NPR's Shifting Ground Series: Saving A Home From the Sea and the State

For Immediate Release

This fight, which may go as far as the U.S. Supreme Court, could determine how other communities will prepare for the problems likely to result from rising seas. Whose responsibility will it be to move buildings out of the way? And who will take the hit for lost property value?

While Shifting Ground installments have covered topics as diverse as conservation easements in Wyoming, wind power in upstate New York, and the right to own a donkey in Nevada, the series is tied together by a deep awareness of changing land use patterns in America, and the degree to which these changes affect communities and the lives of people on the ground. Governments, individuals, and towns frequently disagree on local and regional policies, but series producer David Baron carefully illustrates both sides of land use issues and the larger values at stake, which can help communities find common ground amidst the conflict.

Listen to the story about Surfside, Texas, to find out more about the Porters and the fate of their seaside home, as well as the implications for homes and communities around the world that are faced with rising tides.  Shifting Ground is made possible with support from the Orton Family Foundation and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; it will continue in the coming months with more stories about landscapes and issues across the country.  Photos, transcripts, audio clips and stories are archived on the Shifting Ground website, www.shifting-ground.com/Home.html.