Investing in East Central Florida’s community resilience and military readiness
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - March 14, 2024
Last week the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC) hosted the public launch of the region’s Military Installation Resilience Review (MIRR). Central Florida is home to several unique and strategically important military installations in Orange and Brevard Counties- NSA Orlando, Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, and Patrick Space Force Station. With climate risks like hurricanes, extreme heat, and extreme precipitation, coupled with stressors like population growth, aging infrastructure, and water quality and quantity, central Florida is taking proactive measures in regional resilience planning and investing in strategies and infrastructure.
Through the leadership of the ECFRPC, the region secured $1.2 million in grants from the Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Resilient Florida program for the MIRR project. The purpose of the MIRR is to identify the risks, hazards, and vulnerabilities of concern as it relates to the ability of the military to carry out its missions on the installation that could be mitigated through investments and solutions outside the fence line in the community.
A diverse range of stakeholders from military installations, state and local government, and utility providers, along with economic development and natural resource professionals, convened to discuss the strategic value of the military to our national security and regional economy. Population increases, traffic congestion, land encroachment, energy redundancy, workforce, and water quality and quantity were highlighted by attendees as resilience issues to address in the resilience strategy. Attendees expressed support for the process. "We want to be available for innovation," said Alan Marshall, Orange County Planning & Development Department.
Jacobs Solutions was engaged to develop the MIRR study through stakeholder engagement and a climate and social vulnerability assessment. Over the next 18 months, this process will identify opportunities for investing in community policy, infrastructure, and land management that have a direct, positive impact on military mission assurance. Funding, phasing, and implementation will be developed through partnerships with the cities, counties, installations, utilities, and community groups that call this region ‘home.’
About ECFRPC
The East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFPRC) was established in 1962 as an area-wide association of governments; the ECFRPC is represented by 35 Council Members and a skilled staff that provides technical assistance to governments and organizations within the eight-county East Central Florida region. https://www.ecfrpc.org
About Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC)
The Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) provides technical and financial assistance to support the readiness and resilience of both defense installations and defense communities. https://oldcc.gov
About Jacobs
Jacobs Solutions Inc. is an American international technical professional services firm. The company provides engineering, technical, professional, and construction services, as well as scientific and specialty consulting in resilience, sustainability, and climate action. for a broad range of clients globally, including companies, organizations, and government agencies. htps://www.jacobs.com/consulting-advisory/resiliency
Media Contact
Ken Storey | Communications Specialist
407-245-0300 ext. 300 | KStorey@ECFRPC.org
ECFRPC.org | @ECFRPC