WASHINGTON – Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Aug. 28, announced the selection of six grants to four Cape May County towns for resiliency projects totaling over $26 million for fiscal year 2022.
The largest project selected for funding was the Cape May City Seawall project, with a $24.3 million improvement along Beach Avenue. The project links to seawall improvements already planned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Two projects were selected in West Wildwood, including a $1.9 million effort to construct a living shoreline planned along 26th Street and a $162,067 scoping study to evaluate various resiliency options in the community. The living shoreline project proposes a wave attenuation and flood protection effort to restore the marsh barrier along 26th Street based on living shoreline principles.
Two other scoping studies were selected in Stone Harbor, both funded at $157,500. One is for an 81st Street Flood Mitigation Plan and the other for the area at 93rd Street. The goal is to develop proposed improvements for each area that can then seek further funding for implementation.
Rutala Associates prepared each of the selected applications as a coastal planning consultant to the municipalities.
A total of 149 projects were selected in 28 states and the District of Columbia under the FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program. Projects selected for study funding are often later successful in winning construction and implementation grants.
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
