FOR PEOPLE ACROSS Massachusetts, flooding from storms and sea-level rise presents an existential threat to their homes, businesses, and communities.
According to the Charles River Flood Model, a “10-year storm” with a 10 percent chance of occurring annually will flood approximately 7,660 acres of our watershed.
By 2070, that same storm is projected to surge over an additional 3,000 acres.
For towns like Newton, Waltham, and Needham, this means that in 2070, once-safe areas will likely be submerged. Some areas of Newton and Needham will see an 118 percent increase in inundated areas, while parts of Dedham will see a 283 percent increase.
Though this flood model may be specific to one watershed in the Commonwealth, its conclusions are not.
The Massachusetts Flood Map shows that 400,000 residents live in a 100-year flood zone, and the annual cost of flooding to residential properties is projected to be more than $300 million annually by 2051.
For towns on Cape Cod like Wellfleet and Truro, flooding presents risks to different aspects of their local economies—from fishing to coastal tourism—as well as access to safe drinking water and the viability of public infrastructure.
Worse, many of Massachusetts most vulnerable communities—from West Yarmouth to Lynn—are predicted to have damages increase the most.
Coupled with the fact that low-income communities have been systematically excluded from disaster aid, the cost of inaction is enormous from both an economic and social justice perspective.
Ignoring the long-term effects of climate change on our vulnerable communities while continuing to rely on traditional approaches like insurance and federal assistance is inadequate and unequitable.
Insurance has long been a way for people to receive funds to rebuild after facing losses from flooding. Yet, as risks rise, and flooding events become more frequent, private companies across the industry are pulling back coverage for homes where flood risks are greater.
The federal option is also becoming unsustainable.
FEMA runs programs to help communities rebuild after flooding losses and invest in protection from rising seas; however, they lack the funds to cover the scale of national losses and historical aid designations that have exacerbated socioeconomic inequalities.
As damages become more frequent and costly, and our traditional options for addressing these issues become inadequate, we need a novel and equitable way to protect and relocate people and property.
The Commonwealth must engage in long-term planning to mitigate flood risk, increase resiliency for communities, and, for those who are ready, move people to safer places.
Bills before our Legislature could be the first step.
The pieces of legislation we filed in the House and Senate, respectively—H.876 and S.557— both create a commission to determine the feasibility of voluntary acquisition of flood risk properties and structures allows our state to examine how to best implement cohesive programming to move residents, businesses, and critical infrastructure out of harm’s way while prioritizing low-income and environmental justice populations that need help the most. Both New York and New Jersey have adopted similar measures.
The threat of rising waters and a barrage of intense storms are not only posing threats for communities—both coastal and inland—but are already causing devastating damage to people’s homes and businesses.
Inaction on a system that is increasingly leaving vulnerable populations to fend for themselves as their homes and livelihoods are upended by the impacts of flooding is not a path the Commonwealth can take.
Only by exploring novel and equitable solutions can we ensure the communities at the greatest risk of having their homes, businesses, and livelihoods devastated by flooding are protected today and tomorrow.
Marc R. Pacheco is a state senator from Taunton. Sarah Peake is a state representative from Provincetown.
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