Cheng-Tung Liu

Sea level rise (SLR) will impact the navigation and shipping capacity of the United States. It is therefore necessary to proactively update permitting requirements for bridge clearances over waterways before existing structures become obstacles. As sea level rises, the established horizontal and vertical clearances of existing bridges will decrease. Bridges that are built to existing permitting standards that do not take into account SLR will obstruct vessels that were previously able to navigate under them, severely limiting the capacity potential of these waterways. Larger cargo shipping vessels and passenger cruisers currently need to retract smokestacks and remove antenna before fitting under bridges already significantly affected by sea level rise (California Coastal Commission, 2013). According to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Bridge Administration (2012), “no bridge erected or maintained...shall at any time unreasonably obstruct the free navigation of the waterway over which it is constructed” (p.1). The USCG’s Bridge Permit Application Guide (2011) states that “any proposed bridge must accommodate existing and prospective navigation” (p.6). The United States Coast Guard Bridge Permit Program needs to be updated to reflect rising sea levels in order to reduce building and repair costs, sustain the lifespan of bridges that are to be built or raised, and ensure continued safe navigation for vessels under bridges over navigable water.

As the world develops strategies to adapt to increasing atmospheric temperatures, the effects of sea level rise (SLR) have become a major concern in South Florida. Global sea level rise is projected to be approximately 2 feet by 2050 and approximately 6.6 feet by 2100. The current strategies used to mitigate the effects of sea level rise are short-term reactive solutions that will have to be updated with each foot of additional rise. Proactive strategies that take into account projected sea level rise in 2050 and 2100 will provide long term solutions with less cost to the public. To help counteract sea level rise in South Florida, it is necessary that proactive measures are used to aid in the mitigation of current and future environmental change. The most important proactive strategies include storm water parks, updating coastline infrastructure permitting requirements and Everglades restoration. Results from a cost benefit analysis suggest proactive mitigation strategies are far more effective and cost efficient in the long term when compared to reactive strategies and therefore more practical. In addition, utilizing Everglades restoration in particular has the dual benefit of increasing ecosystem services while counteracting the effects of sea level rise on South Florida.

As the world develops strategies to adapt to increasing atmospheric temperatures, the effects of sea level rise (SLR) have become a major concern in South Florida. Global sea level rise is projected to be approximately 2 feet by 2050 and approximately 6.6 feet by 2100. The current strategies used to mitigate the effects of sea level rise are short-term reactive solutions that will have to be updated with each foot of additional rise. Proactive strategies that take into account projected sea level rise in 2050 and 2100 will provide long term solutions with less cost to the public. To help counteract sea level rise in South Florida, it is necessary that proactive measures are used to aid in the mitigation of current and future environmental change. The most important proactive strategies include storm water parks, updating coastline infrastructure permitting requirements and Everglades restoration. Results from a cost benefit analysis suggest proactive mitigation strategies are far more effective and cost efficient in the long term when compared to reactive strategies and therefore more practical. In addition, utilizing Everglades restoration in particular has the dual benefit of increasing ecosystem services while counteracting the effects of sea level rise on South Florida.