Press Releases

Raleigh, NC (June 12, 2023) – The Lumber River Council of Governments (COG) has awarded two contracts for climate resiliency planning services to Kleinfelder. These contracts build on the firm’s previous work with Lumber River COG, where Kleinfelder supported the preparation of a regional vulnerability assessment and tailored project portfolios under the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency’s (NCORR) Regions Innovating for Strong Economies and Environment (RISE) Program.

The Lumber River Council of Governments works with Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson, and Scotland counties and the municipalities therein, on a variety of planning and local government services. Among these planning efforts are programs designed to address the wide range of natural hazards such as floods, severe thunderstorms, winter storms, drought, and extreme heat that threaten life and property that exist throughout the region. The region was hit particularly hard by hurricanes Matthew and Florence in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

Under the Resilient Routes: Flood-Resilient Roadway Accessibility for Secondary Roads contract, Kleinfelder will work with the Lumber River Council of Governments to provide resiliency planning, prioritization, and strategy development for inland routes that frequently flood. This contract addresses flooding of secondary roadway routes that have not yet been prioritized as the State of North Carolina tackles larger interstate flood issues statewide. Addressing flooding of these secondary roadway routes will have significant impacts at the local level for disadvantaged communities, improving access and reducing disruption to critical infrastructure and essential services during and immediately following major storms.

Under the Wetland Restoration for Flood Mitigation Assessment contract, Kleinfelder will work with the Lumber River COG to conduct a detailed analysis to identify and prioritize locations throughout the Lumber River region where wetland restoration projects can also mitigate flood impacts to disadvantaged communities. Kleinfelder will assist Lumber River COG in positioning priority wetland restoration opportunities with the significant funding allotted for nature-based solutions under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Mike Robinson, Kleinfelder’s East Division Climate Resilience Practice Leader, commented, “We are excited to be part of the Lumber River COG’s overall resiliency efforts, including the planning process, vulnerability assessment, stakeholder engagement, project identification, and, very importantly, the implementation of prioritized resiliency activities to reduce future flood risk. Projects like these are incredibly rewarding as we walk with communities on their resiliency journey in as many capacities as we can.”

These contracts represent another milestone in Kleinfelder’s growing portfolio of climate resiliency work throughout the Carolinas, highlighting the firm’s commitment to sustainable and resilient communities.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm. Kleinfelder employs more than 3,100 professionals and operates from over 105 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base. Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.