Will future of sea levels rising bring more costs to California taxpayers?

While the last day for state leaders to have Senate and Assembly Bills sent to the governor’s desk has come and gone, that isn’t stopping them from looking at things that could affect the state in the near future.

Several state legislators traveled to San Diego County on October 10th to host a committee on the sea level rise and the impact it might have on the state’s economy.

Multiple advocates spoke in front of state leaders to explain the results of what they’ve researched when it comes to the recent weather related disasters and what they can expect for the foreseeable future.

The Executive Officer Of The San Diego Water Quality Control Board Dave Gibson says his research indicates that sea level rise and climate change are indeed real.

With there also being a lack of mitigation banks in areas like San Diego to help with improving the environment, what can they do to change that?

“We could now turn the question around and say, what could we do on the coast to emphasize, expand, enhance the wetlands there, enable them to advance inland as sea level rises,” Gibson said. “Can we create mitigation banks along the coast in existing areas where they can be expanded? And that gives builders and cities and districts a place to go to, to invest their money rather than trying to do on site vendors. Very specific, very expensive and very low value mitigation.”

But this suggestion was quickly brought with some concerns from California Assembly Member David Alvarez who immediately brought up how this could fall back on taxpayers.

“When you kept talking about that, the concern I kept hearing, because of the communities I represent, that means more cost,” Alvarez said. “That means that’s out of taxpayers and ratepayers, which is certainly not a place we want to be.”

After further discussions with other advocates and hearing from public comments, state leaders thanked those who participated and will look at the suggestions brought to them for future possible bill proposals.

No bills or set conclusions were voted on as that deadline has already passed.