Mayor Wu, Army Corps of Engineers announce draft plan to protect Boston from rising sea levels, extreme weather
Boston has 47 miles of beautiful coastline. To protect it, along with its residents and businesses, city officials announced a draft plan to protect against rising sea levels and extreme weather.
"Today marks a major milestone in Boston's fight to protect our city from climate change," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said. The 600-page report, which will be unveiled on Friday, was conducted by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. It will provide a clear picture of how rising seas and stronger storms threaten neighborhoods and will be one of the largest coastal flood protection systems in the country.
In recent years, downtown Boston has seen its fair share of severe flooding. "Our study that we partnered with Boston on, assessed the people, the ecosystems of the area, the property and the critical infrastructure that Boston has," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Colonel David MacPhail said. "Doing nothing is not a viable solution."
The Boston Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study will include seawall improvement, flood walls, levees and surge barriers. "More than 40% of our residents now live in areas at risk of coastal flooding, including some who are a mile away from the ocean. Without action, we risk more than $54 billion in damages to our homes, hospitals, roads and other critical infrastructure by the end of the century," Mayor Wu said.
The New England Aquarium often sees flooding during strong storms. "It's already happening now, and we already see the projections years into the future and so it's critical that we all come together through public-private partnerships, from all levels of government and business to find a way to fund the work that needs to happen," said New England Aquarium Director of Community Engagement Luz Arregoces.
The final report will be released in 2028 and will allow the city to tap into federal funds that will cover up to 65% of the cost to construct climate resilient infrastructure.
