This article is the first of a two-part series about New Hampshire communities on the frontlines of climate change. Part two will be published Monday, July 18.
Those living on the New Hampshire Seacoast are intimately aware of the impacts of climate change. They’ve watched high tides draw closer over the years, flooding their streets and homes. The ocean that drew them here now threatens their ability to stay.
As sea levels rise, communities are scrambling to adapt to the new reality.
Steve Belgiorno, a retired math teacher, has seen the flooding worsen since he first bought a house in Hampton in 2005. In 2017, he said, a nightmare storm ruined the house’s boiler, hot water tank, and flooring, leaving marsh grass and kelp in exchange. “We’re the Titanic,” he said.
The flooding strains town resources, too. A fire truck was substantially damaged in a 2018 flood after it was driven through stormwater to respond to an emergency. Salt water is corrosive and can destroy vehicles. It also eats away at home foundations. Belgiorno pays a company thousands of dollars to reseal his foundation every few years, but the cracks inevitably return.
Tom Bassett didn’t think about flooding when he bought a home in Hampton in 2002, but now he documents each one. While big storms used …
Effects of climate change are already changing life on the Seacoast – New Hampshire Bulletin – New Hampshire Bulletin
