Climate change prep will cost $18B (ocean rises faster in N.E. - only 11.57 years left)

Salem News ^ | 6/19/19 | Christian M. Wade

[Libloather]

BOSTON — Massachusetts will have to spend more than $18 billion to fortify its coastline against rising seas and monster storms fueled by a changing climate, according to a new report.

The report, compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Climate Integrity - a nonprofit that supports states and communities that sue polluters - estimates the state would have to spend that much over the next 20 years to to fortify seawalls and other barriers to defend against erosion, flooding and other impacts of a warming planet.

Nationwide, 22 coastal states and Washington, D.C. will have to spend $400 billion collectively in that period to fend off the impacts of climate change, the report stated.

"As things stand, taxpayers are on the hook for all the costs," Richard Wiles, the group's executive director, said Wednesday during a phone briefing. The group says fossil fuel companies should be on the hook to "help communities adapt to the damage their products cost."

[Hot Tabasco]

Massachusetts will have to spend more than $18 billion to fortify its coastline

Back in the 90's a friend of mine who lives on a canal that feeds into Lake St. Clair (S.E. Michigan) had to spend about $10K to build his seawall to protect against the flooding due to record high lake level.

Since then, he and his neighbors have had to fork over mucho dinero to dredge out their canal so they could put their boats in the water due to record low water level.......Water goes up, water goes down, water goes.....etc.

[monkeyshine]

It’s because the earth is tilted on an axis, you see, so the water level is higher, you see, on one side of ocean than the other, you see... ;-p achachacha!

Isn’t the city of Boston already pretty well protected from storms by the bay and the islands in the bay? If I had to guess at it, this is probably why the people who settled Boston chose its location - because the bay is a natural shelter from storms.

[lepton]

Massachusetts will have to spend more than $18 billion to fortify its coastline against rising seas and monster storms fueled by a changing climate, according to a new report.
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And how much is additional, and neither proper normal maintenance nor backlog nor from typical and expected sea level rises?

[lepton]

For the rocky areas, mostly it is the shifting of currents as they point towards different areas of coast-line. It’s a lot of what causes ice shelves to lift and break off in areas they’ve been stable for decades. Water in a still pool levels at the same height. Flowing water can form low “hills”.

[Beave Meister]

...and you can still get a great 30 year fully amortized loan in the those areas. Go figure.