Abstract

Remedies at contaminated sites may be vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. EPA's Superfund program developed an approach that raises awareness of these vulnerabilities and applies climate change and weather science as a standard operating practice in cleanup projects. The approach involves periodic screening of Superfund remedy vulnerabilities, prioritizing the Superfund program's steps to adapt to a changing climate, and identifying measures to assure climate resilience of Superfund sites.

Superfund site remedies are inherently designed to maintain protectiveness under current climate conditions. However, climate vulnerability assessments (CVAs) may be needed for certain sites where high-level screening identifies significant changes in future site conditions (such as temperatures, precipitation rates and sea level rise) and associated remedy protectiveness. EPA developed a place-based CVA process to help cleanup project stakeholders, including this document, Conducting Climate Vulnerability Assessments at Superfund Sites.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI), in collaboration with the Technical Support Project (TSP) Engineering Forum, developed this issue paper to document the lessons learned in conducting climate vulnerability assessments (CVAs) at sites on the National Priorities List (NPL). While developed for Superfund, this process is program neutral and may be used as a guide for performing CVAs at contaminated sites managed under other cleanup programs. Vulnerability assessments may be performed at all site types, by all site leads and at all stages of a cleanup. This issue paper may be used by all stakeholders wanting to replicate the CVA process applied in the Superfund Remedial Program.