IN THE NEWS

Virginia inks contract for state coastal flooding plan, expected to be done before Northam leaves office

Mar 19, 2021


The engineering firm that oversaw Virginia Beach’s $3.8 million sea level rise and flooding study will take a leading role in developing Virginia’s Coastal Resilience Master Plan, a comprehensive roadmap for how the state intends to respond to rising sea levels driven by climate change in the coming years.

Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration announced Thursday that it has awarded a contract to Dewberry to work with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and other officials on the master plan, which is expected to be completed by November, just months before Northam leaves office.

Secretary of Natural Resources and Virginia Chief Resilience Officer Matt Strickler in a news release acknowledged the “ambitious schedule” to complete the master plan. Nevertheless he said he was “confident that we will finish this historic effort before the end of Governor Northam’s term.”

The Dewberry contract is for $2.6 million, said Northam spokesperson Alena Yarmosky. Other companies that will act as part of the Dewberry team are the Water Institute of the Gulf, GKY & Associates, Vision Planning and Consulting and the Miles Agency. Read the full story here.