In visiting widespread flooding on the Sunshine State this week, Tropical Storm Emily could have helped crystallize the economic costs of a new era of stronger and more frequent weather events in the minds of Florida voters.
- Environmental activists pushing flood control projects
- Hoping Tropical Storm Emily will persuade lawmakers
At least that's the hope of environmentally-minded activists and politicians pushing referendums to increase public spending on flood control projects.
The most immediate such referendum is being held in Miami this November. Dubbed 'Miami Forever,' it would authorize $400 million worth of bonds, nearly half of which would be used to install new pumps and storm water drainage systems.
Seizing on a photo of the flash flooding that took his city by surprise this week, Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, a champion of the referendum, tweeted that "we cannot allow this to become the new normal."
The Miami vote likely won't be the only one of its kind in Florida over the coming years, with every region of the state experiencing ever more powerful storms.
"What you're seeing right now after Tropical Storm Emily really has been going on for quite some time now," said Julie Wraithmell of Audubon Florida, which has been advocating for increased coastal mitigation efforts.
"This is a new normal, and climate change happens gradually," Wraithmell said. "Our response needs to happen that way, too, and so, these local governments have a real opportunity to put the decision in the hands of voters and to let them invest in the infrastructure that's going to protect them in the face of sea level rise."
Environmentalists have struggled to convince state leaders of the importance of increased funding for weather-related flood control projects, and mentions of 'climate change' in state documents have declined precipitously under Republican Gov. Rick Scott's administration.
Over the last two years, however, legislative leaders have moved to devote more funding to water projects, including construction of a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee intended to hold toxic discharges that reach their peak during hurricane season.
Still, supporters of stepped-up flood control measures argue local referendums will have the biggest impact.
"There's lots of local governments right now that are dealing with these hard questions of, we're seeing more flooding, we're seeing more property at risk," Wraithmell said. "How do we plan now, how do we begin implementing protections so that we still have these benefits?"