Are you concerned about rising sea levels in New Hampshire?

Sea level on the New Hampshire Seacoast is projected to rise by between six inches and two feet by 2050, according to a new report released this week by the Coastal Risk and Hazards Commission. Those projections rise from 1.5 to over 6 feet by 2100, potentially threatening up to 7,000 existing homes.

The commission was created by order of the New Hampshire Legislature in 2013 to look at the potential impact of climate change on New Hampshire. In the report, commissioners recommended that Seacoast towns inventory properties to identify those which would be most vulnerable to flooding, update municipal master plans to account for higher seas, and look into acquiring land in high-risk areas to preclude the building of new homes.

Those concerned about rising sea levels in New Hampshire argue that town and state planners must begin accounting for change now, to avoid a greater disaster recovery cost down the road in a region that is a key economic driver for the state. Opponents include those who are skeptical of climate change altogether, and others who point out that it is difficult to enforce policies when the actual sea level rise remains unknown.