Regional council outlines resiliency tools, vulnerability assessments and grant opportunities

Andrew Prokopiak, senior regional resiliency planner at the Northeast Florida Regional Council, told the LAMP board that the council was formed under Florida statute and covers Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau and St. Johns County. He described the council’s regional programs: Resilient 1st Coast, a regional resiliency action plan (RRAP) completed in draft in 2024, vulnerability assessments that incorporate current and future sea‑level‑rise projections, GIS tools and grant‑finding support intended to help municipalities and the county pursue resilience projects.

Prokopiak highlighted several initiatives: a DOD‑funded military installation readiness review (about $1,000,000) focused on vulnerabilities affecting bases (Mayport, Blunt Island, Camp Blanding), the South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASME) for salt‑marsh conservation, and a regional resilience exposure tool and vulnerability manuals the council developed. In response to board questions, he confirmed the vulnerability assessments consider current and future conditions using NOAA sea‑level projections and recommended the board leverage RRAP documentation to strengthen grant applications. "We do look at future conditions, to that end," Prokopiak said.