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Natural resources

Bipartisan Bill Aims to Prepare Coastal Communities for Groundwater Rise

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As coastal regions across the United States face threats from rising seas and extreme rainfall, causing groundwater levels to rise, Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) and Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-02) have introduced a bipartisan bill to help communities better prepare for the associated risks. The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act aims to direct the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to map and forecast future groundwater rise, study its impacts on infrastructure and public health, and develop mitigation strategies for communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The bill would direct the USGS to map and forecast future groundwater rise through 2100, assessing the impacts on infrastructure such as roads, utilities, and sewers.
  • Groundwater rise can worsen flooding, damage critical infrastructure, spread toxic chemicals, and harm freshwater supplies, affecting millions of people and trillions of dollars of property.
  • Stakeholders, including the American Planning Association, OneShoreline, and the American Coastal Coalition, endorse the bill, highlighting its potential to provide critical data and insights for local decision makers.
  • Coastal communities, such as those along the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Coast of San Mateo County, are already experiencing significant impacts from groundwater rise, including damage to private property and public infrastructure.
  • The bill is essential in helping communities understand their risks and prepare for the associated impacts, as Rep. Kevin Mullin notes, "too many lives, homes, and businesses and critical infrastructure have been upended due to extreme flooding."
  • Organizations, including the American Planning Association and the Surfrider Foundation, support the bill, emphasizing its potential to provide the best available information to coastal communities and inform their planning efforts.

Statistics:

  • Over 5,000 toxic sites are at risk of sea level and groundwater rise in the Bay Area, posing concerns about public health impacts (North Bay Journal).
  • The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act seeks to provide critical data and insights for local decision makers, helping communities understand and plan for the associated risks (American Planning Association).
  • Groundwater rise can cause contaminant mobilization into sewer systems and creeks, threatening public health and coastal recreation-based economies (Surfrider Foundation).
  • Rising water can damage drinking water systems, roadways, and wastewater infrastructure, leading to sewage spills and leaks polluting coastal waterways (American Coastal Coalition).

Sources:

  • Rep. Kevin Mullin's office
  • Rep. Andrew Garbarino's office
  • The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act text
  • American Planning Association
  • OneShoreline
  • American Coastal Coalition
  • Surfrider Foundation
  • SPUR
  • Save the Bay
  • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

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