Crisfield, MD Nature-Based Strategies for Coastal Resilience

Presentation with the City of Crisfield to the Joint Evaluation Meeting run by the Maryland Department of Environment to share details, purpose, and need of Crisfield nature-based strategies for coastal resilience and receive regulatory feedback.  The goal is to explain how Crisfield is experiencing flooding and erosion, and is surrounded by salt marshes, seagrasses, and existing and historical oyster reefs, therefore, is interested in exploring natural infrastructure strategies like saltmarsh restoration or living breakwater construction designed to decrease storm impacts and increase community-desired resilience benefits around the seafood industry, tourism, and recreation.  We are interested in obtaining feedback from regulators as to whether there are any major regulatory constraints around the nature-based projects we are proposing, whether there are red flags around potentially impacted and regulated resources, and soliciting any suggestions for conceptual adjustment or additional information we should include in our research that would facilitate permitting and implementation. 

Impact/Purpose

The goal of this presentation is to share purpose, need, and conceptual project proposal information for Crisfield nature-based strategies with the Maryland Department of Environmental Joint Evaluation Meeting to get regulator feedback about what EPA ORD needs to be considering in our research that is impacted by the regulatory process.  Regulatory steps will be cross-walked and aligned with research steps to ensure that data, models, justifications, rationale, and assessment process are incorporated into research design and execution.  Protected resources that should be considered in permitting of nature-based solutions will be discussed including essential fish habitat, upland critical area, existing marsh habitat, shallow water habitat including SAV and benthics, water quality and endangered species.  Potential regulatory concerns and suggestions for conceptual adjustments or additional data will be explored.

Citation

Kashuba, R., R. Hostak, M. Fitzgerald, E. Trentacope, AND E. Eisenhauer. Crisfield, MD Nature-Based Strategies for Coastal Resilience. To be presented at Joint Evaluation Meeting, Remote, MD, October 30, 2024.

• Crisfield, MD Nature-Based Strategies for Coastal Resilience (PDF)  (17  pp, 3.7 MB, about PDF)