Assessing Community Vulnerabilities to Potential Contaminant Releases from Extreme Events

This invited presentation will be given to Texas A&M University graduate students as part of a seminar series, hosted by Dr. So-Min Cheong.  The presentation will summarize the published EPA Handbook on Indicators of Community Vulnerability to Extreme Events: Considering Sites and Waste Management Facilities (EPA, 2023).  The presentation will also show indicator results and maps from recently completed projects on assessing community vulnerabilities to potential contaminant releases from extreme events. 

Impact/Purpose

This presentation to Texas A&M University graduate students will share the new EPA Handbook on Indicators of Community Vulnerability to Extreme Events: Considering Sites and Waste Management Facilities.  The conceptual framework and indicators from the Handbook assess the potential impacts of extreme events (e.g., extreme heat, floods, drought, wildfires) on communities through potential exposure to contaminant releases from nearby contaminated sites and waste management facilities.  The indicators approach may assist regional, state, and local managers in identifying and prioritizing communities that may be impacted the most, and in focusing preparedness, response, recovery, and adaptation planning on areas that are least resilient to extreme events.  The presentation will share results from several case studies completed with cities, states, and regions that have applied the indicators approach in practice.

Citation

Fry, M. Assessing Community Vulnerabilities to Potential Contaminant Releases from Extreme Events. Presentation to Texas A&M University Graduate Students, DC, DC, November 18, 2024.