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Assessing Legal Risk:
Lessons Learned from a California Analysis of Climate Adaptation Strategies
Photo Credit: NOAA
Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Annual Meeting
June 14, 2018
Assessing Legal Risk: Lessons Learned from a California Analysis of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Assessing Legal Risk: Lessons Learned from a California Analysis of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Assessing Legal Risk: Lessons Learned from a California Analysis of Climate Adaptation Strategies Photo Credit: NOAA Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Annual Meeting June 14, 2018 About E L I www .eli.org About Our Climate
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About Our Climate Resilience Work
Getting People and Property Out of Harm’s Way Helping Governments Create Resilient Communities Creating Resilient Ecosystems Helping Communities Become Resilient
Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Rebecca Kihslinger, ELI; from Pixabay; U.S. Department of Agriculture ; from Pixabay.
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Today’s Discussion
- Resilient Coastlines of Greater San Diego
project
- Our Focus and
Approach
- Lessons Learned
Photo from Pixabay
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Resilient Coastlines Project
www.resilientcoastlines.org
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Project Partners
www.resilientcoastlines.org/partners
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Our Focus
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Our Approach
- Looked at legal risks for:
- No action (i.e., do not implement adaptation strategies)
- Action (i.e., implement adaptation strategies)
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Our Approach: No Action
Local government fails to act, leading to the flooding of private property City’s stormwater drainage system can no longer keep up, leading to the flooding of private property Rising waters submerge land where the government has negotiated easements with private property owners for public access
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Analysis
Local government fails to act, leading to the flooding of private property City’s stormwater drainage system can no longer keep up, leading to the flooding of private property Rising waters submerge land where the government has negotiated easements with private property owners for public access
- Unlikely to give rise to takings,
but law continues to evolve. May be more vulnerable to
- ther takings claims.
- Unlikely to give rise to a takings if
adaptation measures considered an upgrade (as opposed to maintenance)
- f the
system
- Easement unlikely to
migrate
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Our Approach: Action
Beach Nourishment Dune Restoration & Enhancement Offshore Protections Hard Armoring (Seawalls or Revetments) Zoning and Land Use
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How Defined Risk
! High Risk ! Low Risk ! Moderate Risk
At least two applicable: difficult CEQA process, Coastal Act provision at is is involved in litigation or uncertain in application, high probability of tak lawsuit and uncertain risk of losing case, other major legal issues At least two applicable: some CEQA hurdles, Coastal Act ambiguous on permitting, moderate probability
- f takings lawsuit but low probability of losing case,
- ther possible legal
issues All applicable: no major CEQA or Coastal Act hurdles beyond obtaining permits, takings lawsuit unlikely , no major legal uncertainty about application of Coastal Act or takings law , no other clear legal issues
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Analysis
Beach Nourishment Dune Restoration & Enhancement Offshore Protections Hard Armoring (Seawalls or Revetments) Zoning and Land Use
- Low-moderate
- Low
- Low-moderate to
High
- Moderate to
High
- Low to
High
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Lessons Learned
- Not much attention focused on legal aspects of climate
adaptation
- Fact-specific, depends on law
- Likely to see increase in
litigation
- Not clear how law will
evolve
- Risk everywhere (good to understand risks, but not be
paralyzed by it)
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And….
- Aside from potential legal liabilities, many other good reasons
to implement adaptation strategies
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Thank you!
T eresa H. Chan
Senior Attorney | ELI (202) 939-3848 | chan@eli.org