Before I conclude, I'd like to briefly describe the methodology for the study. The information base used in this report is the most comprehensive ever assembled to look at the effects of coastal erosion. FEMA, in conjunction with coastal states, created maps showing the estimated effects of erosion in 60 years. The Heinz Center then dispatched teams to survey 11,000 homes and developed the necessary financial information for each. Working with teams of economists and actuaries, The Heinz Center generated estimates of the future risks to the structures and the costs of insuring against these risks.
Additional information regarding the methodology is included in our written materials.
I look forward to discussing our findings in more detail over the next 90 minutes. We hope this report will be viewed as both thorough and thoughtful. More important, we hope it will mark the beginning of an equally thorough and thoughtful effort to address the threat of erosion along the American coast. Adobe acrobat files can be viewed with Acrobat reader, available free from Adobe .