TALLAHASSEE, FL- According to a statement released on Jan. 21, 2020, Representative Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) and Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. (R-Hialeah) have filed HB 1157 and SB 1284, the Florida Land Subsidence Research Initiative, in an effort to collect and analyze data using geodetic techniques with the objective of understanding the relationship of Florida’s landmass and sea-level rise measurements.
Rep. Ingoglia remarked, “In the midst of growing talks of climate change, HB 1157 is an initiative for a statewide structure to create a benchmark in order to accurately track sea-level rise. The reality is that it is our responsibility to inquire how much of these flooding occurrences are attributed to rising seas and how much of it is attributed to sinking soils by building large structures on sandbars or marshes. I look forward to working with Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. to advocate for the Florida Land Subsidence Research Initiative to address the challenges and impacts— economic, environmental and conservational— that our state may face as a result of encroaching waters.”
The Florida Land Subsidence Research Initiative strives to establish a partnership between the Department of Environmental Protection and Florida International University. In the initiative, Florida International University shall develop specifications for the collection and reporting of data and will collaborate with other state universities the trends in land subsidence throughout the state.
Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. said, “Florida is said to be one of the most vulnerable states in the nation when it comes to rising sea levels. Allocating funds to our first-class universities will allow us to properly measure the degree of vulnerability and the efforts that must be implemented to contend with this environmental challenge.”
On Jan. 21, HB 1157 was heard and passed unanimously in the Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee.
