Just announced: the 2010 Coastal Resilience Symposium will be held at Rice University (Houston) on May 26th. From the event’s new webpage: “Hurricane Ike was not the “Big One” for the Houston area, but it gave us a much clearer picture of what we might expect should a large hurricane make landfall to our southwest. […]
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Texas Appellate Court Finds No Taking in State's Open Beaches Act
Posted on February 16, 2010
From the always useful Ocean and Coastal Case Alert Newsletter: “A Texas appellate court struck down a challenge from several beachfront property owners to the Texas Open Beaches Act. The homeowners filed the action seeking a declaratory judgment for their right to repair, maintain, and access their houses, as well as for damages for the […]
Small-Town Cape Cod Also Losing Beaches VIDEO
Posted on February 10, 2010
Like California, eroding beaches on Cape Cod are threatening utilities, roads, and homes. (click on picture to watch video on NECN’s site). Erosion Concerns on Cape Cod (via NECN)
California Battles Disappearing Coastal Bluffs VIDEO
Posted on February 9, 2010
California struggles with bigger waves and falling homes. Click on the picture to head over to their site for the video. “Debate Emerges on How to Fight Coastal Erosion” via KGO-TV.
State Farm to Drop 125,000 Policies in Florida
Posted on February 4, 2010
Approximately 125,000 of State Farm’s “most vulnerable customers” in Florida should brace themselves to receive some potentially bad news: their policies with State Farm Insurance are being cancelled. MSNBC and others are reporting that State Farm Florida will be canceling policies for nearly a fifth of its clients, most of them in coastal areas. It […]
Case-Study: Freeboard Pays Off for Office/Condo
Posted on February 4, 2010
In 2008 a developer in North Dakota opted to spend an extra $2,000 to elevate a mixed business/condo structure 3 feet higher than the height required by the National Flood Insurance Program (i.e., he incorporated freeboard). “We realized the land was low-lying and we didn’t want to risk having the building flood,” he said. “Elevating […]
Community Threatens to Fine Homeowners Over Renourished-Beach Access
Posted on February 2, 2010
The New Jersey Star-Ledger has published a fascinating story about a barrier island community struggling with whether or not the Township can nourish private beaches within its jurisdiction without the blessing of its waterfront landowners. The debate, distilled into one paragraph: “Mayors want to keep beaches and dunes wide, attractive and safe. Waterfront homeowners balk […]
FEMA Chief Urged To Extend Ike Programs
Posted on February 1, 2010
Briefly: The Houston Chronicle reports that U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee asked the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Friday to extend housing and case management assistance programs for Hurricane Ike victims from February to September. “FEMA Chief Urged To Extend Ike Programs” (via The Houston Chronicle) Photo: chucksimmins
Two Communities on Two Coasts Move to Adapt to New Climates
Posted on February 1, 2010
Two new articles from two different areas on two different coasts. Both Neskowin, Oregon and the Norfolk-Virginia Beach metropolitan area are working to move beyond debating a changing climate to discussing what they’re going to do about it. Neskowin: a community with a disappearing beach An article in OregonLive describes how this small community (population […]
FEMA Grants Conference Call—February 5
Posted on January 28, 2010
A friend just passed this announcement our way: The DHS Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives would like to connect you to some of our colleagues in FEMA and share information on specific grant programs to strengthen your resilience against hazards. The call will provide an overview of four programs: Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) […]