A RISING TIDE FLOATS ALL BOATS, BUT DROWNS INFRASTRUCTURE: THE IMPACT OF SEA-LEVEL RISE ON AMERICA’S MARITIME INFRASTRUCTURE

America’s maritime ports provide vital services to the nation’s economy and national security functioning as the critical nodes in a transportation network facilitating imports and exports and connecting distribution routes throughout the entire country. Many maritime ports also provide facilities for military operations for all branches of the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. The homeland security enterprise is primarily focused on counterterrorism. A changing climate brings significant threats across a wide spectrum of vectors. Maritime ports and their supporting infrastructure are at risk of inundation from sea-level rise as a consequence of global climate change. The homeland security enterprise continues to focus on the low probability/high consequence threat of domestic maritime terrorism while a high probability/high consequence event looms just over the horizon. This paper examines the risks, vulnerabilities, costs and consequences posed by the catastrophic threat of sea-level rise—nature’s weapon of mass destruction, reviews the dynamics behind recent and current resource allocation, and proposes recommendations for future policy deliberations.http://archive.org/details/arisingtidefloat1094564884Civilian, Department of Homeland SecurityApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited