News Briefs: Coastal Changes Are Worsening Nuisance Flooding Events, Says Study

Also in this week's sewer and water news, local officials from across the United States are calling on President Biden and Congress to prioritize funding for clean water infrastructure

Nuisance flooding has increased on U.S. coasts in recent decades due to sea level rise, and new research co-authored by the University of Central Florida uncovered an additional reason for its added frequency.

In a study appearing in the journal Science Advances, researchers show that higher local tide ranges, most likely from human alterations to coastal areas and estuaries, has increased the number of nuisance flooding days in many coastal locations in the U.S.

The study found that out of the 40 U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tidal gauge locations used in the study that dot the continental U.S. coastlines, nearly half had more nuisance flooding days because of higher local tide ranges.

Read more about the study here.

House Members to Introduce Bill for $50 Billion in Water/Wastewater Funding   

Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio of Oregon, Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano of California, and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania are set to introduce the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021.

This bipartisan legislation would authorize $50 billion in direct infrastructure investment over the next five years to address America’s crumbling wastewater infrastructure and local water quality challenges. The bill would also significantly increase the amount of federal assistance made available to states and communities through the successful Clean Water State Revolving Fund program.

The Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021 has broad support from local municipalities, as well as environmental organizations and small businesses, according to a press release.

Local Officials Across Nation Call on Biden to Fund Infrastructure

In other news, local officials from across the United States have called on President Joe Biden and Congress to prioritize funding for infrastructure that will make our communities healthier and protect the environment. The local officials released a letter recenty, with Environment America and U.S. Public Interest Research Group, calling for investments in the following key areas: clean water, transportation, clean energy, solid waste, nature-based infrastructure, schools, and broadband. 

The letter comes amidst Congressional hearings on using infrastructure as part of the president’s plan to "Build Back Better," including a hearing on water infrastructure funding scheduled in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.



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