Coastal regulators, restrained by laws making development more easy, often approve work in tidelands with limited review, McClatchy newspapers' investigation found. Those efforts occurred as local governments welcomed expansive new development along the states’ tidelands, putting more pressure on state government to process permits. Amid the growth, sea levels rose about 3mm per year, on average over the past 100 years. In the past three decades, sea levels have increased to nearly 5mm per year on average. In the 10 its approached 15mm per year (and rising), NOAA researchers say. “A lot of people enjoy the fact that they live around these wetlands and they can go out into those areas and fish and whatever else they want to do,’’ said Nate Herold, a scientist with NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management in Charleston, S,C,. “But a lot of those wetlands are not going to be the same as they are now, if they even still exist in the future.’’ Increased development, eroding land and rising seas are a lethal combination for salt marshes because they need room to spread into other areas as the higher water pushes them that way. (Source: Sun Herald 1024/21) Coastal home development, climate change hurting NC marshes | Biloxi Sun Herald
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