West Palm Beach to Host Senate Commerce Committee Field Hearing on Extreme Weather and Coastal Flooding

April 6, 2017

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), the ranking member of Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will convene a full committee field hearing titled “Extreme Weather and Coastal Flooding: What is Happening Now, What is the Future Risk, and What Can We Do About It?”on Monday, April 10, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. EDT in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The hearing will examine the impacts of sea level rise and extreme weather events.  Since 2006, sea level rise in southeast Florida has tripled, averaging about nine millimeters a year.  The resulting impacts of coastal flooding, saltwater intrusion, storm surge, and land erosion on Florida’s coastal communities have prompted local governments to act.  Following Hurricane Sandy, Palm Beach County restored over 20 acres of beach and sand-dunes to protect shoreside communities from flooding and severe weather. Sen. Nelson will lead a discussion on the economic impacts of extreme weather and coastal flooding to communities, as well as future risks and efforts to address the problems.

Witnesses:

  • Dr. Ben Kirtman, PhD, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences; and Director of the Center for Computational Science, Climate, and Environmental Hazards at the University of Miami
  • Dr. Leonard “Len” Berry, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University; and Vice President of Government Programs at Coastal Risk Consulting, LLC
  • Mr. Carl G. Hedde, CPCU,  Senior Vice President; and Head of Risk Accumulation and Munich Reinsurance Company of America
  • Dr. Jennifer Jurado, PhD, Chief Resiliency Officer; and Director of Environmental Planning and Community Resilience at Broward County

 

* Witness list subject to change.


Hearing Details:

Monday, April 10, 2017, 1:30 p.m. EDT.
U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation full committee field hearing

Hearing Entitled: “Extreme Weather and Coastal Flooding: What is Happening Now, What is the Future Risk, and What Can We Do About It?”
City of West Palm Beach Commission Chambers
401 Clematis Street
West Palm Beach, Florida
 
Witness testimony and opening statements will be available here.

 

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