Living on the Edge: Managing Sea Level Rise in California
With the recent flurry of coastal law bills before the California State Legislature and the myriad headlines advising that we must retreat from the shore, sea level rise (SLR) and related climate change topics remain front and center in California. On May 27, 2021, our Water Industry Group discussed pending legislation and the basis for this ever-increasing concern with the encroaching ocean.
Comprised of attorneys from Nossaman’s Water, Environment & Land Use and Eminent Domain & Valuation Groups, our panel evaluated current thinking on the legal risks and ramifications of sea level rise for property owners, public agencies and local governments through the lens of their own first-hand experience with the California courts, environmental agencies and activists.
Topics covered include:
- Building coastal resiliency for critical infrastructure and protection of existing development;
- Divergent opinions and models on SLR and what the data is showing;
- Key pending SLR legislation in California and where it may be headed; and
- Risks and possible solutions for coastal public agencies and property owners.