NOAA science helps Florida Keys officials plan for sea level rise

Rising sea levels may bring changes to the clear, clean waters of the Florida Keys. Credit: Shawn Verne/NOAA

On June 21st, Ben DeAngelo, CPO Deputy Director, and Billy Sweet, Oceanographer with NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS), presented to Florida Keys officials on the causes and impacts of climate change and on sea level rise science, projections, and risk management, respectively.

Monroe County, Florida, has been working to plan for sea level rise for several years now, but newly elected county commissioners had raised questions and some concerns related to the science behind climate change and sea level rise. The county’s Chief Resilience Officer and an attorney supporting the county in its planning efforts contacted NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (OCM) to request presentations by NOAA climate science experts. These presentations served as a foundation for a day-long meeting of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). Interested members of the public were invited as well.

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