Boston Harbor Regional Defense System

EBC Climate Change Webinar Series: Boston Harbor Regional “Layered Defense” Coastal Resilience System Part One: Integrating Municipal Coastal Resiliency Plans into a Regional Layered Defense System Welcome

Ruth Silman

Chair, EBC Climate Change and Air Committee

Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy Introduction

Bill Golden

Program Chair & Moderator

Project Coordinator Boston Harbor Regional Storm Surge Working Group

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy Welcoming Remarks

Karyn Polito

Lieutenant Governor Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Case for An In-Depth Cost Benefit Analysis of the Option of a Boston Harbor Regional "Layered Defense" Coastal Resiliency System

Bill Golden Project Coordinator Boston Harbor Regional Storm Surge Working Group

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy THE OPTION OF A BOSTON HARBOR REGIONAL COASTAL RESILIENCY LAYERED DEFENSE SYSTEM Environmental Business Council of New England March 16, 2021 Presentation by the Boston Harbor Regional Working Group Boston Harbor Coastal Flooding is an Existential Regional Threat that Requires A Regional Solution

Fifteen cities and 1. Boston 2. Braintree towns flood through 3. Cambridge Boston Harbor 4. Chelsea 5. Everett 6. Hingham 7. Hull 8. Malden 9. Medford 10. Milton 11. Quincy 12. Revere 13. Somerville 14. Weymouth 15. Winthrop CAUSES OF COASTAL FLOODING IN BOSTON HARBOR

There are Three Separate Phenomena that Cause Climate Coastal Flooding in Boston Harbor

* Sea Level Rise

* Storm Surge

* Subsidence SEA LEVEL RISE

• Gradual in short-term and mid-term and subject to longer term prediction • Near Term: nuisance flooding with minimal damage STORM SURGE

• Storm Surge is caused by extreme weather events such as Tropical Cyclones and Nor’ Easters • Storms are more frequent and getting stronger due to climate change • 2020 Records: 30 Named Atlantic Storms 12 Hit US • Fifteen of the Most Destructive US Storms in History have occurred since 2004 • Storm Surge Devastation Must Be Considered a More Urgent and More Devastating Threat than Sea Level Rise 2018 NOR’EASTERS A WAKE UP CALL

➢ The Entire Boston Harbor Region Was Impacted ➢ Public Safety and Security in All Coastal Communities ➢ Massachusetts Economy as well as the Region ➢ The Marine Ecology of Boston Harbor ➢ Our Social Justice Goals and Values A BOSTON HARBOR COASTAL RESILIENCY REGIONAL “LAYERED DEFENSE” SYSTEM OFFERS REGIONAL PROTECTION • A Boston Harbor coastal resiliency layered defense system with local land based coastal infrastructure for local protection against sea level rise combined with a regional sea gate system that provides regional protection storm surge has many advantages over a combined land based system LAND BASED COASTAL RESILIENCY INFRASTRUCTURE HAS LIMITATIONS

• Flood walls separate the public from the water • Leave water dependent uses unprotected such as ferries, water taxi facilities, marinas, commercial terminals, piers docks, tank farms, air and land transportation facilities • Risk catastrophic overtopping • Leave communities outside Boston with insufficient benefit to justify cost • Leave poor and low income without uniform protection ADVANTAGES OF A LAYERED DEFENSE COASTAL RESILIENCY SYSTEM

• Doesn’t leave communities outside Boston with insufficient benefit to justify cost • Provides uniform storm surge protection to all communities including poor and low income that are most devastated by storm surge flooding • Provides comprehensive protection for all public and private coastal infrastructure • Ensures regional public safety and economic protection The Economic Benefits of a Boston Harbor Regional “Layered Defense” System

Protection of Public Infrastructure Protection of Residential and Commercial structures Reduction in Flood Related Building Code Costs Preservation of Private Asset Value and Public Tax Base Improved Municipal and Corporate Bond Ratings Increased Coastal Development Due to New Flood Related Zoning Restrictions Reduction in Business Disruption Costs Reduction in Insurance Costs Elimination of Mandatory FEMA and Other Federal Insurance Requirements Reduction in Cost of Perimeter Land Based Coastal Resilience Infrastructure Reduction in Storm Water Pumping and Retention Facility Costs Reduction in Public Safety Costs STUDY OF LAYERED DEFENSE OPTION IS GOOD PUBLIC POLICY

• A layered defense could provide greater safety and protection of the Massachusetts economy for lower cost without greater environmental or other impacts of a combined land based infrastructure THE OPTION OF A BOSTON HARBOR REGIONAL COASTAL RESILIENCY LAYERED DEFENSE SYSTEM MERITS FURTHER STUDY

The 2018 UMASS Study* now guiding public policy did not Include analysis of a regional “layered defense” or “hybrid system” where a regional storm surge sea gate system was operated together with municipal shoreline sea level defenses

“One option not explored is a hybrid solution where a barrier is only used to manage low frequency, intense events with a limited number of closures during a decade and shore-based alternatives manage all other events while providing complementary protection to the events managed by a barrier system.” (P 173)

• “Feasibility of Harbor-wide Barrier Systems, Preliminary Analysis for Boston Harbor” AN IN-DEPTH COST BENEFIT FEASIBILITY STUDY IS NECESSARY • An Expanded Study of a Boston Harbor Regional Coastal Resiliency System should begin with an in-depth cost benefit feasibility study since UMass Boston Study’s conclusion regarding a harbor-wide regional system was based on economics not environmental or other Impacts “The analysis has shown that while a harbor-wide barrier system would manage coastal flooding with perhaps minimal environmental impacts and moderate impacts on harbor users, its cost-effectiveness is low, and its operational period may extend only 50 to 60 years.”

UMASS Boston ‘Feasibility of Harbor-wide Barrier Systems, Preliminary Analysis for Boston Harbor” (P 172) Cost Factors to be Included in Cost Benefit Feasibility Analysis

• Cost and operational effectiveness of different locations and designs • Design life options • Alternative construction methods • Construction time frame • Multiple beneficial uses • Discount rates • Finance options POSSIBLE LOCATION OPTIONS TO BE STUDIED Sea Gate Systems are Proven Technology in the US and Europe The Systems in New Bedford, Providence and Stamford Connecticut Have Operated Reliably for Over Fifty Years Urgent Need to Act

• Imminent Threat of Continuing Storm Surge Devastation

• To Obtain Federal Funding Boston Harbor Municipalities We Need a Shovel Worthy Regional Coastal Layered Defense Regional Plan CONCLUSION • Coastal flooding in the fifteen cities and towns that flood through Boston Harbor is a regional issue that requires a regional solution that addresses local funding and private landowner issues and integrates municipal local infrastructure plans into a cost effect, comprehensive regional system • A Boston Harbor Regional Layered Defense System offers significant potential advantages as a regional protection system • As a matter of sound and prudent public policy, the Commonwealth we must proceed immediately with an in- depth cost benefit analysis to determine the economic viability of a coastal resiliency option that has already provided protection to three other New England Cities and is currently being evaluated by other major cities in the United States and around the World. Plans for Coastal Infrastructure City of Quincy, MA

• Mayor Thomas P. Koch, City of Quincy • David C. Murphy, Executive Director Department of Natural Resources, City of Quincy • David A. Murphy, Vice President, Tighe & Bond

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy QUINCY MA COASTAL RESILIENCY

Environmental Business Council March 15, 2021 GREATEST FLOOD RISK: HISTORICAL FLOOD EVENTS

• 9/1938 “The Great New England Hurricane” 10-17 inches of rain and 20-foot storm surge SEVERE WINTER WEATHER • 2/1978 “Blizzard of ’78” COASTAL EROSION 30 inch snowfall, 30-foot waves off shore 24 RL claims

COASTAL AND INLAND • 10/1991 “Perfect Storm” FLOODING 25 foot waves coincided with high tide 69 RL claims

NOR’ EASTERS • 4/2010 “Nor’easter” 7 inches rain, coastal flooding and high tide. 52 RL claims

• 1/2018 Nor’easter “Greyson” Peak winds coinciding with high tide broke Boston Harbor 1978 high tide record.

• 3/2018- Nor’easters “Riley & Skylar” Blizzard, high wind and storm surge. FEMA DR-4372/ 4379 2018 STORM RILEY 2018 STORM RILEY POST ISLAND ROAD SEA STREET 2018 STORM RILEY EMERGENCY REPAIRS BAYSWATER OUTFALL AREAS OF FLOODING CONCERNS RL HOUGHS NECK GERMANTOWN NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM

• Quincy ranks 5th highest in MA 1979-2017 on Repetitive Loss claims

• 174 RLS- 540 claims

• 11 SRL- 73 claims FEMA REPETITIVE LOSS CLAIMS CLIMATE CHANGE FLOODING IMPACTS

• Recommended approach for sea level rise estimates for projecting future coastal flooding risk in Quincy MA

Sea Level Rise Time Period Projection² Likely Range³ (Feet) (Feet) Base (2000) 0 n/a Near Term (2030) 0.6 0.5-0.8 Mid Term (2050) 1.1 0.8-1.4 Long Term (2070) 1.6 1.3-2.4

2 50% percentile, or median value 3 Range = 66% percent confidence limits (>17% and <83%) VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS HMP Update completed in 2018 MVP Certified in 2019 SUMMARY OF EXISTING FLOOD RISK- PROPERTIES

Furnace Brook Merrymount/Blacks North Creek 4% Quincy 17% 30%

83% 66% 7% 13%

Houghs Squantum Neck/Germantown Point/Marina Bay

80% 6% 6%

26% 29%

65% 83%

Inland Parcels in Flood Zone Coastal Parcels in Flood Zone Paracels Not in Flood Zone SUMMARY OF FUTURE FLOOD RISK- PROPERTIES Parcels in Coastal Flood Hazard Area Subject to SLR

500

400

394 300 160

200 Number of ParcelsNumberof 81

100 199 56 118 58 1 9 0 Houghs Neck/Germantown Merrymount/Blacks Creek Squantum Point/Marina Bay 1 Foot SLR 2 Feet SLR 4 Feet SLR HIGH PRIORITY MITIGATION ACTIONS

Mitigation Action Timeframe Geographic Area Public Education 1 year Citywide Emergency Power Generators 1 year Citywide Quincy’s Emergency Communication System 1 year Citywide Building Inspections Records System 1-2 years Citywide Tide Gate Management Plan 1-2 years Citywide Tree Removal Equipment 1-2 years Citywide Hurricane Barrier Evaluation 1-3 years Citywide Invasive Species Removal Program 1-5 years Citywide Seismic Impact Evaluation and Gas Utility Study 3-5 years Citywide Stormwater Control Station 1-2 years Furnace Brook North O'Rourke Field Conversion 5 years Furnace Brook North Stormwater Pumping Station 1-2 years Houghs Neck/Germantown High Capacity Mobile Pumps 1-2 years Houghs Neck/Germantown Costal Buffer Maintenance 1-3 years Houghs Neck/Germantown Drainage Improvements 1-5 years Houghs Neck/Germantown Seawall Construction 2-3 years Houghs Neck/Germantown Tide Gate Construction 2-3 years Houghs Neck/Germantown Hydraulic Model and Tide Gate Updates 2-4 years Houghs Neck/Germantown Flood Protection 3-5 years Houghs Neck/Germantown Tide Gate Modernization 1-5 years Houghs Neck/Germantown, Merrymount/Blacks Creek Pump Station Rehabilitation 1-2 years Merrymount/Blacks Creek Salt Marsh Restoration 1-5 years Merrymount/Blacks Creek Sewer System Rehabilitation 3-5 years Merrymount/Blacks Creek, Furnace Brook North Faxon Park Outreach 1 year South Quincy/Fore River Drainage Improvments 2-4 years South Quincy/Fore River Sewer Interceptor Relief 3-5 years South Quincy/Fore River Drainage Hydraulic Model 1-2 years Squantum Point/Marina Bay Slope Protection and Infrastructure Hardening 3-5 years Squantum Point/Marina Bay ADAMS SHORE SEAWALL CONSTRUCTION

$14,000,000 ongoing construction. Estimated Completion May 2021 Plans for Coastal Infrastructure City of Boston, MA

John Sullivan

Chief Engineer Boston Water and Sewer Commission

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy INTEGRATING MUNICIPAL COASTAL RESILIENCY PLANS INTO BOSTON HARBOR REGIONAL LAYERED DEFENSE SYSTEM

March 16, 2021

John P. Sullivan, P.E. Chief Engineer and Operations Officer www.bwscstormviewer.com Inundation Model

1. 2D model that graphically display inundation information 2. Identified four types of storms and selected various significant events 3. Estimate the projected depth and duration of inundation 4. Identify critical facilities impacted by inundation 5. Utilize model as a collaboration tool with other agencies with data available and accepted by other entities • Provide detail on depth of inundation in specific areas • zoom in to get depth in each hexagon • will you need boat or can you walk

Climate Ready Boston – Coastal Barriers

• East Boston • Charlestown • Seaport • Fort Point Channel • Dorchester IF BARRIERS ARE BUILT, WHEN IT RAINS…HOW DO WE GET IT OUT DURING EXTREME TIDES?

• Not every day is sunny Coastal Stormwater Discharge Analysis - Project Objectives • Identify BWSC infrastructure impacted by: • Sea level rise Choice 1: Rainfall • Storm surge

• Other adaptations (like Climate Choice 3: Storm Surge Ready Boston) • Develop conceptual designs to

ensure reliable stormwater Choice 2: Tide Level (SLR) discharge • Designs may include holistic Need to evaluate performance considering:

“strategies” 1 & 2: Rainfall and Sea Level Rise (“routine” conditions)

3: Storm surge (nor’easter or tropical event)

Protect BWSC’s core function: stormwater discharge

• 8 Project Context

Inundation Model

Coastal Stormwater Discharge

9 Outfall Inventory – 586 – Commission GIS

• BPRD – 5 • BWSC - 271 • CAT - 1 • DCR - 53 • DOT - 27 • MBTA - 1 • MHD - 29 • Milton - 1 • MPA - 11 • MWRA - 15 • Private - 172 NEW TIDE GATES MT. WASHINGTON AVE FPC Tributary Area – 2030

9% of Boston falls within FPC Watershed

Tributary Areas:

Combined Areas 1,232

Separated Areas 1,674

Total Area 2,906

Plans for Coastal Infrastructure Town of Winthrop, MA

Steve Calla Paul Flanagan

Director, Department of Fire Chief Public Works Town of Winthrop, MA Town of Winthrop, MA

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy Plans for Coastal Infrastructure Town of Weymouth, MA

Chip Fontaine Christine Howe

Town Engineer Program Manager for Grants Town of Weymouth, MA and Procurement Department of Asset Management Town of Winthrop, MA

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy Weymouth’s Plan for Coastal Resiliency Infrastructure: Fort Point Road Seawall Project EBC Climate Change Webinar Series March 16, 2021  Project History  Fort Point Road Coastal Infrastructure  Timeline  Where we are now Overview  Design  Grants  Easements  Questions  Coastal Infrastructure is a top priority for Weymouth as the aging infrastructure continues to go to disrepair and the impacts of climate change become more severe  The seawalls are beyond their 50 year life span  They are cracked, spalling, and inadequate for drainage  The height of the walls cannot protect for storm surges and swells Project History  The road drainage systems are inadequate  Numerous Studies have identified the seawalls as high priority  Hazard Mitigation Plan  Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Plan  Massachusetts Coastal Infrastructure Inventory and Assessment Report  The Fort Point Road Seawall is a 2,183 foot concrete seawall ranging in height from 5 to 10 feet built in the 1940s and 1950s  It is listed as “V - immediate/highest priority” and has a “D” rating

Fort Point Road Coastal Infrastructure Fort Point Road Coastal Infrastructure

Photo Credit: 79 Fort Point Road Resident Video of March 2, 2018 “100 Year” Storm

Fort Point Road Coastal Infrastructure

Video credit Bigmouthbigbelly Twitter: https://twitter.com/BigmouthBgbelly/status/969596906442719233?re f_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E969 596906442719233%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A %2F%2Funicornriot.ninja%2F2018%2Fboston-rocked-coastal- flooding-twice-one-season%2F Video of December 2020 Storm - showing storm surge and swell Fort Point Road Coastal Infrastructure

Video credit: 51 Fort Point Road Resident Video of December 2020 Storm showing flooding after storm

Fort Point Road Coastal Infrastructure

Video credit: 51 Fort Point Road Resident  Weymouth took part in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affair's Municipality Vulnerability Preparedness program (MVP) in 2017, to explore ways to make Weymouth more resilient to natural hazards including coastal flooding and the impacts of climate change  In 2018, Weymouth pursued and was awarded an $129,557 MVP Action Grant to address the physical infrastructure in the Fort Point Fort Point Road area  The Town worked together with Tighe and Bond, an engineering and Road Coastal environmental specialist firm, to determine the best solution  On March 21, 2019 Weymouth Engineering Staff hosted a public Infrastructure forum to present the design options and gather public feedback  The preliminary design plans were completed in June of 2019  The Town secured all necessary property easements from the abutters  The Town has pursued Dam and Seawall Repair Planning Grant funding to complete final design plans, permitting, and construction bid documents  Preliminary design plans considered resiliency, permittablity, and public access  Concrete encased vertical sheet pile wall design embedded to prevent seepage under the seawall  Current elevation approximately 9.5 feet NAVD88 Fort Point  A design elevation of 12 feet was used to accommodate 1.6-1.9 Road Coastal feet of SLR by 2070 Infrastructure  Can add 1.5 foot clear capstone for future SLR  Steps for access are concrete behind the wall and open construction on the beach  Stormwater drainage improvements include upsizing pipes, more watertight joints, and adding check valves • FY19 – Preliminary Design Complete & MVP Grant closed out • June 2019

Proposed • FY21/FY22 – Permitting (on hold – pending funding) Project • Spring 2021 – Fall 2021

Timeline • FY22 – Final Design (pending funding) • Fall 2021 – Spring 2022

• FY22/FY23 – Construction (pending approval/funding) • Fall 2022 – Spring 2023  Completed Preliminary Design  Secured all Easements from Property Owners  Applied for new Dam & Seawall Repair Grant Design Funding  Awaiting Funding to complete final design & move to construction phase

Where are we now  Local coastal infrastructure improvements can only go so far to protect the coastline, public property, private property, and improve public safety  The sea gate system would provide the large scale, long-term protection for coastal communities  Weymouth supports the sea gate system for Boston Harbor to ensure protection for decades to come  In the interim, there continues to be a need for municipalities to address sea level rise and create storm protection measures as well as and advocate for Sea Gate & state and federal funding to address these issues in a holistic way Local Coastal Infrastructure Weymouth Engineering Division Chip Fontaine, Town Engineer (781) 337-5100 Tighe & Bond [email protected] F. Adam Yanulis, Vice President Contact Us (617) 680-3091 Weymouth Grants & Procurement [email protected] Christine Howe, Program Manager (781) 682-3636 [email protected] Moderated Discussion

Bill Golden

Program Chair and Moderator

Project Coordinator Boston Harbor Storm Surge Working Group

Environmental Business Council of New England Energy Environment Economy