FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2019
Florida Coastal Management Program
Hosts Fourth Annual Meeting
~Meeting with partner agencies highlights coastal management initiatives and resources~
 PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Coastal Management Program (FCMP) recently welcomed nearly 150 attendees at its fourth annual meeting to expand partnerships and discuss local coastal management issues in Northwest Florida. This year's meeting focused on resiliency, strong communities and risk preparedness, and featured guest speakers from state and federal agencies, local government and various other partner organizations. Subsequent annual meetings have been held in different regions of the state to focus on local coastal management topics of interest.
"Working together to protect Florida's coastal resources is a priority, and we are honored to collaborate with our partner agencies and organizations in finding solutions for more resilient coastlines in Florida," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "Florida's coastal resources are vital for the health of our state, communities and economy, and I am excited to continue the discussion as well as the work being done to preserve those resources."
The meeting included remarks from Pensacola Mayor Grover C. Robinson IV and DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein, as well as presentations by the Apalachee Regional Planning Council; Florida State University's Department of Urban and Regional Planning; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Florida Sea Grant; the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Dixie, Escambia, Santa Rosa and Walton counties; and the city of Pensacola.
Additionally, the meeting featured demonstrations of digital geospatial tools for management and planning purposes, including the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Geospatial Assessment Tool for Operations and Response, the University of Florida GeoPlan Center's sea level scenario sketch planning tool, and NOAA's digital coast tools.
Grant support tables provided attendees with feedback and application tips for the Coastal Partnership Initiative grant process, which funds projects that help coastal communities prepare and respond to climate change, promote coastal stewardship, accommodate public access to coastal and marine resources, and revitalize, renew and promote interest in waterfront districts. To wrap up the meeting, attendees took a site visit to view local projects focused on resilient communities, green infrastructure and public access.
The Florida Coastal Management Program is a network of state agencies that protect and enhance the state’s natural, cultural and economic coastal resources. The first FCMP meeting was held in Tallahassee in 2016 as a statewide summit, discussing the program's activities and successes from the previous five years.
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