From Texas to Maine: NOAA’s Expanded Flood Information Tool
A NOAA flood exposure risk mapping tool that was developed in New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania has now been expanded to cover coastal areas along the entire U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.
BCDC Approves Sand Mining Permit in San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) unanimously approved a 10-year mining permit for sand removal from San Francisco Bay, and from two other areas near Suisun. The amount of sand the permit requests is 15 times greater than the annual amount of sand that comes into the bay from the delta.
County Declares Six Houses on Buxton Beach Unsafe, NC
A Dare County building inspector has put up “unsafe structure” notices on six oceanfront houses north of this town on Hatteras Island, NC. Most of the recent erosion seems to be in an area where owners had placed sandbags in front of the houses.
Ocean Wealth Valued at US$24 Trillion, But Sinking Fast
The value of the ocean’s riches rivals the size of the world’s leading economies, but its resources are rapidly eroding. The value of key ocean assets is conservatively estimated to be at least US$24 trillion. If compared to the world’s top 10 economies, the ocean would rank seventh with an annual value of goods and services of US$2.5 trillion.
Miami Beach Sees Rising Seas as No Threat to Real Estate Boom, For Now
Miami Beach’s condo boom is bubbling hot, with glass towers being built as fast as they can be—even as scientists say rising seas could swamp much of the storied city by the century’s end.
45 Years of Earth Day: How Environmentalism Has Evolved
Today, Earth Day isn’t just a national event; it’s a global phenomenon. It is now the largest secular event in the world.
Earth Day April 22, 2015: Act to Save the Planet
“Our world is worth saving and now is our moment to act. But to change everything, we need everyone…”
Typhoon Haiyan’s Storm Surge May Contaminate Aquifer for Years
In research of significance to the world’s expanding coastal populations, scientists have found that geology and infrastructure play key roles in determining whether aquifers that provide drinking water are inundated with seawater during a typhoon or hurricane and how long the contamination lasts.
Pictures: Billions of Blue Velella Velellas Wash Up on California Beaches
In recent weeks, about a billion jellyfish-like “purple sailors” have washed up on West coast beaches of the United States. The animals—known as “by-the-wind sailors” or Velella velella—founder on the shore and pile up like a carpet of deflated blue and purple balloons.