A Framework for a Sustainable Community. Kimberly Brewer, AICP

Transcription

1 A Framework for a Sustainable Community Kimberly Brewer, AICP

2 Being The Place to Be Achieving the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Economic prosperity High Quality of Life Healthy Environment

3 How are communities becoming more sustainable? Observations from EPRI/WERF/EPA sponsored research with volunteer communities

4 More sustainable communities. Operate by 21st Century management principles Value the resource Aspire to higher objectives Work at multiple scales Integrate management Build intellectual infrastructure Recognize true costs & maximize value/benefits Share responsibilities & risks Choose smart, clean & green Evolve from lessons learned

5 New water paradigm driven by outcomes Economic Minimal debt and associated servicing low life cycle costs Lower external and imbedded costs Robust in the face of economic and/or social disruption Promotes economic opportunity across socioeconomic class Promotes local cleantech industry growth Social Provides clean and abundant water supply Supports safe and secure food supply Supports clean and stable energy supply Supports healthy and enjoyable living, working, recreational space Supports and enhances social connectedness Environmental Carbon neutral or positive Hydrologically neutral or restorative Ecologically neutral or restorative Nutrient (and other reusable/ recyclable waste resource materials) neutral Neutral or positive air quality benefits

6 More sustainable communities. Integrated Resource Management Address climate change Address scarcity issues through alternative sources of supply Promote hydrologic and ecological restoration Achieve multiple watershed benefits W A T E R W A S T E W A T E R E T C. S T O R M W A T E R L A N D R O A D S Generate revenue

7 More sustainable communities. Broader Spectrum of Technology Resource efficiency, recovery & recycling Resilient, adaptive Distributed Mimic nature Multi-benefit Emerging Planning infrastructure systems together

8 More sustainable communities. Distributed and Centralized Infrastructure For stormwater: low-impact design, BMPs For wastewater: onsite to cluster to centralized Centralized oversight generally preferred Part of a green-to-gray built/natural infrastructure strategy

9 More sustainable communities. Multifunctional Resource recovery potential Water reuse/conservation Microclimate energy and comfort Climate resilience Environmental and public health protection Watershed protection and ecosystem restoration Job creation and workforce development

10 More sustainable communities. Build institutional capacity to apply Integrated planning & smart growth Full life-cycle costing Enhanced community engagement Intellectual capital

11 More sustainable communities. Evaluate outcomes and adapt Monitor outcomes Evaluate performance Diagnose problems Identify solutions Implement change

12 More sustainable communities. Exhibit leadership and collaboration Champions Multi-disciplinary approach

13 Applying these features to the Carolinas Carolina communities can adopt these features to Be the Place to Be and be more resilient an example for conducting vulnerability assessment to climate change

14 Assessing Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Hope Herron

15 Presentation Overview Climate Assessment Air Temperature and Precipitation Watershed Quality and Hydrology Sea Level Rise Hurricanes and Coastal Flooding Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Adaptation Analysis Outreach and Education Focus on Practical Application for Decision-makers and Planners

16 Climate Change Assessment? Objectives Assess changing environmental conditions and potential impacts on investments, programming, and projects Assess vulnerability of communities (economic development, water and energy security, etc.) Identify adaptation strategies Considerations Climate change assessment budget Existing process or separate assessment Availability of data (e.g., meteorological, hydrological, tidal gauges, etc.) Stakeholder perceptions of climate change

17 1 Climate Assessment Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Adaptation Analysis Outreach and Education

18 Available Climate Change Information General Circulation/Global Climate Models (GCMs) Variety of national and international sources Represent vast areas of land and water Grid cells typically > 125 x 125 miles Large scale gap between GCMs and needs for local studies Downscaling Address the scale gap Statistical and dynamic options Sources: Climate Lab Section of the Environmental Change Research Group, Department of Geography, University of Oregon - Global Climate Animations and NARCCAP

19 Application: Water Quality and Hydrology Methodology: EPA GCRP 20 Watersheds Study Tools: Watershed models: SWAT and HSPF USGS National Land Cover Data BASINS CAT Study illustrates the importance of using an ensemble approach to evaluate climate change

20 Sea Level Rise Tools: Local gauge stations Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PMSL) Methodologies: NOAA s Incorporating Sea Level Change Scenarios at the Local Level (NOAA 2012) Select a higher and lower scenario of global greenhouse gas emissions (such as A2 and B1) to bookend analysis

21 Coastal Flooding and Hurricanes Coastal Flooding Assessment Tools: Coastal Erosion Data Digital Elevation Models Wave Height Analysis for Flood Insurance Studies (WHAFIS) model, FEMA Wave Run-up Model, USACE Hurricane Assessment Tools: Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN), FEMA Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model, NWS

22 Application: SafeWater RI Objective: Assess changing environmental conditions and potential impacts on RI drinking water utilities and develop strategies to address these changing conditions

23 1 Climate Assessment 2 Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Adaptation Analysis Outreach and Education

24 Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Numerous methodologies need to improve coherence and consistency of vulnerability assessments Draw from both quantitative and qualitative assessment methodologies Quantitative approaches: models, household surveys, Qualitative: focus group discussions, informational interviews

25 IDB DRAFT

26 Application: SafeWater RI Rhode Island statewide and local data for SLR, flood, and hurricane impacts

27 Application: SafeWater RI Infrastructure losses modeled for three time periods (2022, 2042, 2082) and for low and high emission scenarios Hazard Number of Impacted Utilities Sea Level Rise 20 Coastal Flooding Riverine Flooding Hurricane 13 Number and Types of Impacted Infrastructure (2084) 507,830 feet Pipelines (5 ft scenario) 4 Booster Pump Stations 3 Interconnections 5 Booster Pump Stations 9 Interconnections 2 Treatment Plants 3 Wells 9 Booster Pump Stations 6 Interconnections 1 Reservoir 7 Wells 10 Booster Pump Stations 10 Interconnections 1 Pretreatment Facility 3 Treatment Plants 3 Wells Total losses (2084) $87,490,000 $22,710,000 $4,070,000 $34,451,000

28 1 Climate Assessment 2 Vulnerability and Risk Assessment 3 Adaptation Analysis Outreach and Education

29 Adaptation Analysis Various ways to evaluate adaptation options, including: Modeling tools (such as using SWAT and SUSTAIN for watershed analysis) Stakeholder workshops/focus groups Screening and ranking (such as FEMA s STAPLEE) Opportunity to incorporate the Sustainable Cities paradigm: Triple Bottom Line New water paradigm City of the future!

30 Application: Los Angeles Aqueduct Study Use projected runoff as an input to the Los Angeles Aqueduct Simulation Model (LAASM) to estimate changes in water supply to the city under different climate scenarios Identify and examine the benefits of adaptation measures to address the impacts of climate change over the 21 st century

31 Adaptation Options

32 1 Climate Assessment 2 Vulnerability and Risk Assessment 3 Adaptation Analysis 4 Outreach and Education

33 Outreach and Education End users must be involved throughout the assessment Tailor assessment to concerns/constraints Understand potential impacts = more likely to buy-in to adaptation strategies Identify win-win and low-cost strategies Achieve Triple Bottom Line objectives! Couple assessment with outreach and education to stakeholders Tetra Tech is providing communications and web support for EPA s Global Change Research Program

34 Application: NOAA Adaptation Training NOAA Adaptation Training Course Includes modules on climate literacy, the basics of mitigation and adaptation, vulnerability, impact assessment, and risk communication. The course presents students with two hours of lecture, 30 minutes of case studies, and 90 minutes of exercises for each module. The course is designed for both the public and private sectors and available upon request.

35 Summary Situation overview in Emerging Markets Tools and Methodologies There are a variety of tools and methodologies that can be used to assess climate change risk and identify adaptation options Illustrative resources include: USAID s ARCC program EPA s 20 Watersheds Project FEMA s HAZUS-MH NOAA s Adaptation Training Course Climate Change impacts are already being felt in many sectors and those impacts are projected to become more severe Applications There is a growing awareness that climate change should be incorporated into project design and risk assessment. Vulnerability and risk assessments can be conducted at the Regional level Local level Project level 35

36 Focus Group Do you live in an inland community or a coastal community? Please go to the area of the room designated for your community.. Ask your facilitator any questions you might have about the concepts covered in the presentations Approximately 5 minutes

37 Question 1 What are the priority concerns for your community in the short term (5 10 years)? What are the priority concerns for your community in the long term (10 30 years)? Approximately 10 minutes

38 Question 2 What are some actions that can be taken to address your priority concerns? Approximately 10 minutes

39 Question 3 What are the likely challenges/barriers that will need to be overcome to implementing these actions? Do these challenges change the way that you think about the action items that were identified? Approximately 10 minutes

40 Report Out and Group Discussion Group Report Out What are the key similarities and differences between the responses of the two groups? Approximately 15 minutes