Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released the following statement on passage of his amendment to H.R. 2500, the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Crist amendment directs the Secretary of Defense to make fortifying our military installations against the threat of flooding and sea level rise a top priority. It requires the military to work with agencies like NOAA and NASA that track our changing climate, to incorporate flooding and sea level rise projections into their plans for building new military installations and fortifying current ones.

“Climate change is causing seas to rise, stronger storms, and greater flooding – and our military bases are not taking these threats into account when planning for the future. This amendment requires the military to harden our bases and installations to better withstand storms, flooding, and rising seas, enhancing our military readiness and better protecting our servicemembers.”

According to the Pentagon, six military bases across Florida face recurring flooding because of climate change, including Tampa Bay’s own MacDill Air Force Base. 

The amendment has been supported by the Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, Environment America, Environmental Defense Fund, Interfaith Power & Light, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.