Executive committe member Olin Jenner recently gave testimony on behalf of Sierra Club to urge Maine's legislators to take more action to address sea level rise and increased storm surges. Sierra Club supports LD 469.
"Dear Senator Saviello and Representative Tucker,
My name is Olin Jenner and on behalf of the more than 18,000 Sierra Club members and supporters in Maine, I appreciate the opportunity to express our support for LD 469: An Act To Establish a Generally Applicable Regulatory Standard To Address Impacts of Sea Level Change and Increased Storm Surges.”
Because of the changing climate, sea level rise is inevitable. The more time we spend preparing for it now, the cheaper and easier it will be in the future to deal with storm surges and generally higher seas. By acknowledging this problem and taking steps to reduce its impacts, this legislation takes an important step forward toward protecting residential and commercial areas that are in close proximity to the coast.
Preparing for sea level rise is simply a smart policy decision. According to NOAA’s tide gauges, which have been measuring sea levels for over a century, there is “Clear evidence of sea level rise relative to land around most of the continental United States and Hawaii1.” Acting to minimize the impacts of this inevitable rise is a prudent move for Maine to make. Evidence shows that New England is already experiencing more common “nuance flooding2” caused by higher sea levels making high tides more likely to cause minor flooding in coastal areas.
According to NOAA tide gauges Maine is already seeing small changes in sea level on its coast. Tide gauges in Casco Bay show a rise of 1.87mm/yr, Bar Harbor gages are showing 2.18mm/yr, and Eastport is seeing 2.11mm/yr3. While these changes may seem small, they are not insignificant and should be taken seriously. A recent study found that the sea level rise experienced in the 20th century was likely faster than any of the previous 27 centuries4. That same study also projected that 21st century sea level rise could range from 52-131cm. If the upper edge of that range is realized it is quite possible that we could see the beginnings of catastrophic sea level rise within this century. It is important that we prepare for this possibility now to ensure that our communities are protected.
Sea level rise is happening. Whether or not we are prepared for it is up to us. This legislation takes an important first step towards designing a regulatory framework to counter this issue. We urge the committee to vote ought to pass."