Gov. Jack Markell Thursday signed an executive order creating a Governor’s Committee on Climate and Resiliency.
As a low-lying coastal state, Delaware has the lowest average land elevation in the United States and a significant population living along 381 miles of shoreline vulnerable to coastal erosion, storm surge, flooding, saltwater intrusion and tidal wetland losses, all of which will be exacerbated by sea-level rise, according to a release from the Governor’s Office.
“Our economy will be stronger and our communities more vibrant, if we take strategic actions today that will prepare us for the future,” said Markell. “Despite existing programs and initiatives, the state continues to experience very real and wide-ranging impacts from flooding that are aggravated by more intense storms and rising sea levels.”
Efforts to deal with the issue have drawn fire from some quarters. Climate change skeptics have criticized proposals as harmful to development in Sussex County. They further claim alternative energy mandates are hurting the economy by driving up the cost of electricity.
Click below for the release from the Governor’s Office.
via Governor Markell Executive Order:
