CoastalResilience

Sea Level Rise Task Force

The New York State Sea Level Rise Task Force (SLRTF) was created in 2007 by the New York State Legislature to assess impacts to the state's coastlines from rising seas and recommend protective and adaptive measures. The task force held its first meeting on June 27, 2008; its report is due to the Legislature by December 31, 2009, although it is likely that that deadline will be extended by one year so that the Task Force can consider and incorporate the results of the NYSERDA project outlined here.

The members of the SLRTF are:

Commissioner of Environmental Conservation Pete Grannis (designee: Jared Snyder, Assistant Commissioner of Air Resources, Climate Change and Energy)

Secretary of State Lorraine Cortes-Vazques or her designee,

Environmental Program Manager Lisa Weiss, designee of Commissioner of Transportation Astrid Glynn

Director of Environmental Health Protection Richard Svenson, designee of Commissioner of Health Richard Daines,

Director of the State Emergency Management Office John Gibb,

Assistant Bureau Chief, Property Bureau, Gerald Scattaglia, designee of Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo,

Mr. Jack Mattice, appointed by Temporary President of the Senate Joseph Bruno,

Mr. David Relyea, appointed by Temporary President of the Senate Joseph Bruno,

Mr. Rohit Aggarwala, appointed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg,

Mr. Jerry Mulligan, Westchester County Commissioner of Planning, appointed by Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano,

Mr. John Walters, III, appointed by Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith,

Suffolk County Commissioner of Environment and Energy Carrie Meek Gallagher, appointed by Suffolk County Executive Steven Levy,

Ms. Sarah Newkirk, appointed by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver,

Mr. James Staudenraus, appointed by Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco,

Mr. Brad Tito, appointed by Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi,

one additional member to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.

The SLRTF is chaired by Mr. Grannis or, in his absence, Mr. Snyder.

The work of the SLRTF is coordinated by a staff steering committee, which includes representatives from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Department of State, Suffolk County, the New York City Mayor’s Office, the New York State Insurance Department, the New York State Department of Transportation, and the Nature Conservancy. The SLRTF steering committee has identified four workgroups:

• Ecosystems and Natural Habitats
• Infrastructure and Community Resilience
• Legal
• Public Outreach

The SLRTF has is drafting a set of preliminary findings and recommendations which synthesize projections of impacts of global climate change and sea level rise for the state of New York.

More information about the Task Force and its findings can be found here.