Authors Nicholas Occhipinti WMEAC Aaron Ferguson WMEAC Resiliency Consultant Contributing Authors Caleb Syswerda WMEAC Matt Kuczynski WMEAC Dan Schoonmaker WMEAC Bridget McDonald WMEAC Shannon McMaster Volunteer Special Contributors Elena Lioubimtseva Associate Professor Grand Valley State University Dan Schoonmaker Communications and Member Services WMEAC James Tolbert Haris Alibašić Office of Energy and Sustainability Director City of Grand Rapids Community Resiliency Interviews Haris Alibašić Office of Energy and Sustainability Director City of Grand Rapids Bart Bartels Campus Sustainability Manager (former) Grand Valley State University Kevin Belk Chief of Police City of Grand Rapids Mark DeClercq City Engineer City of Grand Rapids Nichol De Mol Rogue River Home Rivers Project Manager Trout Unlimited Melissa Harrington Executive Director Fulton Street Farmers Market Abed Itani Director of Transportation Grand Valley Metro Council Grand Rapids Climate Resiliency Go to Contents Copyright © 2013 West Michigan Environmental Action Council ii John K. Koches Associate Research Scientist Annis Water Resources Institute Chip Kragt Regional Director of Emergency Services American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids John Job Senior Loss Prevention Engineering Specialist FM Global Joshua Lunger Public Policy Coordinator Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce Mike Lunn Environmental Services Department Manager City of Grand Rapids Jacqueline Patterson Director of Climate Justice NAACP Nancy Popa Manger of Long Term Strategy CMS Energy Cynthia Price Chair Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council Brian Salerno VP and Senior Investment Portfolio Manager Huntington Bank David Schroeder Management Consultant Kent County Essential Needs Task Force Suzanne Schulz Planning Director City of Grand Rapids Jay Steffen Assistant Planning Director City of Grand Rapids Deborah M. Steketee Associate Professor of Sustainable Business Aquinas College Tyler Stevenson City Forester City of Grand Rapids Gary Szotko Grand Rapids Emergency Planning Contractor City of Grand Rapids Thomas Tilma Executive Director Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition Keith Winn President Catalyst Partners Grand Rapids Climate Resiliency Go to Contents Copyright © 2013 West Michigan Environmental Action Council iii Suggested citation: West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC). Grand Rapids Climate Resiliency Report. December, 2013. The electronic version of this report contains hyperlinks to source material, reports, and citations. This report will be published primarily for electronic distribution and consumption. The Report can be accessed, shared, and downloaded at: www.wmeac.org West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) has been West Michigan’s preeminent resource for environmental education and advocacy since 1968. Founded by a diverse group of concerned citizens and organizational stakeholders, WMEAC is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization uniquely positioned to respond to emerging issues and new threats to West Michigan’s natural and human ecologies, strategically focused on building sustainable communities and protecting water resources. Since the earliest days of the environmental movement, WMEAC has provided West Michigan citizens a means to take action on behalf of the environment. Grand Rapids Office of Energy and Sustainability focuses on three major efforts: sustainability outcomes, strategic energy management, and climate resiliency planning. Grand Rapids Climate Resiliency Go to Contents Copyright © 2013 West Michigan Environmental Action Council iv CONTENTS Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... vii Report Methodology ......................................................................................................................... xi Preserving Our Freedom to Thrive .................................................................................................. xii Preface ..............................................................................................................................................xiv 1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Grand Rapids: Sustainability Leadership ..........................................................................................2 1.2 Community Partnerships ...................................................................................................................4 1.3 Understanding Climate Change ........................................................................................................4 1.4 Climate Change in the Midwest ........................................................................................................7 1.5 Climate Change in Grand Rapids ......................................................................................................7 2 Economic Issues ..............................................................................................................................12 2.1 Energy ....................................................................................................................................................12 2.2 Energy/Water Nexus ............................................................................................................................14 2.3 The Built Environment ........................................................................................................................19 2.4. Transportation .....................................................................................................................................25 2.5 Agriculture.............................................................................................................................................30 2.6 Insurance and Risk Management .......................................................................................................34 2.7 Climate Change’s Emerging Economic Opportunities ....................................................................36 3 Environmental Issues .....................................................................................................................40 3.1 Stormwater Management ....................................................................................................................40 3.2 Flooding .................................................................................................................................................44 3.3 Great Lakes Water Levels .....................................................................................................................48 3.4 Drinking Water Supply and Ground Water ......................................................................................49 3.5 Water Efficiency ....................................................................................................................................51 Grand Rapids Climate Resiliency Go to Contents Copyright © 2013 West Michigan Environmental Action Council v 3.6 Wetlands ................................................................................................................................................52 3.7 Fisheries and the Grand River ............................................................................................................53 3.8 Grand River Restoration and Habitat Improvements ......................................................................54 3.9 Land Use ................................................................................................................................................57 3.10 Urban Forest .......................................................................................................................................66 3.11 Parks .....................................................................................................................................................69 4 Social Impacts .................................................................................................................................72 4.1 Emergency Preparedness .....................................................................................................................72 4.2 Human Health.......................................................................................................................................73 4.3 Resilient Food Systems ........................................................................................................................79 4.4 Climate Change and Crime .................................................................................................................84 5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................88 5.1 Recommendations: Process and High-Level ....................................................................................89 5.2 Recommendations: Environmental Issues ........................................................................................89 5.3 Recommendations: Social ...................................................................................................................91 5.4 Recommendations: Economic ............................................................................................................92 Acronyms ...........................................................................................................................................94