Wednesday, September 3, 2014

New York must act now to alleviate flooding caused by climate change, AG says

Glenn Coin in Syracuse.com: New York has seen a "steep increase" in heavy rains and flooding due to climate change -- and must act now to avert future disasters, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said today in a new report.

"In recent years, there has been a steep increase in the number of powerful deluges," Schneiderman said in the 19-page report. "Extreme rainstorms, and the disastrous floods and soil erosion that result, are wreaking havoc in places that rarely had to contend with these damaging meteorological events."

Schneiderman calls upon the state to take several measures to reduce carbon dioxide and make the state more resilient to extreme weather. Schneiderman said extreme downpours are becoming more common. The report lists a number of recent rainfalls that caused flooding, including the 13.6 inches that fell on Long Island Aug. 13

"That deluge flooded out over 1,000 homes and businesses, opened massive sinkholes on area roadways, and forced hundreds to evacuate to safer ground," Schneiderman wrote. "Initial damage estimates already exceed $30 million."...

Traffic crossing a flooded section of NY 17K at the Muddy Kill just west of Montgomery, NY, USA, following Hurricane Irene. Shot by Daniel Case, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons 3.0 license

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