US North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study: Resilient Adaptation to Increasing Risk

Abstract

Hurricane Sandy originated as a late season hurricane in the south-western Caribbean Sea on October 22, 2012. On October 29, 2012, the remnants of Hurricane Sandy in the form of a post-tropical cyclone made landfall near Brigantine, NJ. Because of its tremendous size, the storm drove a catastrophic storm surge into the densely developed New Jersey and New York coastlines, accentuating the vulnerability of the North Atlantic Coast to coastal flood hazard. On January 29, 2013, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113-2), was enacted to assist in the recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Public Law 113-2, Chapter 4, authorized U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to conduct a US$ 15-20 million comprehensive study to address the flood risks of vulnerable coastal populations and infrastructure at risk throughout more than 31,000 miles of the North Atlantic coastal region in areas that were affected by Hurricane Sandy. The goals of the NACCS were to: (i) Provide a risk reduction framework, consistent with the NOAA-USACE Infrastructure Systems Rebuilding Principles; and (ii) Support resilient coastal communities and robust, sustainable coastal landscape systems, considering future sea level rise and climate change scenarios, to reduce risk to vulnerable populations, property, ecosystems, and infrastructure. Managing short-term and long-term risk among Federal, State, regional, tribal, and local agencies, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) required collaboration, data sharing, overcoming barriers, closing data gaps, and developing new partnerships and incentives for a renewed era of coastal planning and action.