Rep. Mike Levin Announces New Federal Funding to Complete Key Phase of Encinitas-Solana Beach Bluff Project
San Juan Capistrano, CA – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will allocate $1.5 million in federal funding to complete the Planning, Engineering & Design (PED) phase of the Encinitas-Solana Beach Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Project. The project was authorized in 2016 to stabilize tall bluffs that erode due to high-energy storm swells and rising sea levels, posing threats to life, property, and critical infrastructure. Rep. Levin and local stakeholders can next pursue federal permission to begin construction on the project and secure the federal funding needed to complete the project.
“I am proud to announce that we have secured another key round of federal funding to secure coastal bluffs in our community and prevent tragedies like we saw at Grandview Beach in 2019,” said Rep. Levin. “Completing the planning, engineering, and design phase is a key step in this process, and I will continue to push for additional funding to begin construction. I deeply appreciate the work of local officials like Mayor Blakespear and Mayor Heebner to advance this project and make our beaches safe for everyone we serve.”
“It is critical that we protect our community's ocean bluffs, both for beachgoers and those who live and work along our coast,” said Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear. “This challenge of securing our bluffs requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and I am grateful for the partnership of Congressman Levin, Mayor Heebner, and other local stakeholders in advancing the Encinitas-Solana Beach Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Project.”
“Our beautiful beaches and coastline are vital to the quality of life in Solana Beach. As sea levels rise, the periodic addition of sand will help prevent additional bluff collapses,” said Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner. “The Encinitas-Solana Beach Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Project will go a long way toward saving our bluffs and beaches for future generations, and I am thrilled that the federal funding we need to advance this project is on the way. Thank you to Rep. Levin, Mayor Blakespear, and the many previous local leaders who have put so much time and effort into pushing this important project forward.”
Several days before the bluff collapse at Grandview Beach in 2019, Rep. Levin called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide long-overdue federal funding for the Encinitas-Solana Beach Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Project. Since the collapse, he has repeatedly pushed the Office of Management and Budget to approve federal funding for the project. Last year, he secured $400,000 in federal funding for the PED phase of the project. The latest allotment of federal funding, along with the local cost share provided by the cities of Encinitas and Solana Beach, will facilitate the completion of the PED phase of the project.
Also last year, Rep. Levin helped secure $505,000 for the PED phase of the San Clemente Shoreline Project, which represents the full amount of the federal funding needed to complete the PED phase for that project. Rep. Levin has repeatedly pushed for additional federal funding to begin construction on the project, and that will continue to be one of his priorities.
The full FY2021 Army Corps work plan is available here.
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