Rising Seas & Sinking Land: How Coastal Virginia is Combating Climate Change

Five years ago, scientists said residents of Tangier Island may become among the first climate change refugees in the continental United States.

Others living along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay face a similar fate. And some have decided to live with the rising waters.

Throughout Virginia, communities are facing down climate change.

A common symptom - more frequent flooding of their homes. A common fix – state and federal funding.

Virginia’s changing climate has created a flooding problem, and not just on the coast.

In August, homeowners and small businesses in the Shenandoah Valley were hit with not one but two floods. In smaller communities, federal aid is not easy to get.

This summer, tornados and intense rains have devastated some of Virginia’s tiny communities from the Atlantic Coast to mountain valleys.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA will be increasing flood insurance premiums next year.

Homeowners are facing emotional decisions, some with hefty price tags, to adapt to the changing climate.

Money is key to making the Hampton Roads area resilient as land there sinks and sea-level rises, threatening a key part of the state's economy.  Cost estimates run into the billions of dollars.

Now, small businesses are stepping up with solutions.