Bill Nelson leads climate change meeting in Miami Beach

Miami Beach flooding
Miami Beach flooding

Miami Beach City Hall was the setting for a field hearing on rising sea levels organized by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

A group that included Nelson, a NASA scientist, Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs discussed climate change impacts in South Florida during Tuesday’s meeting. Nelson wanted the danger of rising sea levels on the region to be “part of the official record of the Senate,” according to the Miami Herald. Sea level rise has local politicians concerned about street flooding, contaminated water and property value losses, among other issues.

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“Sea level rise is our reality in Miami Beach,” Levine told Nelson. “On a beautiful sunny day, we can see our streets flooded.”

Jacobs noted Broward would have $4 billion in taxable property value impacted by a mere one foot rise in sea levels. [Miami Herald]Eric Kalis