Report Guides Virginia On Dealing With Rising Seas

A report on how Virginia can deal with rising seas is now in the hands of the General Assembly, reports the Associated Press.

Scientists at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science prepared the 135-page document at the request of the 2012 legislature. It's intended to guide lawmakers as they attempt to deal with higher tides, storm surge, sinking land, and rising sea levels.

The report urges immediate action but stresses that there is no single response to encompass all of the environmental challenges that now face the state and are likely to worsen.

It calls for a multi-step approach. While scientists say the state can mount an effective response to increased flooding, the report says some actions will take decades to plan and implement.