Support climate resilient infrastructure. Climate Threat(s): Overarching Goal(s): M Performance Goal(s): | LTPG 1 LTPG 2 Activity Timeframe: | FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 Climate Vulnerability Infrastructure design, operation, financing principles, and regulatory standards typically do not account for a changing climate, and current risk management does not consider the impact of compound extremes (co-occurrence of events) and the risk of cascading infrastructure failure. Action Description: Build climate resilience into water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure throughout EPA Region III by: • Providing technical assistance and training to water and wastewater systems focused on capacity development, system optimization, climate resilience and operator certification. • Providing climate tools to states, local governments and water and wastewater systems to help mainstream adaptation and mitigation and encourage investments in resilient infrastructure. • Collaborating with state SRF programs to promote and encourage targeted outreach efforts toward financially distressed and disadvantaged communities and those that may be disproportionately impacted by climate change. • Encouraging states to prioritize funding and technical assistance to disadvantaged communities that may be disproportionately impacted by climate change. Metric(s): • Number of water and wastewater systems receiving technical assistance and training, including capacity development, system optimization, climate resilience and operator certification • Number of times we share climate tools to states, local governments and water and wastewater systems to help mainstream adaptation and mitigation and encourage investments in resilient infrastructure • Number of collaboration opportunities with states • Number of loans/dollar amounts in projects for disadvantaged communities related to climate adaptation (starting in FY23) Project Challenges: Limited opportunities for hands-on efforts; ability to influence state priorities; acceptance by systems or willingness to change Co-benefits: Enhances resilience to allow better preparedness, quicker recovery and addresses hazard mitigation by breaking the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage; protects public health when water facilities continue to operate. Owner Email: Wisniewski.Patti- Kay(S>epa.aov New Work? Yes Resources Available? Yes Science Needs Science needs are not required to implement this project; however, it is likely that science needs could be identified when collaborating with utilities or the states. 37 ------- Additional Narrative: Climate Vulnerability Deteriorating water infrastructure compounds the climate risk faced by society. Infrastructure design, operation, financing principles, and regulatory standards typically do not account for a changing climate, and current risk management does not consider the impact of compound extremes (co-occurrence of events) and the risk of cascading infrastructure failure. Failure to build resilience into water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure could impact public health by the inability to provide clean water and safe drinking water services. Description Build climate resilience into water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure throughout EPA Region III by: • Providing technical assistance and training to water and wastewater systems focused on capacity development, system optimization, climate resilience and operator certification. • Providing climate tools to states, local governments and water and wastewater systems to help mainstream adaptation and mitigation and encourage investments in resilient infrastructure. • Collaborating with state SRF programs to promote and encourage targeted outreach efforts toward financially distressed and disadvantaged communities and those disproportionately impacted by climate change, leading to more climate resilient projects. • Encouraging states to prioritize funding and technical assistance to disadvantaged communities disproportionately impacted by climate change. • Encouraging states to incorporate climate resilience criteria into their SRF priority ranking systems (Note: Most of our states already do this). • Collaborating with states to focus historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) SRF funding towards fostering water and wastewater system resilience to all hazards, including new and emerging threats like cybersecurity. • Working with the states to utilize BIL funding to help water and wastewater agencies reach GHG reduction targets, incorporate renewable energy generation, invest in carbon sinks, and other projects that reduce the GHG footprint of the water industry. • Ensuring states are fully implementing the Flood plain Management Executive Order as it applies to SRF projects. • Advising the states following disasters on the Emergency Use options under SRF and the EPA/FEMA Disaster memo. 38 ------- |