Background/Objectives

In response to the growing impact of climate change on remedial sites, this study addresses the need for a comprehensive approach to assess climate-related risks. These sites, often characterized by varied geographical and environmental conditions, face unique challenges due to climate change, such as increased risk of flooding, erosion, and extreme weather events. The objective is to develop a robust methodology for evaluating these climate hazards using authoritative and publicly available tools (e.g., FEMA NRI, NOAA NWS, USACE CHAT), that provide historical, current, and projected climate data. The methodology will be applied to prioritize and select sites based on screening criteria. These selected sites will then serve as case studies for detailed climate hazard assessments. The aim is to develop a deep understanding of the environmental risks each site faces due to climate change. This approach will inform a framework for resilience planning and strategic response, focusing on the unique challenges and needs at each location.

Approach/Activities

The first step implements a multi-tiered prioritization process that assesses global and continental climate indicators. This step sets the stage for a broader understanding of climate trends and their potential impacts on various sites. Historical climate data, observations, and records will then be utilized to establish baseline hazard profiles for each remedial site. This step involves delving into the specific details of each site, building upon the initial broad assessment carried out in the first step. Following data collection, Identification of most vulnerable remedial sites will be performed based on the established baselines and the broader climate indicators. This involves prioritizing sites based on risk factors such as geographic location, historical climate impacts, and future projections, focusing on those requiring urgent resilience measures and strategic interventions. Furthermore, climate model projections will be integrated with the data collected to anticipate future risks. This step is crucial for understanding how projected climate trends might affect the prioritized sites and for informing infrastructure adaptation and mitigation strategies. Finally, protocols for strategic monitoring will be established, identifying data gaps, and formulating targeted recommendations for adaptive management. This ongoing process ensures that the strategies and interventions are effective and can be adapted in response to new data or changing climate conditions. 

Results/Lessons Learned

Anticipated findings demonstrate the efficacy of a multi-resolution approach in identifying and predicting climate hazards at remedial sites, highlighting the importance of integrating broad-scale climate projections with local, site-specific observations. This integration is shown to facilitate and enhance the accuracy of climate hazard assessments. Consequently, the framework is designed to facilitate informed, strategic decision-making for site resilience and adaptation.