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7.B. - Page 34 of 42 Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency Agency Frequently Asked Questions Background and Need 1. Why is this agency needed? Flooding and erosion are immediate and long-term risks to San Mateo County and its residents. It is estimated that by 2100, over 40% of the County lands, including property with an assessed value of $34 billion, could be adversely affected by flooding and erosional processes related to sea level rise (SLR) and climate change'. By forming or modifying an agency, San Mateo County and its cities would create a unified voice and leverage their combined power to take advantage of existing federal and state money to address coastal and flood issues. 2. Why is the agency needed now? A proactive approach is much better than a reactive approach — every $1 spent on mitigation saves an average of $6 in future disaster costs Z. By providing an integrated response, San Mateo County may be able to reduce exposure to future SLR and associated future costs, position the County for available state and federal funding programs, and improve coordination among jurisdictions that are grappling with these issues. 3. Why a new agency at all? The issues related to flooding and erosion associated with SLR are enormous, and are beyond the capabilities of a single agency to absorb the responsibility for response and adaptation into their existing missions. SLR crosses jurisdictional boundaries. A new agency would have the following benefits: • Coordinate a more focused and effective response to Flood/Erosion/SLR and Regional stormwater infrastructure improvements • Realize economies of scale for planning, project development and implementation. Implement planning at a regional scale to bridge jurisdictional boundaries • Position the region for State/Federal Funding opportunities to address the issues at the appropriate scale • Leverage expertise among agencies to focus on implementation of large, multi -benefit projects that affect multiple jurisdictions 4. If San Francisco protected the area with flood gates at the Golden Gate Bridge, would our sea level rise and flood control issues be resolved? This solution is not technically feasible nor is it desirable from an environmental and economic perspective. Regardless, we do not have a singular voice within the County that could represent the cities and county in any discussion with San Francisco about tidal gates or other regional solutions. The proposed agency would allow the county and cities to participate more effectively in regional ' SeaChange Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment for San Mateo County, https://seachangesmc.org/vulnerability-assessment/ ' Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report, www.nibs.org/page/mitigationsaves 226