| Adoption of climate-conscious building codes | Building codes can encourage implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation techniques. Codes may require that infrastructure be planned and built to avoid or minimize future damage from flooding, drought, and other projected weather events resulting from climate changes. Codes may also reduce carbon emissions from commercial and residential buildings by specifying minimum requirements for building components such as insulation, water use, heating and cooling systems, lighting, windows, and ventilation systems. Effective building code requirements may vary regionally due to climate differences." |
| Climate-focused Phase I and Phase II ESAs | Climate-focused Phase 1 ESAs may consider current and on-going climate change impacts and consider future impacts to the site or area. For example, an investigation of the site history can include an investigation of site vulnerabilities based on historical and recent climate patterns and events (e.g., floods and drought). Climate-focused Phase 2 ESAs may include use of renewable energy, incorporating remote sensing capabilities, maximize reuse of existing wells (as appropriate) and/or design wells for future reuse, use of field test kits when possible, use of local laboratories when possible, and use of appropriate sized equipment for the project." |
| Updates to floodplain, coastal and wetland, and /or hazard mitigation plans | Updated plans should consider the impact of both current and projected climate-related conditions (e.g., sea level rise, proximity to a flood plain, and the frequency and severity of major storm events and droughts) on the long-term safety, stability and suitability of the proposed land reuses." |
| Evaluate Reuse options that are climate conscious | Discussion of observed and forecasted climate change conditions and the associated site-specific risk are part of any reuse considerations. Both current and forecasted climate changes may impact the effectiveness of a remedial alternative." |
| Identify potential risk factors and infrastructure or utility vulnerabilities | Identify potential risk factors and vulnerabilities resulting directly from the impacts of climate change." Possible risk factors and vulnerabilities may include proximity to the ocean, infrastructure vulnerabilities, property affected by a revised FEMA flood plain map, vulnerability related to changes in frequency and intensity of precipitation events, vulnerability of soil type due to moisture and hydraulic changes, and ground and surface drinking water vulnerabilities." |