MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami-Dade County’s mayor announced a plan to combat sea level rise and says the issue will be made a priority in her administration.
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava unveiled a countywide plan to tackle the pressing problem during an event held next to Miami’s Little River, Friday.
“Well, here it is! It’s historic. Yes, it is,” the mayor said during a news conference. “This is our existential challenge. This is the one that trumps them all. We must attend to our future, our resilient future, to continue to have all the success and enjoyment of paradise in our beautiful home.”
The mayor called the county’s pledge to tackle rising sea levels one of the most aggressive in the country. The county identified the most vulnerable communities that need to be adapted.
“It’s a measurable, trackable, relentless reality,” said Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin.
The adaptations are said to include major infrastructure improvements that, leaders said, will ensure safety and sustainability for years to come.
When asked about specific changes and strategies, Levine Cava referred to the plan as a roadmap for how the county will move forward.
“We’ve got a set of principles that will make sure that we’re safer, that it’s more equitable as we build, that we reduce environmental pollution, that we’re flexible to changing conditions, [and] that we build with nature,” she said.
Task force leaders said the consequences of rising water levels are clear across the county and more action cannot wait.
“Now is a new day in Miami-Dade County,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa. “Let’s move forward.”
Levine Cava said money has been allocated for these types of projects, and her administration will ensure the money is used for sea level rise projects.
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