Building Resilience at the Local Level - Mass Audubon...•Revise Open Space & Community Development...

Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION Building Resilience at the Local Level

Vandana Rao, Ph.D June 06, 2013


Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge of this generation, with potentially profound effects on

the economy, public health, water resources, infrastructure, coastal resources, energy demand,

natural features, and recreation

CLIMATE IS ALREADY CHANGING in Massachusetts and will continue to do so

over the course of this century


Content

• Observed & Predicted Climate Change and Impacts

• The Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Report

• Ongoing State & Local Efforts

• Resources


Source: Stephen Mabee


Photo from J. Field


Photo by J. Kopera


Observed Annual Average Temperature


Observed Annual Precipitation in Boston from 1960 to December 2010

The blue line represents a five-year moving average and the red line a least

squares regression.


Y

Y

Precipitation in recent years

• Upward trend in the last 5 years

• Most recent 30-year normal pptn is the highest

• In winter, more in the form of rain than snow

• Evidence of strong increase in extreme precipitation since 1970 in northern coastal NE

Predicted Precipitation

• Changes to amount, frequency and timing - more droughts and floods

• More winter precipitation as rain and not snow; affecting spring snow melt and earlier peak streamflows

• More high precipitation events & so more flooding

• Current 100-year flood by 2100 can occur every 2-3 years

• Increased loads to WW & SW systems

• Extended low-flow periods & decreased water supply in summer


Predicted NORTHEAST Sea Level Rise


Potential Impacts and Vulnerabilities

Sea Level Rise and Flooding Coastal Inundation and storm surges

Property damage and loss of natural habitats

Interruption of key services (emergency response, infrastructure)

Extreme Weather Events High winds, hurricanes, storm surges, waves, ice storms can

cause damage

Increased flooding

Reduced emergency response capacity


ADAPTATION means increasing resiliency

and reducing vulnerability of our natural and

built systems, and better preparing our response

capabilities


MA Adaptation Report-Sectors Addressed

• Natural Resources and Habitat

• Human Health and Welfare

• Key Infrastructure

• Local Economy (including Government, Land Use)

• Coastal Zone and Oceans


Planning & Land Use – New Development

• Size infrastructure appropriately; direct state funding in such projects to reflect CC

• Site & Build to reduce vulnerabilities

• Provide incentives to aid ‘no adverse impact’

• Guide development away from flood prone areas

• Proactively address migrating wetlands

• Site & design to preserve/restore natural hydrology

• Use LID

• Restore & create flood storage

• Turn impervious to pervious

• Establish loan fund/tax credit to encourage retrofitting


Planning & Land Use - Existing Development

• Ensure that buildings are structurally prepared for storms; enhance building code & apply flood hazard area regulations to A zones

• Consider classifying coastal area by tier to ‘protect property’ from SLR or to let ‘nature run its course’; develop protocols by tier

• Engage stakeholders early on scenarios, risk assessment & potential solutions


Planning, Regulation & Assistance

• Assign an agency

• Land conservation, development, & hazard plans reflect CC risk and emergency response

• Make climate-sensitive land purchases

• Develop regional and local adaptation plans

• Incorporate CC impacts in MEPA & permitting

• Building code should address climate vulnerabilities such as heat, SLR, storm surge, precipitation


What is EEA doing?

• GWSA Implementation – Mitigation & Adaptation Subcommittees

• Adaptation Subcommittee • Agency representation from DCR, DEP, DFG, DAR, DOER,

MassDOT (MBTA, Highways, MassPort), DPU, CZM, MassGIS • Federal Partners: USGS, EPA • Regional Partners: NEIWPCC • Other: TNC, CLF, Mass Audubon, UMass Boston, UNH, UMass

Amherst

• Meets once a quarter to share ideas, exchange information, prioritize approaches, projects

• EEA Workplan • Update on the latest science • Develop climate change scenarios • Incorporate review of climate change effects into MEPA • Develop a Data and Information Tools Workshops • Prioritize strategies to protect infrastructure & human life


What are State Agencies Doing?

• DEP - Develop Vulnerability Assessment Tool for Water Utilities

• DCR - Resource Management Plans for some properties (Horseneck Beach) includes climate change considerations

• DFG – Use BioMap2 and SWAPs to manage vulnerable habitats

• DMF – monitors changes to marine environment in response to climate change

• DAR – promotes local food production; preserves best agricultural lands

• DPH – conducting statewide capacity & needs assessment of local health departments to address CC

• DOER – through Green Communities Program promoting energy efficiency and renewable technologies


What Conservation Commissioners can do

• Complete Habitat and Resource area vulnerability assessments

• Revise Open Space & Community Development Plans

• Pass conservation zoning and general wetland protection bylaws/ordinances

• Support & initiate ecological restoration projects

• Pursue water conservation & stream flow restoration efforts

• Partner with DPW to build climate smart infrastructure


What are MA Communities Doing?

• Chatham – zoning bylaw prohibits new residential units in mapped floodplains - designates ‘conservancy districts’ for land in 100-year floodplain; designates uses as permitted, needing special permit or are altogether prohibited

• Cape Cod Commission – model floodplain district bylaw prohibiting new development in V, no public infrastructure in V and A zones

• Boston – updating their hazard mitigation plan, looking into updating wetlands ordinance - all accommodating for CC

• Cambridge – vulnerability assessment

• Reducing Storm Risk in Developed Areas w FEMA $: Quincy & Scituate help property owners elevate homes/utilities; covers 75% of cost

In 2005, the highest court in MA affirmed authority of municipalities to regulate or even prevent residential or other high risk development

in flood-prone areas without financial compensation as long as the land was not rendered entirely valueless


Businesses

• MWRA – elevated Deer Island

• Accounted for SLR in design of outfall

• Raised the entire plant by 1.9 feet

• Spaulding Rehab in Charlestown, Boston

• Raised building 1.35 ft above 100-year flood elevation; 0.35 ft above 500-year flood elevation

• mechanical and electrical installations located on the roof

• no patient facilities located on the ground floor or below

• patient rooms are to have key-operable windows for emergency ventilation

• basement parking will be protected with top of ramp


Resources

• MA Coastal Zone Management: StormSmart Coasts

• FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding now available as a result of the federal disaster declarations for Tropical Storm Sandy. The deadline to submit applications is Friday August 30, 2013.

Eligible project types include; Storm-water, drainage and culvert improvements, property acquisition, slope stabilization, infrastructure protection, seismic and wind retrofits, structure elevations, public outreach, Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan development, etc.

Posting of the application: www.mass.gov/MEMA

For questions, contact Sarah White, Mitigation Grants Supervisor, [email protected] or 508-820-2053

https://email.state.ma.us/OWA/redir.aspx?C=dN9Kohc32kW-lz6PWs8ZcpA40Yp_FNBIgy_0nd0d-AeXrP7I0UdveV7lwXX_rPh4d4afkqB10Aw.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mass.gov%2fMEMA

https://email.state.ma.us/OWA/redir.aspx?C=dN9Kohc32kW-lz6PWs8ZcpA40Yp_FNBIgy_0nd0d-AeXrP7I0UdveV7lwXX_rPh4d4afkqB10Aw.&URL=mailto%3asarah.white%40state.ma.us


Source: Steve Mabee


Thank you

Adaptation Report Website: http://www.mass.gov/environment/cca

Contact Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-626-1248


Predicted Northeast Climate Change Impacts

PARAMETER CURRENT (1961-1990)

PREDICTED RANGE by 2100

Annual Temperature (o C) 8 10 to 13

Annual Precipitation (inches) 41 43 to 46

Sea Level Rise (inches) 3.1 11 to 79

Streamflow-spring peak flow (days from January 1)

85 74 to 75

Short Droughts (#/30 yr) 13 16 to 23

Snow Days/Month (days) 5 3 to 1

Length of growing season (days) 184 213 to 227

(Hayhoe et al., 2006)

Building Resilience at the Local Level - Mass Audubon...•Revise Open Space & Community Development...

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