Drowning History: Sea Level Rise Threatens US Historic Sites

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

BOSTON (AP) – With scientists forecasting sea levels to rise by from several inches to several feet by 2100, historic structures and coastal heritage sites around the world are under threat. Some sites and artifacts could become submerged.

Scientists, historic preservationists, architects and public officials are meeting this week in Newport, Rhode Island to discuss the problem, how to adapt to rising seas and preserve historic structures.

Adam Markham works for the Union of Concerned Scientists and is scheduled to speak at the conference. He says many of the most threatened sites in North America lie along the East Coast, between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and southern Maine.

They include the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island; historic areas of Boston; Annapolis, Maryland; Jamestown, Virginia; and parts of Hawaii.