Climate Resilient Capital Testimony Filed to Address Flood Risk, Managed Retreat

On Monday June 19th (working through the holiday as normal), MassLandlords filed testimony in support of state bill 193 HD2689 H.736 An Act Establishing the Climate Resilient Capital Task Force. Thousands of properties throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts now have a greater than 90% chance of at least 12 inches of floodwater in them during the next five years, but almost no one is talking about it. Long-term, flood risk affects even more properties. This bill would create a task force to examine the relative costs of doing nothing, of building flood defenses, and of “managed retreat.” The bill would use the public offices of the capital and one neighborhood as case studies.

This April 2022 condo listing for Back Bay, Boston shows a 98% risk of 12 inches of water in the next five years.

The bill would create a three-year, 17-member task force to study the low-likelihood, high impact type of hurricane expected by 2100, and the worst-case sea level rise at that timeframe. Given this scenario, we would compare the cost of doing nothing (status quo), the cost of defense, or the cost of preemptively moving homes, businesses and infrastructure out of harm’s way. The bill uses a long-term timeframe, even though flooding is imminent, to show the challenges and costs of coastal defenses.

Flood risk has been climbing steadily due to climate change and global heating. The flood risk we see over the next five years is a result of several flood types converging: increased rainfall and increased likelihood of river flooding (immediate risks to basement properties), storm surge (medium-term risk to coastal properties) and base sea level rise (long-term risk to Eastern Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley). The testimony walks the legislature through these different kinds of flood risk.

Although the bill definitely should pass into law, it is unlikely to. Most successful bills are dual-filed House and Senate, but our limited staff and grassroots resources filed the bill in the House only. Also, most successful bills have many cosigners; our bill has one genuine sponsor, Representative LeBoeuf, and for his support we are very grateful.

We are referring to the bill as the “Don’t Look Up” Act, after the film produced in Boston in which an asteroid is used as an allegory for climate change. In the film, many smart people looking far ahead urge action, but economic and political systems do not produce the desired result.

Absent a coordinated approach to managed retreat, buyers are advised to use United States Geological Survey elevation data or First Street Foundation “Flood Factor” (available on listings at Redfin.com and Realtor.com). Purchase or divest wisely.

Our 16 pages of written testimony can be read online.

The written testimony supports oral testimony given by Executive Director Doug Quattrochi the week prior.

If you are interested in advocating for a climate resilient capital and neighborhoods, please contact us at hello@masslandlords.net.