Grantee Research Project Results
2023 Progress Report: Toxic Tides: Risks and Resilience to Coastal Flooding of Contaminated Sites
EPA Grant Number: R840039Title: Toxic Tides: Risks and Resilience to Coastal Flooding of Contaminated Sites
Investigators: Cushing, Lara , Morello-Frosch, Rachel , Strauss, Benjamin
Current Investigators: Cushing, Lara
Institution: University of California - Los Angeles , University of California - Berkeley , Climate Central
Current Institution: University of California - Los Angeles
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: August 1, 2020 through May 13, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2022 through July 31,2023
Project Amount: $799,999
RFA: Contaminated Sites, Natural Disasters, Changing Environmental Conditions and Vulnerable Communities: Research to Build Resilience (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Safer Chemicals , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Flooding events from tropical storms and sea level rise leading to unintentional releases of toxic substances are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, posing potential health risks to residents living near sites that store or use hazardous materials. Across the country, low-income households and people of color experience greater harmful pollutant exposures and are more likely to live near hazardous waste sites and industrial facilities. Low-income communities often face additional challenges such as poor housing conditions, food insecurity, and pre-existing health conditions that may worsen the health effects of pollutant exposures. As a result, contaminant releases due to the flooding of hazardous sites are likely to disproportionately impact socially disadvantaged populations and present environmental justice concerns.
This research project integrates data on: 1) excess contaminant releases to air, land, and water during flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in the Texas Gulf Coast; 2) projections of coastal flood risk due to rising sea levels across the United States; 3) the location of sites that contain, use, process, store, or emit hazardous materials, including sewage treatment plants, oil wells and refineries, cleanup and hazardous waste sites, industrial sites and large scale animal operations nationwide; and 4) neighborhood level sociodemographic data to estimate potential vulnerability to environmental health risks associated with flooding of contaminated sites. The overarching goal of this project is to advance scientific understanding of sea level rise and coastal flooding threats to environmental justice communities, and provide broadly accessible data and visualization tools that support regulatory, planning, and advocacy efforts to increase climate resilience in impacted communities.
Objective 1. Evaluate the extent of excess contaminant releases and spills of hazardous material during flooding resulting from the Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and estimate potentially impacted populations
Objective 2. Estimate the environmental health risks posed by coastal flooding of hazardous sites due to sea level rise to vulnerable populations across the United States
Objective 3. Broadly disseminate research findings through a customizable, bilingual online mapping tool and workshops with stakeholders in at-risk coastal communities
Progress Summary:
We published the first comprehensive statewide examination of the risk of SLR-related flooding at hazardous sites in California in which we identify over 400 hazardous sites at risk of surface flooding by 2100 assuming continued greenhouse gas emissions. We show that disadvantaged communities including those with low levels of voter turnout, higher proportions of residents of color, households in poverty, renters, and linguistically isolated households are more likely to live near at at-risk site. We made data on facility level flood risk estimates, neighborhood indicators of community demographics and vulnerability, and customizable maps publicly accessible in English and Spanish through the Coastal Risk Screening Tool website hosted by Climate Central. The results incorporate feedback gathered through a series of five virtual statewide and regional workshops that were organized by community-based partners comprising the Toxic Tides Advisory Committee (TTAC) and engaged over 350 community members, environmental justice advocates, elected officials, and regulatory agency staff.
Future Activities:
We are finalizing the expansion of our analysis and website depicting flood risk due to sea level rise at hazardous sites to all coastal US states and Puerto Rico. We have prepared two manuscripts on the environmental health impacts of Hurricane Harvey, including an analysis of excess contaminant releases to air, water and land, and an analysis of preterm and early term birth.
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 10 publications | 5 publications in selected types | All 5 journal articles |
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Berberian A, Morello-Frosch R, Karasaki S, Cushing L. Climate Justice Implications of Natech Disasters: Excess Contaminant Releases during Hurricanes on the Texas Gulf Coast. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2024; |
R840039 (2023) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
climate change, sea level rise, GIS, environmental justiceRelevant Websites:
UC Berkeley Toxic Tides Home Page Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.