The Threat of Global
Warming
Carbon dioxide and other gases in the
atmosphere let sunlight penetrate to the
earth's surface but retain heat that would
otherwise escape into space. This mechanism is
called the "greenhouse effect" because it is some-
what like the way that the glass in a greenhouse
traps heat.
The atmosphere's greenhouse effect keeps the
earth 60°Fahrenheit warmer than it would be
otherwise. But human activities, such as burning
oil, coal, and natural gas in everything from
power plants to cars and boats, are increasing
the concentration of greenhouse gases. As a
result, the earth has warmed almost TFahrenheit
in the last century.
Warmer temperatures can increase the intensity
of severe rainstorms. Higher temperatures also
raise sea level by expanding ocean water and
melting mountain glaciers. Along the New Jersey
shore, rising sea level erodes beaches, increases
flooding, and threatens coastal habitat.
For More Information
• See the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's global warming website at
www.epa.gov/globalwarming.
• For specific information about coastal
communities, see www.epa.gov/
globalwa fining/stakeholders/coastal/
index.html.
• Contact New jersey's Department of
Environmental Protection at
www.state.nj.us/dep or call them at
609-292-2885.
• For information on flood insurance, call
800-480-2520 and ask for a booklet titled
"Answers to Questions About the National
Flood Insurance Program."
&EPA
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY
Office of Policy (2171)
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
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Are New Jersey's
Beaches Disappearing?
I ost beaches along the Atlantic and
Gulf Coasts of the United States are
I eroding a few feet per year. In some
locations, jetties, storms, seawalls, and motor-
boats cause the erosion. But rising sea level is the
primary reason that most shores erode. Along
the New Jersey shore, sea level is rising 1 inch
every 6 years. Both rising global temperatures
and gradually sinking land contribute to the
higher water levels—and that means more
erosion.
In some states, homeowners are removing their
oceanfront houses along eroding shores. The
beach survives, but the building is lost. Along bay
shores, owners often protect their homes from ero-
sion by replacing the natural beach with wooden
walls (bulkheads) or piles of rock (revetments). The
property survives, but the beach is lost.
Here along the New Jersey shore, people want to
keep both the beach and their homes.
Depending on when you visit, you may see
dump trucks releasing sand and bulldozers
spreading it to rebuild a beach. Or a dredge
pumping sand from the sea floor through a pipe
to the beach. Or people putting up snow fencing
and planting grasses to hold the dunes.
Without these activities, some communities
would lose their beaches, while others would
lose their shorefront homes, condominiums,
hotels, and other buildings.
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hy Care About
Erosion?
Most of the Jersey shore is developed.
As the sea rises, the beach is squeezed
between the sea and the first row of
buildings. Along ocean shores, this
means less room for vacationers and
local residents to sunbathe, play volley-
ball, or build sandcastles. Along the
bays, there is less room for sand-
pipers, horseshoe crabs, and other
wildlife that feed or breed in the
sandy habitat.
Rising global temperatures have added
about 2 to 5 inches to sea level in the
last century, but they could raise the
sea another 1 to 3 feet in the next cen-
tury—in addition to the rise caused by
factors such as sinking land. Such a
rise would be enough to erode most of
the nation's recreational beaches
about 100 feet.
Storms May Do More
Damage
Hurricanes and other storms can raise the sea
temporarily by 5 to 10 feet—or more. Higher
seas bring higher floods.
The narrowing beaches also could enable large
waves to reach oceanfront buildings, roads, and
boardwalks. Along the bays, where land elevations
are lowest, increased rainfall from global warming
could intensify coastal flooding even more.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency
estimates that a 1-foot rise in sea level could
increase flood insurance premiums by 35 to 60
percent. Not only will permanent residents be
faced with higher premiums, hotels and land-
lords generally will pass these costs on to visitors.
What about Wetlands?
Coastal marshes and bay beaches provide habitat
for New Jersey's horseshoe crabs, ribbed mussels,
fiddler crabs, seaside sparrows, redwinged black-
birds, osprey, and other species of wildlife.
New Jersey's coastal wetlands are mostly within
2 feet of sea level, and many are eroding already.
Hence even a moderate rise in sea level could
threaten these ecosystems.
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What Is New Jersey
Doing?
• The state sets aside $15 million per year for
shore protection and sand replenishment.
• All New Jersey coastal communities
participate in the National Flood Insurance
Program, which insures buildings against
flood damages. Approximately 161,000
property owners in New Jersey have federal
flood insurance policies.
• The state's Coastal Area Facilities Review Act
discourages construction that would later
require seawalls.
• The New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection has called for a reduction in the
state's greenhouse gas emissions to 3.5 percent
below 1990 levels by 2005.
• Coastal planners and municipal officials can
now access and share information about
New Jersey's coastal environment using the
Geographic Information System (CIS).
• A draft strategic plan calls for a reduction
of the state's greenhouse gas emissions of
3.5 percent below 1990 levels by the
year 2005.
• A number of New Jersey companies are
doing their part to reduce energy use. For
example, Warner-Lambert, a marketer of
personal health care products, replaced
more than 19,000 light bulbs with more effi-
cient bulbs and saved 1.7 million kilowatt-
hours of electricity per year.
What Can You Do?
• When visiting Atlantic City or the North
Jersey Shore, take the train.
• If you own a shorefront home threatened by
erosion, haul in sand or plant vegetation to
hold back the sea rather than building a
seawall.
• Enjoy the sea breeze, listen to the waves, and
turn off the air conditioner.
When it's time to replace your car, consider
one that gets more miles per gallon than
your present vehicle.
Avoid walking on sand dunes and destroying
their ability to protect the shorelines from
storms and erosion.
When it's time to replace an appliance,
look for the ENERGY STAR® label
identifying energy-efficient models.
If your home is at risk, talk to your insurance
agent about federal flood insurance. Home-
owners insurance does not cover flood damages.
Buy products that feature reusable, recyclable,
or reduced packaging to save the energy
required to manufacture new containers.
VANISHING shores.
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