Do The Climate Change Special Interest Nay Sayers Have Much Traction?

It's no surprise to hear that committee member dissent of the Sea Level Rise - Climate report came from the pro-development-at-any-cost crowd. 

Luckily, democratic governance is all about the GENERAL WELFARE. Special interests must step to the side on occasion - when the situation warrants - no matter what politicians they think they control.

(News Journal) Jeff Montgomery reports ~  Climate report urges state to develop proactive ... - DelawareOnline

Two state business groups are ques­tioning why Delaware officials are con­sidering policies that could hurt the state’s economy in an effort to address sea level rise forecasts. “Many of the recommendations in this report could lead to actions in the near future that will have immense economic consequences,” Richard G. Collins, director of the conservative Positive Growth Alliance, said in a dis­sent filed with a state report released Thursday, “yet it will not be known if those actions are truly necessary for decades.” The state’s Sea Level Rise Advisory Commit­tee issued its report, along with dissents that also included a call by the League of Women Voters of Delaware for seller disclosures that identify threats to prop­erty vulnerable to rising waters.

.........In a dissenting minor­ity opinion included with the report, the Home Builders Association of Delaware warned that the Department of Natu­ral Resources and Envi­ronmental Control’s pro­jections and approach could have “far reaching unintended conse­quences to Delaware’s economy,” and urged a course change and Gen­eral Assembly oversight. “It is evident that DNREC’s approach will stigmatize our Delaware coastal areas and cost cit­izens of Delaware greatly for an event that current science indicates may not happen over the course of 87 years,” association Ex­ecutive Vice President Howard Fortunato wrote. “Unfortunately, since Delaware is utilizing planning for worst case scenarios, rather than im­plementing an adaptive management approach to possible sea level rise, we feel the current path tak­en will lead to the de­struction of the Delaware coast and its economy,” he said.

.........As much as 11 percent of the state’s land area could end up under water at high tide by 2100, the group concluded, based on current national and international assess­ments. Eventually, thou­sands of homes, business­es and major public assets could face inundation, in­cluding the Port of Wil­mington, public facilities and portions of the coastal Sussex resort area. The report, after 20 meetings and a series of public comment sessions, included 55 recommenda­tions for guiding and overseeing growth and public investments in vul­nerable areas, as well as accounting for sea level rise in land-use decisions and expanding the avail­ability of data on risks and funding for adaptation.

Click on the link for the full story and video.

 

With a comment rescue from Carol Overland ~

DelDOT should install a sign on 9 out of Port Penn with "___ days since flooded" (like those industry accident signs) because it's always flooded now. Delaware isn't in much of a position to be in climate change denial. I'm glad to see the state addressing this. I went to the May meeting, and was astounded by the Sussex Co. "rep" failing to participate in any vote. The industry groups, we all know who they represent and expect objections, but for a government unit to abstain, I'd think residents of the county who elected people to represent them would want someone there to represent them, participate in the discussion, and build the result. Instead, people of Sussex Co. might as well have had a stuffed animal sitting in the chair -- whose interests were being represented? That's not government of the people.

 

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