California State Law Calls on Coastal Regions to Create Resiliency Plans

Northern California’s Marin County is developing a plan to address sea level rise threatening the coastal region, according to a report from Bay City News, in compliance with a new state law that “requires coastal governments to create a sea rise or shoreline resiliency plan in order to receive funding from the state to implement the plan.”

“As part of a state-mandated effort to create a shoreline resiliency plan, the county Board of Supervisors got a glimpse Tuesday of what the consequences of inaction could be if efforts are not made to protect the shoreline from rising sea levels,” the article explains. “Flooding in Marin County could impact 28,000 residents, 104,000 existing jobs, and 85,000 planned jobs, according to projections from the commission.”

Flooding could also impact rail and highway transportation networks and could affect mobility around the state, while water levels could surge by as much as 96 inches by the year 2100 without mitigation measures. Local officials are working to coordinate efforts among city and county governments in the region. “The projections are fueling a proposal to invest about $110 billion in shoreline resiliency around the Bay Area.”