Okaloosa County Awarded $800,000 by State of Florida for Resilience Planning Efforts

On Feb. 13, 2023, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced that Okaloosa County will receive $600,000 to conduct a Vulnerability Assessment and create an Adaptation Plan. Okaloosa County will partner with its municipalities to evaluate and identify risks from flooding and sea level rise and develop an adaptation plan that prioritizes mitigation projects.

Completing the vulnerability assessment will allow the County and its municipalities to be eligible for implementation grants through the Resilient Florida program. Okaloosa County is among 40 counties selected to receive funding through DEP’s Resilient Florida Planning Grant Program. For information on all entities chosen to receive funding, please see the Governor's press release here.

The County also received a Watershed Master Plan Grant from the Florida Division of Emergency Management in the amount of $200,000 to develop a Watershed Master Plan for the County. Development of this plan may result in an improvement of the County’s Community Rating System (CRS) rating, which would result in reductions to flood insurance premiums. The County will undertake both planning efforts over the next 12 months.

“Improving coastal and inland resiliency is crucial for the future of Okaloosa County,” said Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners Chairman Trey Goodwin. “We are thankful for the Governor’s leadership in allocating funds for resilience planning and mitigation projects.”

For more information contact Public Information Officer, Nick Tomecek at OCPIO@myokaloosa.com.