Florida unveils new statewide sea rise mapping tool

The tool is part of a new law taking effect July 1 that calls for projects using state money to conduct studies on damage and costs tied to sea rise. Critics say the law falls short by not requiring fixes.

Florida environmental regulators say they are creating the state’s first uniform sea rise level projections as part of a new law to better prepare coastal projects paid for with state money.

A draft version of the new mapping tool was unveiled Tuesday as part of a workshop on rules to implement the law.

The tool incorporates projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, already widely used in South Florida, and expands them all along Florida’s oceanfront coast. It does not include rivers, canals or many bays already hit by tidal flooding.

“This will be the first time that we get to establish a uniform signal across the state of what sea level rise projections should be,” said Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valentstein. “It's really a strong state signal that we're taking the impacts of climate change seriously.”

State officials have been working since August with Jacksonville-based Taylor Engineering to have the tool ready by July 1, when the law is scheduled to take effect.