The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has entered into a professional services contract with the planning and engineering firm Dewberry to work with state officials in developing the Commonwealth’s first Coastal Resilience Master Plan.
Deliverables include finalization of a project-based plan built upon the Virginia Coastal Master Planning Framework by November.
“Selecting Dewberry as our partner will enable the Commonwealth to develop a comprehensive, ambitious Coastal Resilience Master Plan,” Gov. Ralph Northam said. “We look forward to working with this team of experts to implement nature-based, cost effective, and equitable solutions that address the challenges of sea level rise and coastal flooding and improve the resilience of our communities, businesses, and critical infrastructure.”
Dewberry is joined by The Water Institute of the Gulf and Virginia-certified small, women-, and minority-owned subcontractors GKY & Associates, Vision Planning and Consulting, and The Miles Agency.
The team was awarded the contract through a competitive request-for-proposals process after careful evaluation of numerous proposals.
Among its many achievements in the coastal adaptation and protection space, the Dewberry team has played a significant role in developing the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Master Plans, and was the lead consultant on the City of Virginia Beach’s recently completed Sea Level Wise planning project.
“Dewberry knows Virginia, and we are ready to hit the ground running,” Dewberry Project Manager Brian Batten said. “We look forward to working with Governor Northam’s team and the Coastal TAC to produce a sound plan for a more resilient Commonwealth.”
The Virginia Coastal Master Plan Technical Advisory Committee has held two meetings since its formation last fall, and several TAC subcommittees have been established to address specific issues outlined in the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Planning Framework that Northam released in October.
Dewberry will work with the TAC, the Chief Resilience Officer, and the Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection to create and refine the models and strategies that will make up the Master Plan.
“While we have an ambitious schedule to complete Virginia’s first Coastal Resilience Master Plan this year, I know the team we have assembled from across the Commonwealth and beyond is up to the task,” said Secretary of Natural Resources and Chief Resilience Officer Matthew J. Strickler. “I am pleased that Dewberry has agreed to lend its expertise as well, and am confident that we will finish this historic effort before the end of Gov. Northam’s term.”
Further, Dewberry will assist in designing and implementing a robust public outreach campaign to ensure that all coastal communities are familiar with the Master Plan process and are able to provide meaningful input.
“It is critically important that we get buy-in for the Master Plan at the community level, and that we are diligent in reaching out to both traditional partners, and to traditionally underserved communities in urban and rural areas,” said Rear Admiral (Retired) Ann C. Phillips, Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection. “The Commonwealth has a critical role to play in ensuring that the benefits of enhanced coastal resilience are distributed equitably, and that no community is disproportionately burdened.”
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