A multimillion-dollar project to restore a historic seawall at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in Florida is one step closer to approval.
A review of the project determined the construction would pose no threat to nature, culture, or the human environment. The "finding of no significant impact" means the plan can move ahead without the need for an environmental impact statement, according to a National Park Service news release Thursday.
The fortress sits on the Matanzas River adjacent to the historic district of downtown St. Augustine, Florida. Construction of the site started under Spanish control in 1672. The fortress and the seawalls that protect it are built out of coquina, a type of stone formed from shells that was plentiful in the area at the time.
Centuries later, the seawalls are sinking and the Castillo is the first place in St. Augustine to flood during a storm or heavy rain event.
"The need for the project is to address structural integrity issues at the seawall, including effects of aging, erosion, storm damage and flooding, as well as mitigate the impacts of sea level rise by raising the seawall elevations," according to a summary of the plan.
The seawall is part of a larger system that protects the city of St. Augustine. At the Castillo it includes five sections that total 1,355 feet. The Park Service says current conditions of the wall range from fair to poor.
The restoration is funded by a 2023 Disaster Supplement bill. The Park Service held public meetings on the project in 2024 and solicited comments last year.
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