- The Heinz Center studied seven counties along the Atlantic
coastline. The surveys reveal that shoreline areas along the Atlantic
are eroding at rates of one foot per year to as much as four feet per
year. On average, Atlantic coast erosion rates are two to three feet per
year.
-
 The
2,300-mile Atlantic coastline contains 170,000 structures within 500
feet of the shoreline. Of those, 53,000 are located within the 60-year
erosion hazard area.
- The average annual loss to current property owners along the
Atlantic coast will be $320 million because of shoreline erosion.
- At current enrollment levels, the National Flood Insurance Program
will pay $70 million per year for erosion-related damage.
- Nationally, over the next 60 years, erosion is expected to claim one
out of four homes within 500 feet of the total U.S. shoreline.
- Roughly 1,500 structures and the land on which they are built will
be lost to erosion each year, costing coastal property owners nationally
$530 million per year. In beach areas, the risk posed by erosion is
equivalent to the risk from flooding.
- Despite these dangers, the threat of erosion is not taken into
account when setting National Flood Insurance Program rates. Growing
erosion losses will be subsidized by policyholders in non-eroding areas
or taxpayers unless Congress changes the program.
- Society’s actions can affect future losses, however. For example,
additional beach nourishment or structural protection would lower
losses, while additional development is erosion prone areas will lead to
higher losses. Accelerated sea level rise from global warming may also
lead to higher losses.
The H. John Heinz III Center for Science,
Economics and the Environment is a non-profit institution dedicated to
furthering the work of Senator John Heinz by fostering collaboration among
industry, environmental organizations, government and academia in order to
solve environmental problems. Funding for this study was provided by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
|
