Event Recap: A Better City, City of Boston, & U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Briefing
August 3, 2026
On Thursday, April 23, A Better City hosted a briefing with the City of Boston and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the draft Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study. The full draft report is now available for review and public comment will be accepted until September 18, 2026, at 5 PM.
Overview
On July 24, 2026, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a draft report of their Boston Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study, a once-in-a-generation study presenting possible projects to protect Boston against coastal flooding and sea level rise. By partnering with USACE to create this study, the City of Boston will be eligible to access billions of dollars in federal funding to cover 65% of project costs, subject to Congressional authorization and appropriation. The draft report is a major milestone before the final study is completed by 2028.
Key Takeaways
The draft report proposes 20 potential projects (e.g., floodwalls, levees, and floodgates) totaling $10 billion in investment and spanning 16 miles of coastline to protect critical infrastructure, economic hubs, and communities across Boston. Review the proposed project alignments here.
Next Steps
Explore the City of Boston’s Army Corps (USACE) Study Partnership homepage here. You can also navigate directly to the Plan Summary and Full Draft Report, and to explore the Story Maps and Poster Boards that provide a more user friendly option to exploring the proposed projects at the neighborhood scale. Public comments will be accepted until September 18 at 5 PM, and the City of Boston is holding a webinar on August 6 to explain how to read the report.
A Better City will be preparing a comment letter reflecting member perspectives. Please reach out to Yve Torrie ytorrie@abettercity.org with any questions or feedback.
