Sea level along Maryland’s shorelines could rise by as much as two feet by 2050: significantly impacting Maryland’s 3,100 miles of tidal shoreline and low-lying rural and urban lands. Fortunately, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Coast-Smart Communities Initiative grant program helps Maryland counties prepare for the changing tides. In 2010, the grant program funded an assessment of Somerset County’s vulnerabilities and plan of action to prepare for those impact.
Somerset County Commissioner Charles Fisher will join Sasha Land from the Coast-Smart Communities Initiative to talk about sea level rise in Somerset County and throughout Maryland at the MACo Winter Conference Session, “The Tides, They Are A-Changing: Preparing for Sea Level Rise.” The session will also feature Elizabeth Habic, Climate Change Program Manager for the State Highway Administration.
Description: With a massive amount of our infrastructure situated waterside, Maryland’s communities bear significant responsibility to respond against the challenges of a changing climate and coastline. Fortunately, an array of resources exist to help. A variety of new web-based tools are emerging that provide quick and easy access to the best available data related to landscapes and environmental conditions. With increased awareness of these kind of applications, counties will be better equipped to meet their environmental program goals. During this session, participants will learn about training, data, and tools to help guide green infrastructure projects and grant resources to address short- and long-term coastal hazards, such as coastal flooding, storm surge, and sea level rise.
Speakers:
- Sasha Land, Chesapeake and Coastal Service, Department of Natural Resources
- Elizabeth Habic, Climate Change Program Manager, State Highway Administration
- Charles Fisher, Commissioner, Somerset County
Date/Time: Thursday, December 8, 2016, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
The MACo Winter Conference will be held December 7-9, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort in Cambridge, Maryland. This year’s conference theme is “An Ounce of Prevention”.
Learn more about MACo’s Winter Conference:
