Florida Senator Bill Nelson has filed legislation to help coastal areas like Franklin County prepare for the effects of climate change.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson has filed legislation to help coastal areas like Franklin County prepare for the effects of climate change.

The proposal would make federal financing available to communities who need to upgrade their infrastructure to address climate change-related events, such as tidal flooding, beach erosion or saltwater intrusion caused by sea level rise. 

Communities could apply for the assistance through state-run revolving loan programs funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

In addition to offering loans, the legislation would direct the National Science Foundation and the National Institute for Standards and Technology to conduct research and provide grants to improve building codes to account for extreme weather.

It would also create a prize competition for new techniques to improve natural, nature-based shoreline risk reduction measure.

Nelson said he hopes to get his measure included in the larger $1.5 trillion infrastructure package sought by the president and congressional leaders. 

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