Metro Boston Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy - WORKING DRAFT
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Metro Boston Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy - WORKING DRAFT - Funding provided by the Federal Sustainable Communities Program and the Barr Foundation Revised June 2015 By: Metropolitan Area Planning Council 60 Temple Place Boston, MA 02111 617.933.0700 www.mapc.org With assistance from: Tellus Institute 11 Arlington St. Boston, MA 02116 Acknowledgements This report was originally produced in June 2014 by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and revised on June 1 , 2015 after discussion and approval by the MAPC Executive Committee. Technical assistance was provided by Martin Pillsbury, Environmental Director (Project Manager); Julie Conroy, Senior Environmental Planner (Primary Author); Sam Cleaves, Senior Regional Planner (Author); Bill Wang, GIS Analyst; and Barry Keppard, Public Health Division Manager; James Goldstein, Senior Fellow, Tellus Institute; and William Dougherty, President, Climate Change Research Group. Editing and continued guidance was provided by Marc Draisen, MAPC Executive Director. The Metro-Boston Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (RCCAS) was undertaken with funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Sustainable Communities Program and the Barr Foundation. We would also like to thank the MAPC Officers for their continued support: Lynn Duncan, President; Keith Bergman, Vice President; Shirronda Almeida, Secretary; and Taber Keally, Treasurer. Special appreciation goes to the members of the RCCAS Advisory Committee for their continuous assistance and leadership: John Bolduc Environmental Planner Cambridge Community Development Dept. Wayne Castonguay Executive Director Ipswich River Watershed Assoc. Hunt Durey Acting Director MA Dept. of Ecological Restoration Kwabena Kyei-Aboagye MA Urban Program Manager U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chris McGuire Marine Program Director The Nature Conservancy Mike Steinhoff Senior Program Officer ICLEI Sue Reid Vice President and Director Conservation Law Foundation Kathleen Baskin Director of Water Policy Executive Office of Energy & Env. Affairs Dennis Carlberg Sustainability Director Boston University Suzanne Condon Associate Commissioner MA Department of Public Health Maureen Kelly Transportation Planner Metropolitan Planning Org. Carl Spector Executive Director Boston Air Pollution Control Commission Eric Walberg Sr. Program Leader Manomet Ctr. for Conservation Sciences Norman Willard Climate Change Adaptation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Sam Lipson Director of Environ. Health Cambridge Public Health Department Daniel Faber Director Northeastern University Climate Justice Paul Kirshen Research Professor UNH, Institute for the Study of Earth Joan LeBlanc Executive Director Saugus River Watershed Council Jaimye Bartak Transportation Analyst Cambridge Systematics/U.S. DOT Volpe Kara Chisholm Planner City of Quincy Ellen Douglas, Assistant Professor, Hydrology UMass Boston Neenah Estrella-Luna Public Policy & Urban Affairs Northeastern University Andrew Finton Director of Sci. & Conservation The Nature Conservancy Adam Gibbons Launch Pad Program Coord. Dorchester Bay Economic Dvlp. Corp. Julia Knisel Coastal Shoreline Manager MA Office of Coastal Zone Management Chuck Knox Executive Director Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition Vivien Li President The Boston Harbor Association Marcos Luna Associate Professor Salem State Dept. of Geography Metro-Boston Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Revised March 5, 2015 Table of Contents I. Introduction __________________________________________________________________ I-1 I.A. Purpose and Vision of the Strategy __________________________________________________ I-2 I.B. Vision Guiding Principles ___________________________________________________________ I-3 I.C. Report Structure _________________________________________________________________ I-3 I.D. Definitions ______________________________________________________________________ I-4 II. Vulnerability Assessment ______________________________________________________ II-1 II.A. Background on Climate Changes____________________________________________________ II-1 II.B. Observed Regional Climate Conditions to Date ________________________________________ II-2 II.B.1. Sea Level Rise ________________________________________________________________________ II-3 II.B.2. Severe Storms________________________________________________________________________ II-4 II.B.3. Precipitation, Droughts and Floods _______________________________________________________ II-4 II.B.4. Temperature Change and Extreme Heat ___________________________________________________ II-5 II.C. Vulnerabilities of our natural Resources _____________________________________________ II-7 II.C.1. Ecosystem Values & Existing Conditions ___________________________________________________ II-7 II.C.2. Climate Threats _____________________________________________________________________ II-12 II.D. Vulnerabilities of our Coastal Zone _________________________________________________ II-14 II.D.1. Existing Conditions & Values ___________________________________________________________ II-14 II.D.2. Current Threats _____________________________________________________________________ II-15 II.E. Vulnerabilities of Developed Areas & Infrastructure ___________________________________ II-25 II.E.1. Baseline Conditions __________________________________________________________________ II-25 II.E.2. Vulnerabilities of Developed Areas & Infrastructure ________________________________________ II-28 II.F. Health and Human Welfare_______________________________________________________ II-34 II.F.1. Baseline Conditions __________________________________________________________________ II-34 II.F.2. Public Health Vulnerabilities ___________________________________________________________ II-35 II.F.3. Vulnerable Populations _______________________________________________________________ II-37 II.G. Vulnerabilities to Local Economies _________________________________________________ II-43 II.G.1. Baseline Conditions – Local Economy ____________________________________________________ II-43 II.G.2. Vulnerabilities to the Local Economy ____________________________________________________ II-46 III. Climate Change Goals and Objectives ___________________________________________ III-1 IV. Regional Climate Adaptation Strategy _________________________________________ IV-1 IV.A. Implement Mitigation as Adaptation ______________________________________________ IV-2 IV.A.1. Implement Green Infrastructure _________________________________________________________ IV-3 IV.A.2. A.2) Institute Water Conservation Practices _______________________________________________ IV-10 IV.A.3. A.3) Implement Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Measures ___________________________ IV-11 IV.B. B. Protect and Preserve Natural Resources __________________________________________IV-13 IV.B.1. B.1) Regulation and Zoning ____________________________________________________________ IV-13 IV.B.2. B.2) Ecological and Habitat Restoration __________________________________________________ IV-16 IV.B.3. B.3) Land Conservation _______________________________________________________________ IV-18 Metro-Boston Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Revised March 5, 2015 IV.C. C. Protect the Coastal Zone _______________________________________________________IV-20 IV.C.1. C.1) Revise/Create Regulations and Zoning to Protect Coastal Resources _______________________ IV-21 IV.C.2. C.2) Complete Coastal Wetland and Shoreline Restoration Projects ____________________________ IV-25 IV.C.3. C.3) Consider Retreat / Land Acquisition Measures _________________________________________ IV-26 IV.D. D. Development and Infrastructure ______________________________________________IV-27 IV.D.1. D.1) Implement Protective Regulations and Zoning _________________________________________ IV-27 IV.D.2. D.2) Low Impact Development Techniques _______________________________________________ IV-29 IV.D.3. D.3) Establish Green Building / Climate Resilient Design Guidelines ___________________________ IV-31 IV.D.4. D.4) Protect Critical Infrastructure ______________________________________________________ IV-33 IV.E. E. Safeguard Health and Human Resources __________________________________________IV-36 IV.E.1. E.1) Identify and Protect Vulnerable Populations ___________________________________________ IV-37 IV.E.2. E.2) Build and Bolster Community Resilience ______________________________________________ IV-39 IV.E.3. E.5) Weatherization & Green Building Measures ___________________________________________ IV-41 IV.E.4. E.6) Ensure Coordination and Collaboration _______________________________________________ IV-42 IV.F. F. Local Economy and Government ________________________________________________IV-43 IV.F.1. F.1) Internal Coordination _____________________________________________________________ IV-44 IV.F.2. F.2) Budget and Resources Allocation ____________________________________________________ IV-45 IV.F.3. F.3) Identify, Support and Protect Assets Critical to an Functioning Economy ____________________ IV-46 IV.F.4. F.4) Create Resilience Networks and Cultivate Partnerships __________________________________ IV-46 IV.F.5. F.5) Emergency Preparedness __________________________________________________________ IV-48 IV.F.6. F.6) Protect Agricultural Resources and Agro-Tourism _______________________________________ IV-49 IV.F.7.