CUES has completed a study of hurricane vulnerability and the impacts of Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne on Florida’s Treasure Coast. The “Living on the Edge: Coastal Storm Vulnerability of the Treasure Coast Barrier Islands” report analyzes the relationship between the growing cost of hurricanes and demographic trends, development practices and planning policies.

Prior to the official onset of the 2007 hurricane season, the erosion associated tropical storm Andrea has rekindled the debate on beach and dune restoration practices that followed the 2004 and 2005 hurricane season. Drought and wildfires have accentuated the need for sustainable and resilient development practices. This study aims to inform policy-makers and the public about the nature of community vulnerability to coastal hazards and policies that foster resiliency.

With a focus on people, places and the economy, the study highlights the resiliency and vulnerability characteristics of barrier island communities in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River County, and examines how federal, state and local policies address hazard vulnerability. The results of the report are primary based on the affects of hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004.

The study also offers two sets of recommendations for preventive measures – the first is specific to the barrier island geography and the second includes broader principles applicable to the study area, as well as vulnerable coastal areas on the mainland.

Among some of the key findings were:

·       The ferocity of hurricanes Frances and Jeanne was experienced primarily on the coastline north of the landfall site. In response, public investment in beach restoration included $12.6 million in Emergency Relief Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); $68 million committed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate planned Treasure Coast projects; and $15.2 million for emergency beach restoration provided by the state. Recreational facilities in all three counties, particularly public beaches, beach crosswalks, life guard stations, beach parking and comfort facilities, experienced widespread damage and accounted for nearly $19 million of the federal recovery aid funds

·       FEMA provided $164.76 million in Individual Assistance Grants (IAG) throughout the region – approximately 8 percent of the total, or $12.5 million, was distributed to barrier island residents. The affluence of barrier island households typically lowers the social vulnerability of these communities, as these resident are perceived to have greater access to resources.  However, construction age and quality have a significant impact on vulnerability.  Although St. Lucie barrier island residents filed only 3 percent of their county’s IAG claims, the greater level of physical damage among older structures means they received 11 percent of the money provided to county residents. To increase resiliency, there is a need to invest in retrofitting the older construction.

·       The leisure and hospitality sector lost 700 jobs immediately following the storms, two-thirds in Vero Beach. However, by the first quarter of 2005, those jobs began to return – first in St. Lucie County where the sector showed net gains by April 2005, and later in Vero Beach where 100 jobs were recovered each month between March and May. A year later, the net loss in this sector was approximately 200 jobs.

“Living on the Edge” is supported by the Institute for a Sustainable Treasure Coast, an effort of CUES, dedicated to tracking the progress of the Committee for a Sustainable Treasure Coast’s recommendations. The project has been undertaken as part of CUES’s participation in the Florida Hurricane Alliance, a cooperative research initiative of numerous Florida universities focused on reducing societal losses from severe coastal storm events. The Florida Hurricane Alliance is managed by Florida International University and funded by multi-year grant from NOAA's National Weather Service.

The “Living on the Edge” study can be found at this link. For more information, contact Ana Puszkin-Chevlin at 561-297-1464 or apuszkin@fau.edu. For more information on the institute and other efforts resulting from the Committee for a Sustainable Treasure Coast, visit www.sustainabletc.org.

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FAU received legislative approval and funding to acquire and operate the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (HBOI) in Fort Pierce. The university is poised to get $8.5 million in recurring funds to operate the institution. In addition, the legislature approved $44,641,984 in PECO (Public Education Capital Outlay) money for renovation and new space on the HBOI campus. CUES will be working closely with them as they transition to become part of the FAU family.

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CUES will work with the University of Quebec at Montreal's Dr. Rémy Tremblay of the Ocean Management Research Network (OMRN) to establish a research agenda aimed to enhance Canada’s oceans management policies. The OMRN is an independent network located at the University of Ottawa’s School of Management that facilitates the exchange of knowledge and research about the sustainable use of the oceans and the impact of oceans policy on the environment and people in coastal communities. It seeks to apply critical thinking and best practices to create a new vision of oceans management.

Professor Tremblay is the chair of the Coastal Community Health Working Group of the OMRN, which is working on issues that affect the health of coastal communities and the interaction of ecological and human health. These issues include occupational health, women's health, child health, indigenous peoples, HIV/AIDS, gender and emergency planning. Professor Tremblay is also the Canada Research Chair on Knowledge Cities and director of l’Équipe de recherche sur les villes du savoir (ERVS - research team on knowledge cities). In addition, he is one of few scholars who have written about the migration and establishment of large numbers of Québec natives in South Florida.

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The future of the South Florida region hinges on how quickly and aggressively we address the challenging quality of life issues confronting us. On Wednesday, May 23rd, the region’s leaders collectively discussed and debated issues that impact all of us, including housing, transportation, property taxes and homeowners insurance. Business, academic, and government leaders shared ideas and recommendations for further action by the session’s participants. Attendees were given a parting gift—a small blue velvet bag with some coins that hold the message “it’s time for change” to help them to remember the importance of actively working towards regional solutions. This event was sponsored by the South Florida Regional Leadership Council and the South Florida Regional Resource Center.

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The first climate change conference in Florida took place May 9-11, 2007 in Tampa. This timely conference focused on Florida, providing the latest scientific findings and identifying impacts and actions that should be taken to respond to climate change. Global, national, and state experts shared their perspectives with conference participants in both general and concurrent sessions. In addition, three groups developed recommendations for the Florida Legislature—focused on mitigating social, economic, and environmental impacts and building on opportunities for new technologies and innovative solutions. CUES Director Jim Murley and Senior Fellow Ana Puszkin-Chevlin served on the program committee and participated as panel moderators. Senior Fellow Nick Bollman also served on a panel.

Conference materials will be posted next week on the website of the conference convener, Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Environmental Studies at http://www.ces.fau.edu/ccc.

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The American Law institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA) has developed an online, on demand version of the Land Use: A Mid-Year Update course co-sponsored by CUES and developed by Senior Fellow Frank Schnidman. This teleseminar, held on March 16th, is designed to provide an update of selected current issues in land use for attorneys, planners, public officials, developers, and academics. Topics covered include green development, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, affordable housing, community benefits agreements, and a Kelo vs. City of New London update. Click to learn more about this course and to purchase and access an online version.

The 23rd annual Land Use Institute program will take place in San Francisco from August 16-18, 2007. For more information, see www.ali-aba.org/cn005/.

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