Seawall liaison: Army Corps flood study begins; federal aid could follow, costs remain uncertain

Bart Pantoja, the committee’s liaison on the Embarcadero Seawall earthquake safety bond, briefed the Citizens’ GO Bond Oversight Committee on Nov. 1 about recent Port and Army Corps activity.

Pantoja said the Port’s multi-year assessment and the Army Corps’ report have been delayed by federal processes and COVID-related timing but that the flood study work has now begun. He told the committee the Port had previously discussed a bond in the range of about $425,000,000 and that the Port’s own proposed project estimates mentioned in his remarks varied widely; the transcript recorded a figure range “around $700,000,000 to $33,000,000,000.” Pantoja said a federal Army Corps report could trigger a subsequent flood study and open the possibility of federal cost-sharing.

He said the Seawall program will require both short-term and long-term planning — and local investment tied to federal funding opportunities — and emphasized continuing community outreach and collaboration with property owners and stakeholders. Pantoja noted the urgency driven by sea-level rise and seismic risk, and urged sustained momentum while acknowledging the need for thorough study and planning.

Pantoja said the Army Corps’ scheduled completion for the flood study (as he reported) is December 2022 and that the Port’s report will be available in April 2022 (dates reported during his remarks). He said staff and the Port continue to refine project lists and prioritize both immediate and longer-term coastal defense projects.