Letter to the Hon. Rickey Dale James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works - Schumer, Gillibrand call on Army Corps to advance first-of-its kind resiliency blueprint to protect Great Lakes shorelines; senators say with Upstate NY being ravaged by floods in recent years, there is a paramount need to identify and fix shoreline vulnerabilities

Letter

Dear Mr. James:

We greatly urge you to select the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study for a New Starts Investigations designation in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) FY 2020 Work Plan. This summer, the coastline of Lake Ontario experienced devastating floods that came on the heels of devastating floods just two years ago in 2017. A comprehensive study is more important than ever to protect the Great Lakes coastline--and the millions of residents who live there--from severe threats such as erosion, flooding, and aging infrastructure.

This summer Lake Ontario water levels reached an all-time high causing months of devastating flood waters to inundate and damage near-shore areas. This year's floods follow similar floods just two years ago in 2017 that resulted in millions of dollars in damages during 14 weeks of then-record high flood waters, resulting in a Major Federal Disaster Declaration (FEMA-4348-DR). This disrupted both the lives and livelihoods of residents, especially those who rely on the $17.3 billion Great Lakes maritime economy which generates 293,000 jobs per year, or the $14 billion Great Lakes recreation and tourism economy. The Great Lakes coastline is also home to diverse ecosystems such as wetlands, bluffs, dunes and beaches, which house species that are threatened or endangered. With 4.2 million Americans living within two miles of the United States Great Lakes coastline, it is important to address the vulnerabilities such as erosion, flooding, nutrient runoff, and aging infrastructure that threaten the 5,200-mile coastline.

The Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study is a top priority for the three Corps Districts (Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo) surrounding the Great Lakes as well as the Corps' Great Lakes and Ohio River Division. It also has the support of seven Great Lakes states, the Great Lakes Commission, and several federal agencies with missions in coastal management, including NOAA and U.S. Geological Survey.

We have long advocated for this study and were pleased when it received authorization in the 2018 Water Resources Development Act. We now write to express our strongest support for the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study and request that USACE design $1.2 million in funding for it in the FY20 Work Plan.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

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