Climate Change

A new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows coastal communities across the country saw record-setting high-tide flooding last year.

Nicole LeBoeuf, acting director of NOAA's National Ocean Service, said the eastern Gulf of Mexico — including Florida — saw nine flood days last year. That's a 600% increase since the year 2000.

LeBouef says it's only going to get worse.

Broward is almost ready to buy 60 new electric school buses. First, though, the school district wants to set up charging stations, according to Vehicle Maintenance Manager Tommy Fitzpatrick.

“It’s better not to put the cart in front of the horse, so we want to make sure that infrastructure is sound and everything is in place before we bring in the buses," Fitzpatrick said.

In South Florida, top considerations for choosing a new home have shifted, thanks to climate change.

“Before it was location, location, location. Now, it’s about elevation, elevation, elevation. The new buyer has to worry about both,” said George Jalil, broker and president at Miami Way Realty.

Sea level rise doesn’t top the list of buyer or seller concerns in South Florida — especially if you’re rich enough to afford the ever-skyrocketing costs of waterfront property — but for budget-conscious buyers, choosing the wrong home could have expensive consequences.

An appeals court Tuesday rejected a lawsuit in which eight young Florida residents sought to force the state to take steps to address climate change.

A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal upheld a decision last June by Leon County Circuit Judge Kevin Carroll to dismiss the case.

The panel did not give a detailed explanation, but cited Caroll’s conclusion that the case involved “nonjusticiable political questions.”

A $75,000 study to look at how sea level rise will affect the city of Tampa is on its way to the city council.

Planners wrapped up the study during a final presentation Wednesday night.

Their recommendations include building seawalls and raising water and sewer lines in floodplains. In other areas, creating natural buffer zones would work better than pouring more concrete. And development densities should be reduced in low-lying areas, while being raised on higher ground.

Congresswoman Kathy Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman implored Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto a bill that would override local regulation of energy sources.

The bill could short out efforts by Florida cities and counties to move to clean energy sources.

Castor, D-Tampa, who chairs the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, said the preemption was fueled by big energy companies.

Vampire bats could soon make their way into the United States from Mexico due to climate change and development, scientists say.

The possibility of a migration is concerning federal agriculture officials because the bats like to feast on the blood of large farm animals, while sometimes spreading rabies.

Florida is number three on the list of places where the bats could be headed in coming years.