Good Evening: Iwould like to personally thank you for convening this hearingtoday and for extendingthe commentary period to allowadditional comments on this important issue. As a resident ofSoutheast Florida with a lawdegree in Land Use Planning and Environmental Law, I have been dedicated for more than adecade to combatingthe effects ofclimate change atthe local, state and national levels. While Iam currently a member ofthe Broward CountyTask Force on Climate Change, and Vice Chair of Davie, Florida's Agricultural and Environmental Advisory Committee, I am here today not speaking on their behalf, but rather as aconcerned citizen. South Florida with its dense population, porous geology, low lyingtopography is particularlyvulnerable to the impacts ofclimate change and sea level rise. According to the 2010 Census, Broward's coastal communities are home to more than 620,000 residents, more than 1/3 of its total population. Areas of Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, and the Keys experience seasonal flooding impairing downtown businesses, and destroying residential and commercial properties. Last year, storm surge from Tropical Storm Sandy destroyed 2,000 feet ofAlA, a major roadway and evacuation routethat resulted in a loss ofaccess to natural resources and beach frontthat residents and visitors alike enjoywith a price tag of over $21 million dollarsto repair and a loss of much needed tourism dollars. Florida relies on its tourism and agricultural industries for a healthy economy, both ofwhich are severely impacted by rising seas. In some areas, sewers back up contaminating citystreets and causing a great public health risk even on sunny days. Salt



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## """"''2) ' Both private residences and commercial properties are adversely affected by flooding due to rising seas and storm surge. Homeowners flood insurance rates facing the loss ofsubsidies are skyrocketing to the point where it is feared that properties will be abandoned, resulting in tragic personal losses. It is feared that thiswill cause a ripple effect into a recovering mortgage industryand severely impact Florida's economyand qualityof life for its residents. Southeast Florida is not alone. Coastal communities throughout the state and nation are faced with similar challenges and have initiated climate change action plans. Twentyyears ago the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council warned aboutthe implications ofsea level rise for Sarasota Bay. In January 2010, Broward Countyjoined Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach countiesto form the Southeast Regional Climate Change Compact with thegoal ofdeveloping strategies, including greenhouse gas inventoriesfor assessing regional vulnerabilityto sea level rise. The collaboration produced the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Action plan, the first of its kind and a model for other municipalities. In 2011,the Florida Legislature passed the Community Planning Act which added an optional designation ofan "adaptation action area" within agovernment's comprehensive plan's Coastal Management Element. The City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County are each partoffiveyear pilot project initiated to integrate sea level rise adaptation intothe planning process so governments can upgrade their infrastructures in the face ofeven higher rising sea levels. The challenges posed by sea level rise are not limitedto cities, states, or regions. Our nation and the world in general, is being impacted. According tothe U.S. Departmentof Defense climate change "willhave serious implications forthe abilityofthe Department of Defense to maintain its natural and built infrastructure and to ensure military readiness." According to the DOD, "the effects ofclimate change are being experienced now and are expected to increase in the coming years, even ifaggressive greenhouse gas mitigation efforts are implemented globally." (ES-1 Assessing Impacts ofClimate Change on Coastal Military Installations) Scientists have been warning that climate change will cause glaciers to melt, reaching the much feared tipping point of no return. A few months ago, NASA reported that six West Antarctica glaciers collapsed into the sea, a result most likely ofwarm waters emanating from the already melting Arctic ice cap. Have we reached our pointof no return? Climate change is one ofthe most urgent issues facing our nation today. Ifwe are to preserve the future for our children and grandchildren, we must act nowto reduce carbon pollution. Thank you for the opportunityto speak to you today. Adrienne Kaltman, J.D. 3564 MeadowbrookWay Davie, Florida 33328