Report makes dire predictions for Assateague

Malissa Watterson in Delmarva Now: Future generations of Chincoteague residents and visitors who travel to Assateague Beach might see their summer getaway covered by the Atlantic. On Wednesday, Aug. 29, the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the Natural Resources Defense Council unvelied "Atlantic National Seashores in Peril: The Threats of Climate Disruption."

The 77-page report presents findings on how climate change, sparked by greenhouse gas emissions, is causing high rates of sea level rise at the seven national Atlantic seashores from Cape Cod, Mass., to Cape Canaveral, Fla.

According to the report, Assateague is one of five seashores most vulnerable to being covered by the ocean in the next 100 years because its lands are currently less than one meter (3.3 feet) above sea level.

"This report makes clear that if we don't cut the amount of heat trapping pollution that we spew into the air, these special places that Americans love will never be the same," said Theo Spencer, senior advocate of NRDC's Climate and Clean Air Program.

Of all seven seashores, Assateague had the highest rate of sea-level rise, 1.85 feet, over a 30-year period. The report explains that Assateague is so susceptible to sea level rise because of factors like wave heights and erosion caused by storm overwash....

Assateague State Park, shot by Fritz Geller-Grimm, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license