Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
barriers to resilient investments, modernizing grant and loan programs to
better support local efforts, and developing information and tools to better
serve communities.
Supporting Communities as they Prepare for Climate Impacts:
Federal
agencies will continue to provide targeted support and assistance to help
communities prepare for climate- change impacts. For example, throughout
2013, the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration is
working with 19 state and regional partners and other federal agencies to test
approaches for assessing local transportation infrastructure vulnerability to
climate change and extreme weather and for improving resilience. The
Administration will continue to assist tribal communities on preparedness
through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, including through pilot projects and by
supporting participation in federal initiatives that assess climate change
vulnerabilities and develop regional solutions. Through annual federal agency
―Environmental Justice Progress Reports,‖ the Administration will continue to
identify innovative ways to help our most vulnerable communities prepare for
and recover from the impacts of climate change. The importance of critical
infrastructure independence was brought home in the Sandy response. The
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Energy are
working with the private sector to address simultaneous restoration of
electricity and fuels supply.
Boosting the Resilience of Buildings and Infrastructure:
The National
Institute of Standards and Technology will convene a panel on disaster-
resilience standards to develop a comprehensive, community-based resilience
framework and provide guidelines for consistently safe buildings and
infrastructure - products that can inform the development of private-sector
standards and codes. In addition, building on federal agencies' ―Climate
Change Adaptation Plans,‖ the Administration will continue efforts to
increase the resilience of federal facilities and infrastructure. The Department
of Defense, for example, is assessing the relative vulnerability of its coastal
facilities to climate change. In addition, the President's FY 2014 Budget
proposes $200 million through the Transportation Leadership Awards
program for Climate Ready Infrastructure in communities that build enhanced
preparedness into their planning efforts, and that have proposed or are ready
to break ground on infrastructure projects, including transit and rail, to
improve resilience.
Rebuilding and Learning from Hurricane Sandy:
In August 2013,
President Obama's Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force will deliver to the
President a rebuilding strategy to be implemented in Sandy-affected regions
