Approval to enter into an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for a Resilient Florida Grant Agreement which is fully reimbursable for a City of Fort Pierce Comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment FDEP in the amount of $159,665.00.

The Florida Department of Protection (FDEP) Resilient Florida Program includes a selection of grants that are available to counties, municipalities, special districts with specific responsibilities, and regional resilience entities. The program was created to help coastal and inland communities plan for the impacts of climate change, including flooding and sea level rise. The Resilient Florida Program offers grants for community planning as well as grants to implement projects that adapt critical assets to risks associated with flooding and sea level rise. Communities that have yet to perform a vulnerability assessment pursuant to statutory requirements will be prioritized for funding. Local governments are eligible to apply for project implementation funding after conducting a vulnerability assessment, evaluation, report, or other similar document that demonstrates a risk of flooding or risks due to sea level rise to a critical asset or the project area.

The City of Fort Pierce was awarded a FDEP Resilient Florida Grant to complete a Comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment (VA) in the amount of $159,655.00. The City strives to improve the water quantity conveyance, water quality discharges and relieve spot flooding throughout the City. In 2005, the City prepared a Stormwater Master Plan which identified locations within the City that did not meet the City’s stormwater level of service standard relative to conveyance, water quality and flooding. The City desires to prepare a Stormwater Master Plan( SWMP) update to reassess the City’s stormwater infrastructure to include a vulnerability assessment pursuant to Florida Statute 380.093. The vulnerability assessment is to identify or address risks of inland or coastal flooding and sea level rise.

The completion of the Comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment will be pursued through a Specific Authorization with Kimley-Horn and Associates, who completed the City's 2005 Citywide Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP). The 2005 SWMP is in need of updating and the Vulnerability Assessment through the Resilient Florida Grant is the first step in updating the SWMP.

FDEP has specified that the Grant Agreement is to be executed and returned within 60-days of the email notification dated June 27th, 2024. Additionally, the grant tasks have specific completion due dates beginning January 31, 2025 with the final Comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment Report due March 31, 2026.

Staff recommends approval of the grant agreement.

Deny and forego pursuing available grant funding.

Engineering Department

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)