APALACHEE REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL AWARDED $15 MILLION, FRANKLIN-98 LIVING SHORELINE PROJECT

– Large-scale, nature-based solution to enhance the resiliency of HWY-98 and the ecology of Apalachicola Bay.

Tallahassee, FL – The Apalachee RPC was recently awarded more than $15 million to implement a living shoreline project in Franklin County. This groundbreaking coastal resiliency project, dubbed “Franklin-98", includes the establishment of nearshore reefs which will reduce wave energy and allow the creation of salt marshes to protect twelve miles of shoreline and U.S. Highway 98 between the City of Carrabelle and Eastpoint. The project will improve Apalachicola Bay's health and productivity with anticipated benefits to include:

• Twelve miles of shoreline habitat improvement and roadway protection

• Thirty acres of salt marsh formation

• Twenty acres of estuarine reef creation

• 3,000 community residents positively impacted

When asked about the project, Franklin County Commissioner Ricky Jones was quick to point out the positive impacts of this collaborative effort. “Both our community’s identity and economy depend heavily on coastal resources. The Franklin-98 project sets out to embolden the resiliency of an important stretch of our shoreline, which has potential to pay dividends to our region for generations to come”.

Phase I of Franklin-98, completed by ARPC staff earlier this year, involved several public workshops, testing of potential site materials, and gathering necessary data. As phase II begins, awarded funds will allow for further data collection, development of site plans, site material acquisitions, and construction.

Community engagement is welcomed and encouraged throughout the development and implementation of Franklin-98. The next public workshop will be held (virtually) on August 20th at 5 pm Eastern.

Registration and attendance: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3367253669245692174.

For additional information, please contact Evan Blythe at 850.481.9979 or EBlythe@arpc.org.

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