Homeowner perceptions of North Carolina sea level rise policy

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  • February 26, 2019
Creator
  • Brodmerkel, Anna
    • Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Curriculum in Environment and Ecology, Environmental Studies
Abstract
  • The North Carolina coastline faces various threats such as erosion, increasing pressure from booming coastal populations, and increasing frequency of major storm events. In 2012, the state addressed the threat of sea-level rise (SLR) on development by enacting NC House Bill 819: “An Act to Study and Modify Certain Coastal Management Policies” (HB819). HB819 did not allow for any guidelines to define a rate of SLR for regulatory purposes and mandated that the Coastal Resource Commission Science Panel update the SLR report in the next 5 years, but could only use historical models to determine future rates of SLR for up to 30 years. NC provides a fascinating case study in SLR policy, because the state previously passed progressive policies for oceanfront erosion control, but halted any regulatory planning for sea level rise until July 1, 2016 with HB819. This thesis sought to address if NC waterfront homeowners and statewide residents were aware of HB819, their opinions of HB819, and what factors were most likely to predict awareness and acceptance of HB819. Surveys were sent out via Qualtrics to waterfront homeowners and statewide residents in NC in summer 2016. The results show that: 1) a greater awareness and stronger opinions of HB819 were reported by the waterfront group; 2) political party primarily impacted awareness of HB819; and, 3) those who believe they will be harmed by SLR are most opposed to HB819. These findings demonstrated that SLR is both a geographic and politicized issue with varying implications for legislators, state-wide residents, and waterfront residents. In the future, NC policy-makers should consider the concerns of NC residents when creating new SLR policy, with a particular focus on coastal residents who will be most harmed.
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  • In Copyright
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  • Funding: Honors Undergraduate Research Fund
  • Funding: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship; William W. and Ida W. Taylor Honors Mentored Research Fellowship
Advisor
  • Peterson, Charles
Degree
  • Bachelor of Arts
Academic concentration
  • Environmental Studies
Honors level
  • Honors
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduation year
  • 2018
Language
  • English

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