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The Likelihood of Shore Protection Data Set
2009
This site provides the GIS data that was used for the study "State and Local Governments Plan for Development of Most Land Vulnerable to Rising Sea Level along the U. S. Atlantic Coast," published by James Titus. The GIS data are available in three formats: grid, polygon shape files, and vector shape files. This data identifies shoreline development and areas that will be vulnerable to sea level rise. .
Author or Affiliated User: James Titus
Resource Category: Data and tools
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State and Local Governments Plan for Development of Most Land Vulnerable to Rising Sea Level along the U.S. Atlantic Coast
October 27, 2009
Based on the analysis of planning data and current policies of 131 state and local land use plans from Massachusetts to Florida, the study identifies those coastal areas likely to be affected by rising water levels and classifies them based on the extent of development already in place and the potential for future development. The report explains that the existing extensive development on the Atlantic coast creates the need for coastal protective structures, which could negatively impact wetlands.
Authors or Affiliated Users: J.G. Titus, D.E. Hudgens, D.L. Trescott, M. Craghan, W.H. Nuckols, C.H. Hershner, J.M. Kassakian, C.J. Linn, P.G. Merritt, T.M. McCue, J.F. O'Connell, J. Tanski, J. Wang
Resource Category: Assessments
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Synthesis and Assessment Product (SAP) 4.1: Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region
January 2009
This report is one in a series of 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAPs) produced between 2004 and 2009 by the U. S. Climate Change Science Program, aimed at providing current assessments of climate change science in the U. S. to inform public debate, policy, and operational decisions. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), collaborated on this report that discusses the impacts of sea-level rise on the physical characteristics of the coast, on coastal communities, and the habitats that depend on them in Mid-Atlantic coastal environments.
Authors or Affiliated Users: James G. Titus, K. Eric Anderson, Donald R. Cahoon, Dean B. Gesch, Stephen K. Gill, Benjamin T. Gutierrez, E. Robert Thieler, S. Jeffress Williams
Resource Category: Assessments
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Economic and Environmental Costs of Climate Change: State Case Studies
This site provides PDF files of individual state case studies pertaining to the economic and environmental costs of climate change. The studies were prepared by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Center for Integrative Environmental Research (CIER) at the University of Maryland. The reports summarize climatic changes affecting 12 states, their potential fiscal impact, and the effect that future changes in climate may have on state economies. The research highlights the importance of planning for the possible effects of climate change on state natural and economic resources and explores options for reducing these effects.
Resource Category: Assessments
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The Potential Impacts of Global Sea Level Rise on Transportation Infrastructure
October 2008
Prepared by the U. S. Department of Transportation, this report provides a high-level estimate of the net effect of sea level-rise and storm surges to transportation infrastructure on the U. S. eastern seaboard by 2100. The study integrates estimates of eustatic sea-level rise based on IPCC scenarios and digital elevation maps to identify areas that will either be inundated or placed at risk during storms. These estimates do not account for local variations. Based on 9 modeling outputs, from 6cm to 59cm, the study identifies the roads, airports, ports, and rail lines at risk from New York down to Florida, and it provides quantitative data on the extent to which each state in the study area will be affected by sea-level rise.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Kevin M. Wright, Christopher Hogan
Resource Category: Assessments
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New Frameworks for Managing Dynamic Coasts: Legal and Policy Tools for Adapting U.S. Coastal Zone Management to Climate Change
June 2008
This paper, published in the Sea Grant Law and Policy Journal, identifies policy and governance reforms that could make coastal communities and ecosystems more resilient to the effects of sea level rise.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Sandra S. Nichols, Carl Bruch
Resource Category: Law and Governance
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Coastal Flooding in the Northeast United States Due to Climate Change
December 2007
This report assesses the affects of sea level rise (SLR) on storm surge and flooding in the northeastern United States. In this study, historical sea level information for storm surge anomalies at five sites in the region (from Massachusetts to New Jersey) was compiled and the impacts of climate change and local sea level effects were then added to this analysis. The change in recurrence intervals of storm surges due to possible SLR scenarios is estimated. Also, the study compares the boundaries of a 100-year coastal storm flooding event in Boston developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with the flooding boundaries of these estimated storm surges for 2005 and 2100 to further prepare for the potential social and economic impacts of climate change on coastal areas.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Chris Watson, Paul Kirshen, Ellen Douglas, Allen Gontz, Jawon Lee, Yong Tian
Resource Category: Assessments
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A Discussion of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Shorelines of the Northeastern USA
July 10, 2007
This report, prepared for the 2007 Northeast Climate Impact Assessment (see separate entry), provides a broad overview of how sea-level rise will impact the coast of the northeastern United States. Different possible rates of sea-level rise and the primary impact of shoreline retreat is discussed. The report explains how local features determine the extent of shoreline retreat in a given area and addresses how sea-level rise could affect different ecosystems, including estuaries, salt marshes, and barrier island systems.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Andrew D. Ashton, Jeffrey P. Donnelly, Rob L. Evans
Resource Category: Assessments
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Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast: Science, Impacts, and Solutions
July 2007
This report describes the changing climate for the U. S. Northeast region and associated climate change impacts. Both high and low emission scenarios were analyzed to assess the impacts of two very different future climates on the region's coastal areas, marine fisheries, forests, agriculture, winter recreation, and human health sectors. Mitigation and adaptation policy options relevant to Northeast are presented, and the report includes a discussion on how to prioritize adaptation strategies.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Peter C. Frumhoff, James J. McCarthy, Jerry M. Melillo, Susanne C. Moser, Donald J. Wuebbles
Resource Category: Assessments
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Potential Climate Change Impacts on Marine Resources of the Northeastern United States
2007
This report synthesizes an assessment of potential changes in marine ecosystems off the northeastern United States in response to projected climate and emission scenarios, with a focus on temperature effects on living marine resources. It reviews likely impacts on the northeast continental shelf, and highlights potential effects on the distribution and abundance of the American lobster and Atlantic cod to illustrate the range of possible impacts throughout the region.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Michael Fogarty, Lewis Incze, Richard Wahle, David Mountain, Allan Robinson, Andrew Pershing, Katherine Hayhoe, Anne Richards, James Manning
Resource Category: Assessments


