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Maryland is experiencing accelerating climate risks, including rising sea levels, more frequent extreme precipitation, intensified droughts, and increasing temperature extremes. These changes are causing significant land loss, infrastructure damage, and public health crises, necessitating costly adaptation measures such as seawalls, flood-proofing, and cooling systems.

The Union of Concerned Scientists used a combination of NOAA elevation data, tide gauge records, and Zillow's ZTRAX database to identify coastal properties at risk of chronic inundation. The analysis defines chronic inundation as areas flooded at least 26 times per year and evaluates three sea-level-rise scenarios: high (6.6 feet), intermediate (4.0 feet), and low (1.6 feet) by the end of the century. Key caveats include the assumption of constant population and demographics, the exclusion of local coastal defenses like sea walls, and the lack of consideration for future adaptation measures.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies numerous Florida communities at risk of chronic flooding—defined as high tides flooding 10% or more of usable non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate sea-level rise scenario, five communities will face chronic flooding by 2035 and 53 by 2100. High-risk areas like Miami Beach and Cayo Biscayne could see 60% and 50% of their area chronically flooded by 2060, respectively. The document argues that limiting global warming to approximately 1.8°C could save between 13 and 71 Florida communities from such flooding by the end of the century. Recommended actions include updating flood risk maps, reforming insurance premiums, funding FEMA programs, and implementing population relocation strategies for chronically flooded areas.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies numerous New Jersey communities facing 'chronic flooding'—defined as high tides flooding 10% or more of usable non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate scenario, 21 communities will face this by 2035, increasing to over 100 by 2100. Under a high scenario, 73 communities are exposed by 2060 and 131 by 2100, including Newark and Elizabeth. The report argues that reducing global warming could save 28 or more communities by 2060 and 45 to 73 by 2100. Recommended actions include updating flood risk maps, reforming insurance premiums, funding FEMA programs, and implementing population relocation strategies.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies several Texas coastal communities, including the Bolivar Peninsula, Sabine Pass, and Galveston, that face chronic flooding—defined as high tides flooding 10% or more of usable non-wetland area at least 26 times per year—by 2030 to 2100 depending on the sea-level rise scenario. The document argues that reducing global warming to around 1.8°C could save between 7 and 16 Texas communities from chronic flooding by the end of the century. To address these risks, UCS proposes three policy categories: ending risky coastal development, improving existing disaster frameworks like FEMA, and creating bold new policies for population relocation and infrastructure investment in safer areas.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies numerous Florida communities facing 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate sea level rise scenario, five communities will face this by 2035 and 53 by 2100. In a high scenario, Miami Beach and Key Biscayne could see 60% and 50% of their areas chronically inundated by 2060, respectively. The report argues that limiting global warming to approximately 1.8°C could spare between 39 and 71 Florida communities from this fate by 2100. To address these risks, UCS advocates for halting risky coastal development, enhancing disaster response frameworks like FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and creating new policies for managed retreat and relocation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies that all of Georgia's oceanfront communities face chronic inundation by 2100 under an intermediate sea level rise scenario. The report highlights that Savannah and Brunswick will see significant land area loss by 2045 and 2060, while suggesting that limiting global warming to 1.8°C could spare some communities. It advocates for a science-based approach to adaptation, including updating flood maps, reforming insurance, and creating relocation programs.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) warns that many Louisiana communities face 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year—within the coming decades. Under an intermediate sea level rise scenario, 95 southern Louisiana communities will face this by 2035, increasing to 131 by 2100. In the high scenario, some areas, including all communities in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes, could see 90 to 100 percent of their land area chronically inundated by the end of the century. The report argues for a science-based approach to adaptation, including updating flood risk maps, reforming insurance, and creating programs for retreat and relocation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies numerous Maryland communities, particularly on the Eastern Shore, at risk of chronic inundation—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate sea level rise scenario, 22 communities will face this by 2035 and 17 more by 2100, with some areas like Crisfield facing flooding of over half its land area within 20 years. The report emphasizes that limiting global warming could spare between 9 and 31 communities from chronic inundation by the end of the century and calls for updated flood maps, reformed insurance, and funded relocation programs.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies Massachusetts communities at risk of 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate sea level rise scenario, five communities will face this by 2060 and 13 by 2100. Under a high scenario, those five communities will be affected by 2045, with 23 communities affected by 2100. The report highlights that working-class towns like Chelsea and Revere are particularly vulnerable, with up to 30% of Chelsea's land area potentially chronically inundated by 2060. The UCS argues that limiting warming to approximately 1.8°C could spare several communities, including Boston and Cambridge, from this fate. Recommended responses include phasing out risky coastal development, enhancing FEMA's mitigation programs, and creating new policies for managed retreat and relocation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies that under a high sea level rise scenario, four New Hampshire communities will face chronic inundation by 2100, defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. While the 10% threshold is reached late in the century due to inland areas and higher elevations, low-lying neighborhoods in towns like Seabrook and Hampton already experience disruptive flooding. The report suggests that limiting warming to 1.8°C could spare up to four communities from this fate. Recommended policy responses include phasing out risky coastal development, enhancing FEMA's disaster response frameworks, and creating new programs for retreat and relocation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies significant risks of chronic inundation for New Jersey coastal communities, with 21 communities expected to be affected by 2035 under an intermediate scenario and over 100 by 2100. The report highlights that major metropolitan areas like Newark and Elizabeth face substantial land loss by 2100 and suggests that limiting global warming to 1.8°C could spare dozens of communities from this fate. To address these risks, UCS advocates for phasing out risky coastal development, enhancing disaster response funding, and creating new policies for managed retreat and relocation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies New York communities at risk of 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under a high sea level rise scenario, 14 New York communities will face this by 2100, including four New York City boroughs, with significant impacts on Manhattan (12%), Queens (15%), and Brooklyn (15%). Some areas, such as Coney Island and Long Beach, could face chronic inundation as early as 2060. The document argues that curtailing warming to approximately 1.8°C could spare between three and 13 communities by 2100. To address these risks, UCS recommends phasing out risky coastal development, enhancing disaster response frameworks like FEMA's grants, and creating new policies for managed retreat and relocation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies numerous North Carolina communities facing 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year—by 2035 and 2100. Under an intermediate scenario, 13 communities will face this by 2035 and 36 by 2100; under a high scenario, 43 will be affected by 2060 and 63 by 2100. The report emphasizes that curtailing warming could spare between 23 and 37 communities from chronic inundation by the end of the century. Recommended actions include updating flood risk maps, reforming insurance, enhancing FEMA funding, and creating programs for managed retreat and relocation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies numerous South Carolina communities at risk of chronic inundation—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate scenario, two communities will face this by 2035 and 19 by 2100; under a high scenario, 22 communities will be affected by 2100, with significant impacts on Charleston, Hilton Head, Edisto Island, and Kiawah Island by 2060. The report argues that limiting warming to 1.8°C could spare up to 10 communities from this fate and calls for updated flood maps, reformed insurance, and funded relocation programs.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies numerous Texas communities at risk of 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate scenario, two communities (Bolivar Peninsula and Sabine Pass) will face this by 2035, increasing to 17 by 2100. In a high scenario, Galveston faces chronic inundation by 2030 and Port Arthur by 2070. The report argues that limiting warming to approximately 1.8°C could spare several communities from this fate and calls for updated flood risk maps, reformed insurance, and funded relocation programs.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies that multiple Virginia communities face 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year—by 2100. Under an intermediate scenario, three communities will be affected by 2035 and 21 by 2100; under a high scenario, 38 communities will be exposed by the century's end. The report highlights specific risks to Poquoson, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, and military installations like Joint Base Langley-Eustis and Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. It argues that limiting global warming to approximately 1.8°C could spare 16 to 30 communities from this fate by 2100. Recommended responses include phasing out risky coastal development, enhancing FEMA's mitigation grants, and creating new programs for retreat and relocation.

Annapolis, Maryland, faces significant threats to its colonial-era architecture and tourism economy due to rising sea levels in the Chesapeake Bay and increasing storm surge intensity. The city has experienced severe flooding, notably during Hurricane Isabel in 2003, which caused over $120 million in damage to the U.S. Naval Academy. In response, the city is developing a Cultural Resource Hazard Mitigation plan, including a survey of 140 at-risk buildings in its Historic Landmark District, to preserve its eighteenth-century brick buildings and waterfront structures.

Annapolis, Maryland, has experienced a more than fourfold increase in tidal flooding since 1970, with the City Dock flooding approximately 50 times per year. Sea levels in Annapolis have risen by over a foot in the last century, more than twice the global average. Projections indicate that by 2045, the city could face over 360 flood events annually. In response, the city is collaborating with agencies such as NOAA, FEMA, and the Army Corps of Engineers to assess vulnerability and study at-risk structures, while the U.S. Naval Academy is coordinating with state and local officials to address sea level rise as a national security issue.

An analysis of 52 tide gauges along the US East and Gulf Coasts indicates a steep increase in tidal flooding events over the next 30 years. By 2030, over half of the studied communities are projected to experience at least 24 tidal floods annually. By 2045, one-third of these locations could face flooding more than 180 times per year, with some areas in the mid-Atlantic potentially inundated more than 10 percent of the time. The report argues that while local flood-proofing and federal resilience investments are necessary, the only long-term solution to slow sea level rise is the swift reduction of global warming pollution.