In October 2018, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that a "Palm Beach County Coastal Resilience Partnership" will receive $72,000 to begin studying local vulnerability to rising sea level and extreme weather events through DEP's Florida Resilient Coastlines Program (FRCP). 

The partnership consists of Palm Beach County and seven municipalities: Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Highland Beach, Lake Worth, Lantana, and Ocean Ridge. The group effort began as an informal collaboration among sustainability and resilience champions from local governments in the southeast coastal region of Palm Beach County. Realizing that Palm Beach County's residents, businesses, visitors, and natural resources will greatly benefit from having a consolidated approach to coastal resilience planning in this "micro region" of barrier islands, the partnership applied for funding to jumpstart the process.

The partnership will use the funding to prepare for a vulnerability assessment, synthesize local geographic information system (GIS) data, engage the public, and update comprehensive plans to incorporate the statewide "Peril of Flood" statute.

Additionally, Harvard University Law School's Emmett Environmental Law and Policy Clinic will provide pro-bono assistance to the partnership to help formalize the collaboration between the jurisdictions and assess Peril of Flood compliance.

The City of Boynton Beach is serving as grantee and fiscal agent for the FRCP funds. Palm Beach County's Office of Resilience is leading the County's efforts in the partnership. For more information, please contact Katelyn Cucinotta at kcucinotta@pbcgov.org.