Advancing equity and nature in federal flood resilience projects

Flooding is the costliest natural disaster in the U.S. that can have devastating impacts on communities. While there are federally funded projects in place or in development to address flood risks, many have been challenged by community groups. Many stakeholders want to see their flood projects incorporate public engagement, use more nature-based solutions and take a multi-hazard approach, ensuring protection from coastal storms, sea level rise and heavy rains.

EDF is committed to building flood resilience across the United States by supporting local advocacy groups in shaping projects at a local level and advocating for shared priorities at the federal level. We have extensive experience collaborating alongside local sponsors, advocates and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), in addition to other federal agencies, to consider a community’s interests, better incorporate science and address environmental and equity concerns.

Together, our resources, experience and partnership can help build more resilient communities that are adapted to combat rising flood risks.

Barrier island communities vulnerable to extreme storms in the greater Fort Myers area on the west coast of Florida

Our approach

We use three core strategies to advance equity and nature in federal flood management projects: 

  1. Move the state of science toward more equitable, environmentally just and nature-forward project selection and design. 
  2. Strengthen local capacity and federal commitment to enable communities to shape projects.   
  3. Reconfigure federal systems and policies by advocating for evidence-based and community-informed policies and procedures, ensuring core programs have the resources needed to be effective.

Spotlights from across the nation

 

National policy

Alongside partners and collaborators, EDF plays a critical role in advocating for federal policies and programs that improve flood management. Collectively, we have shaped sections of the Water Resources Development Acts in 2020 and 2022, authorizing the Corps to consider all types of flooding in their projects. We have also worked together to advocate for actions that prioritize equity and natural benefits in flood mitigation projects.

Staff perspective

Thanks to ongoing collaborations with advocates and federal agencies, we are pleased to have advanced federal policies that promote flood resilience-building and support communities across the country. These advancements are a direct result of our robust partnerships and commitment to seeking bold climate solutions that prioritize people and the planet.

Will McDow

Associate Vice President, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds

New York-New Jersey

EDF collaborated with the local community, environmental organizations, governments and Congress to advocate for changes to the nation’s largest proposed flood management project. The New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Study is projected to cost $52 billion and support up to 16 million people. Our joint campaign advocated for an updated plan that would address all types of flood risk, prioritize people over property value, center frontline communities and maximize nature while minimizing harm. This resulted in the first ever request by New York and New Jersey to pursue a multi-hazard approach, using the Water Resources Development Act authorization that EDF and partners fought for. Learn more here.

Partner perspective

The New York-New Jersey harbor region, the most densely populated area in the nation, is growingly vulnerable to flood risks driven by more frequent and intense hurricanes, rising sea levels and tidal flooding and extreme rainfall. The Corps proposed New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Study would be the largest coastal infrastructure project in the nation’s history, yet the original proposal fell short of protecting against the full scale of flood risks in the region. 

Through our partnerships in the Rise to Resilience Coalition, more than 100 organizations in the region are working together to push for a more equitable and comprehensive solution that protects residents from the full suite of climate threats in the region.

Tyler Taba

Director of Resilience, Waterfront Alliance

New York City, New York State, Hudson River, USA, Water

Florida

EDF has worked with Florida communities to address flooding and impacts from sea level rise. We partnered with groups in Collier County and Miami-Dade to recommend alternatives to tentative projects that featured sea walls and received notable public backlash. By partnering with groups like Miami Waterkeeper or Conservancy of Southwest Florida, we proposed new solutions to the Corps, such as harnessing nature, increased engagement in the private sector and more community involvement. As a result, the Corps altered these projects to be more nature-based and better prioritized community input.

Partner perspective

Florida's natural ecosystems, like corals and mangroves, lend themselves perfectly to federal flood resilience projects, such as the Miami-Dade Back Bay study. By working alongside our partners, we are making progress in advocating for more effective and equitable solutions for our communities locally, while demonstrating a path to resilience nationally.

Dr. Rachel Silverstein

Chief Executive Officer, Miami Waterkeeper

Louisiana

As a member of the Restore the Mississippi River Coalition, EDF has worked alongside local and national organizations, as well as the Corps, to advocate for implementation of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. This $ 2.9 billion initiative is one of the largest individual ecosystem restoration projects in the world, working to reconnect the Mississippi River to the Barataria Basin and transform 21 square miles of dying wetlands into a thriving ecosystem. Learn more about the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion here.

Partner perspective

The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is a collaborative effort that will be a game-changer in our state’s ability to combat land loss. It will bring better protection to some of our most vulnerable communities and unlock the land building power of Louisiana’s greatest resource— the Mississippi River. 

The decision to greenlight the project was not done in haste; it is backed by decades of the best-available science, contributions from the brightest minds in the world and a comprehensive analysis of its benefits and impacts. Achieving the funding and permitting decisions was a long-awaited milestone to our state’s coastal program and opened the door to a more sustainable future for coastal Louisiana.

Simone Maloz

Campaign Director, Restore the Mississippi River Delta

Delta flyover - Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion wetlands restoration project in the MS River Delta region of Louisiana

Additional resources

Our experts

MEDIA CONTACT

Jenny Tolep

248-410-2666 (office)

Samantha Tausendschoen

(715) 220-9930 (office)