Infrastructure and Resiliency in the Wake of Climate Change

Not everyone agrees on the issue of climate change, but many cities around the U.S. are planning for major infrastructure improvements to help with natural disasters. A growing number of local government leaders, such as those in Dubuque, Iowa, are beginning to take on problems that could be linked to climate change. For instance, chronic floods from the Mississippi River banks have been wreaking havoc on the Dubuque area for several years. With a $200 million expenditure for sediment traps, stormwater pipes, and other upgrades, Mayor Roy Buol maintains the spending will prevent more than $580 million in damage over the next century. “The city will finance the Bee Branch Creek upgrades with a combination of state flood-control money, federal grants, local bonds and stormwater sewer fees paid by city residents,” according to a post on Govtech.com.

http://www.govtech.com/local/Facing-Climate-Change-Cities-Come-to-the-Rescue.html