently in design, two projects actively in construction, and three projects that have been constructed and are open to the public. Progress on project implementation are available through the City's Coastal Resilience Project Tracker.

"All of Massachusetts benefits from the protection of Boston's coastline," said Brian Swett, Chief Climate Officer for the City of Boston. "Failure to protect our city jeopardizes the entire region's economic prosperity and access to critical infrastructure, including hospitals, higher education, rail networks, highways, and job opportunities. The more we invest in Boston's resilience now, the more we will all prosper in the future."

"If we do not act, many people in Boston and across the region could have their home, work, school, commute, or medical care affected by coastal storms and sea-level rise," said Chris Osgood, Director of the Office of Climate Resilience. "Investing in resilience will not only save lives. It will protect our regional economy and critical services, as well as enhance recreational, and natural spaces along Boston Harbor."

"The Army Corps partnership is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unlock significant federal funding to protect Boston's major job centers and our state's economic competitiveness," said Lindsey Butler, Executive Director of the Green Ribbon Commission. "With this plan as our foundation, now is the moment for pragmatic collaboration to protect not just the coastline but the economic vitality of our city for generations to come."

Sign up for project updates on the US Army Corps of Engineers Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study.

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