Browsing by Author "Albright, Elizabeth A"

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    A Background and Case Study on Septic Tank Failure as it Relates to Climate Impacts, Recent Climate Policy, and Community Needs
    (2023-04-28) Oglesby, Cameron
    In the two years since President Joe Biden took office there has been an unprecedented national focus on environmental justice and climate justice in the distribution of federal funds and resources. There has also been an influx of federal funds made available to address a pervasive history of infrastructure disinvestment across the country, particularly water and wastewater infrastructure. This report attempts to converge the issues surrounding waste management infrastructure in the U.S., specifically regarding septic system failure, and the opportunity areas for improvement in federal dollars, outlining the policy history, modern context, and recommendations for taking advantage of this current moment of public salience. This report outlines a thorough national policy history for septic system infrastructure as well as recent policy opportunities and community concerns regarding federal funds. This report also attempts to outline the greatest indicators or identifiers for septic failure as well as breakdown potential policy solutions or priority areas for federal and state-level actors and advocates based on septic and sewer infrastructure investments taking placed in Miami-Dade County in Florida and the Middle Peninsula/Chesapeake Bay region of Virginia. The background and case study analysis consists of a literature review of national and regional septic failure, utilizing what little academic literature exists on the topic and more recent journalistic coverage of this issue across the U.S. The national background as well as individual case studies are further fleshed out through a series of interviews with academic and community experts in water protection and wastewater management. The final product is a comprehensive overview of septic system policy history, modern funding opportunities, and solutions/recommendations based on expert testimony.
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    A Policy Analysis to Reduce Climate Risk in Chicago’s Most Vulnerable Communities
    (2015-04-22) Gallagher, Eileen
    This master’s project compares policy options that will most effectively reduce climate risk, specifically flooding, in Chicago’s most vulnerable communities. Chicago is expected to receive heavier and more frequent precipitation due to climate change, increasing upwards to 20 to 30 percent more by the end of the century (Hayhoe, et al, 2010). Unfortunately, over the past several decades, the City’s century-old combined sewer system has failed to protect communities from flooding (Hayhoe, et al, 2010). The City’s sewer system carries sewage and stormwater in the same underground pipe, and it often exceeds its threshold of 2.5 inches of rainfall per day (USGCRP, 2009). Beyond that, the untreated waste and stormwater overflow into the Chicago River and Lake Michigan – the City’s source of drinking water – or onto city streets and into basements (City of Chicago, n.d.b). The City has been investing in infrastructure to combat the increasing frequency of flooding. In 1972, the City unveiled the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) to reduce flooding, but several challenges have delayed phases of execution, and it is not expected to be completed until 2029. Until a more sophisticated sewer system is constructed, green and other gray infrastructure can mitigate flooding risks by capturing stormwater. Recognizing this, City of Chicago established the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy in 2014 and plans to release a Citywide Stormwater Management Plan in 2015. The Strategy designates $50 million to fund green stormwater infrastructure projects over five years for existing and planned capital improvement projects, but these projects are not specifically assigned to communities that are the most vulnerable. Although flooding is pervasive throughout Chicago, the most vulnerable populations are most at risk. Vulnerability is described as “the propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected… including sensitivity or susceptibility to harm and lack of capacity to cope and adapt” (IPCC, 2014). Experts increasingly recognize that adapting to climate change, and repairing or rebuilding homes and neighborhoods after extreme weather events, will place an additional stress on vulnerable communities. Vulnerability can be measured by the Hardship Index, a collection of six socioeconomic indictors, assessing poverty, crowded housing, unemployment, level of education, age (or dependency), and per capita income (City of Chicago, 2014). In 2014, the City of Chicago evaluated its 77 communities using the Hardship Index, finding that there is an unequal distribution of hardship among different racial and ethnic demographics within the City. This inequitable divide suggests that communities that are majority minority are the most vulnerable, and therefore will likely struggle the most to adapt to climate change. But to date, existing policies do not adequately protect vulnerable communities from climate change. To remedy these challenges, the City of Chicago must institute a sound policy that aims to reduce its climate risk, protect its economy and ensure environmental justice of its most vulnerable communities. Leveraging existing city plans, state initiatives, U.S. presidential executive orders or federal regulations, this project outlines and analyzes three policy options to address the problem in Chicago: 1. Affirmative Action for Vulnerable Communities would encourage the City to “engage in good faith efforts” (UVA EOP, 2012) to proactively assign climate adaptation projects under the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy and Citywide Stormwater Management Plan for vulnerable communities, improving conditions for populations that have historically been discriminated against. 2. Community-based Adaptation for Environmental Justice would localize federal and state environmental justice acts to mandate financing for vulnerable communities, which are often underrepresented in policymaking, to identify the adaptation project of their choosing, thereby strengthening their capacity to adapt to climate change. 3. Discounted Premiums for the Poor expands the existing subsidies offered by the National Flood Insurance Program to cover not only homeowners located in high-risk flood zones but also homeowners under the federal poverty line. The optimal policy should not exacerbate hardship but rather reduce communities’ vulnerability to flooding. Therefore, the three policy options in addition to the status quo are measured against the following goals: 1. Effectiveness: The frequency and volume of flooding should decline, measured by whether the number of flood insurance claims will decrease in the most vulnerable communities as identified by the Hardship Index. 2. Equity: Stakeholders are not unfairly burdened, measured by (1) whether insurance companies will face surmounting financial pressure due to an increasing number of claims and (2) whether neighboring communities will receive excess stormwater runoff as a result of the policy. 3. Political feasibility: Stakeholders support or minimally oppose the policy, measured by (1) whether homeowners in vulnerable communities will tolerate temporary disturbances to install stormwater infrastructure and (2) whether the municipal government will accept budgetary changes. 4. Efficiency: Costs to vulnerable communities are minimized, measured by whether costs exceed the moderate amount of flood insurance premiums. After careful analysis of the three policy alternatives measured against the four aforementioned goals, the City should implement Affirmative Action for Vulnerable Communities to address its climate and socioeconomic challenges. By selecting vulnerable communities as recipients of the committed $50 million for green stormwater infrastructure, the City can curtail flooding in vulnerable communities without additional costs to homeowners. And with improved stormwater management infrastructure, the number of flood insurance claims and runoff into neighboring communities will decrease. There are several other actions the City should take to achieve and maintain political feasibility under this policy. A community-specific needs assessment and a cost-benefit analysis will help to prioritize which stormwater management projects to execute in which of the vulnerable communities. And collaborative stakeholder engagement from municipal departments, nonprofits and community residents is critical to successfully execute the policy. Finally, the City must continue to monitor for climate risk and vulnerability as well as evaluate the policy’s progress. The municipal government should take an adaptive management approach to administrating the policy, which can connect continuous learning with policy implementation and guide administrators to adjust management processes for maximum impact (Williams et al, 2009). Properly managing and ultimately enhancing vulnerable communities’ ability to adapt to a changing climate is critical for the City’s economic, environmental and human wellbeing.
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    A Roadmap to the New Rural Electric Cooperative Business Model
    (2017-04-27) Chen, Patrick; Metz, Kerri; Nanavati, Shaina; Way, Jesse; Yang, Jingqi
    In North Carolina today, rural electric cooperatives provide electricity to 26% of the state’s population. Conducted for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), this project aims to assess the services that these cooperatives could offer their members as a means of improving their business model. Through a convenience and snowball sampling approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with ten organizations. After performing an NVIVO analysis, we identified the criteria of affordability, reliability, and customer satisfaction as the key variables that cooperatives use when assessing service options. Our research revealed continued to reveal the benefits, challenges, and priorities of these cooperatives in offering a range of services to their customers. While each cooperative in North Carolina is unique, we have recommended services they should offer based on their individual priorities and the readiness of each service to be implemented.
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    AN ANALYSIS OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND BENEFITS TO GUIDE CONSERVATION IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED
    (2021-04-30) Cai, Chuqi; Dixon, Ardath; Jaffe, Catherine; Rieger, Erik
    The Chesapeake Bay Watershed drains approximately 64,000 square miles of farms, cities, and forests into the largest estuary in the United States. The watershed crosses six state boundaries and is home to over 18 million people. Our client, the Chesapeake Conservancy, is a long-standing contributor to conservation and restoration efforts throughout this complex watershed. Recently, the Conservancy and its regional partners have adopted a framework to conserve 30% of the watershed by 2030 and 50% by 2050. Our research aims to advance the scientific and economic case for this ambitious 30 by 30 land protection goal. Using a case study approach, we apply geospatial and economic analyses to examine and communicate the key ecological and economic benefits these lands provide to both people and nature. Our process is couched in a multi-criteria, ecosystem services framework. Our results show hotspots of unprotected lands along the eastern and western shores of the bay with multiple co-benefits projected to increase in economic value over time. Targeting 30 by 30 conservation actions to these lands will likely maximize regional conservation benefits.
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    An Investigation of Climate Change Governance Trends in the United States: Challenges and Effective Drivers
    (2015-04-24) Doolin, Matt; Yang, Muxi; Ye, Pa; Wang, Zhe
    Climate change has become one of the most pressing environmental issues for our society. To effectively address climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted socioeconomic pathways, adaptation/mitigation actions, and governance as the three best ways to reduce emissions and halt the negative impacts from climate change. When studying governance structure, a clear and precise definition of ‘climate change governance’ is crucial. In this study, ‘governance’ refers to a range of initiatives, regulations, and government decisions aiming to establish cooperation between governmental and private sector stakeholders in dealing with a particular issue: climate change. Effective governance is achieved through a combination of strategic planning, integrating development decision-making, inter-department cooperation, adequate resources, and societal mobilization and education. This research project is organized into three phases that investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of the current climate change governance structure at different levels of government, identify effective drivers, and provide policy recommendations for improvement. In phase I, current climate change governance structures were identified using results from an online survey and in-depth interviews. Survey and interview respondents were made up of federal, state, city, and county level government officials leading climate change initiatives. Key trends we identified regarding current governance structures were: 1) very few officials are working on climate change full time; 2) cooperation between departments is key to success and is becoming more common; 3) states and cities have different emission reduction priorities; 4) main challenges include budgetary constraints and organizational structure. In phase II, utilizing information from the surveys, interviews and past literature research, we identified nine variables that we thought were the most important for effective climate change governance. By conducting factor analysis, these variables were split into three factors: Policy Support and Planning, Policy Development, and Utility Policy. Using the scores for each state and the calculated weights produced from factor analysis, we produced a climate governance effectiveness ranking for all 50 states. Not surprisingly, our results indicate more effective climate governance occurring in states along the West Coast and in the Northeast. Florida had the highest score for policy support and planning, confirming our previous findings that capacity building in the form of developing a well-informed and integrated strategic plan with sound research contributed most to effective climate change governance. Oregon had the highest score for policy development, which reinforces the importance of strong planning and cooperation for effective climate governance. In phase III, two case studies were conducted on Florida and Oregon to evaluate how they have excelled in each factor and how that has impacted climate change projects in these states. Each state took a different approach and has different concerns regarding climate mitigation vs. adaptation. Florida showed advantages in conducting multi-level strategic planning, incorporating climate adaption initiatives into the city planning and infrastructure improvement process, establishing multi-disciplinary research institutions for climate change impact and mitigation strategy research, and establishing education programs to promote climate change awareness and support. We specifically analyzed a climate adaptation project in the City of Miami that focused on storm water management due to rising sea levels. This project was based on a detailed impact analysis and had coordination among key departments, including the planning department, to take aggressive action against the expected risks of climate change. For this specific case, the benefits associated with the project relied on key economic factors such as tourism revenue and property values that would be impacted by rising sea levels and a cost-benefit analysis reflects this. Although the capital costs for the project are quite high, they are greatly outweighed by the consequences of inaction. The Oregon case study focused on a climate mitigation project to install a solar system along an interstate highway to offset CO2 emissions in the transportation system. In terms of policy development, Oregon utilized an innovative financing strategy to encourage private entities to financially support the project and utilized local companies for design and construction. As a result, the Baldock Solar Highway Project successfully utilized public and private resources and funding through cooperation with other entities, to incorporate CO2 emission reduction into the ODOT strategic plan. After conducting a cost-benefit analysis on the project, costs appeared to outweigh the benefits. However, this did not account for non-quantifiable benefits such as boosts to the local economy, or the achievement of state policy goals. Finally, this puts Oregon in a good position given the expected shift towards more aggressive renewable energy goals and carbon standards nationwide. Overall, this project makes several key points and recommendations: • Identifying the current trends in governance structure and combining this with the governance effectiveness index can help provide states that are not addressing climate change now with the best strategies for future structure and implementation. • The current major challenges associated with climate change governance in the U.S are inadequate budgetary and human resources, and a low priority placed on climate change • Organizations are recognizing the importance of inter-department cooperation, and are taking steps towards restructuring and integration. However, more efforts are needed for strategic planning and social mobilization. • The most effective drivers of climate change governance are policy support and planning and policy development. Therefore, it is most efficient to invest financial and human resources in developing these two areas. • It is beneficial to devote resources to incorporating climate adaptation initiatives into urban planning and infrastructure improvements, for states with high vulnerability to climate change impacts. Moreover, devoting resources into policy development can help states secure strategic positions when facing aggressive nationwide mitigation standards.
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    Analysis of Equity in Two Community-Based Public-Private Partnerships Focused on Green Stormwater Infrastructure
    (2023-04-28) Waheed, Arfa; Wimberley, Kendall
    Community-based public private partnerships (CBP3s) are a novel approach in providing green stormwater infrastructure improvements and community co-benefits. The two long-term CBP3s in our study were located in Prince George’s County, Maryland and the City of Chester, Pennsylvania. We investigated policies, conducted interviews, and assessed stakeholders to better understand equity dimensions in the CBP3s and make recommendations for improvement. Our findings explore contexts around each case study, outcomes to date, data tracking, and how key themes related to equity and considerations around gentrification are described and incorporated. Major differences were identified in community buy-in and stakeholder involvement across our two cases. Recommendations of our study include better incorporating equity into CBP3s, more tracking of key metrics, and increased coordination between those involved in the partnerships.
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    Assessing Data Collection and Surveillance in the Arctic and Recommendations for the Department of Defense
    (2024-04-25) Wilentz, Jacob
    As climate change, geopolitics, and militarization are all impacting the Arctic landscape, countries and private companies are altering their Arctic posture to make a larger imprint. Russia, China, Starlink, and OneWeb join the many stakeholders in the region in enhancing their data collection and surveillance activities in recent years. My objective was to assess the current data collection and surveillance state in the Arctic, as well as evaluate how increasing government and corporate surveillance should change the U.S. Department of Defense’s data collection strategy. I provided this information to the Triangle Privacy Research Hub, to spur further scholarship and research in this area in the coming years. Through research found in books, online in academic journals and publications, and podcasts, I gathered information on Russia, China, Starlink, and OneWeb. I assessed each country or private company and its security risk to the Department of Defense based on ten criteria: 1) drones, 2) satellites, 3) ice breakers, 4) underwater cables, 5) infrastructure projects, 6) illegitimate operations in the Arctic, 7) inconsistency with international laws and norms in the Arctic, 8) Antarctic data collection and activities, 9) data usage concerns, and 10) lack of trust with the United States. For Russia, China, Starlink, and OneWeb, I assigned each criterion high, medium, or low, based on the number of pieces of evidence against Russia, China, Starlink, and OneWeb that may make them a threat to the Department of Defense. To make comparing Russia, China, Starlink, and OneWeb easier, I assigned high a point value of three, medium a point value of two, and low a point value of one. I summed up the values to determine which country or company poses the biggest security risk to the Department of Defense. Key Findings: 1. China poses the most serious threat to the Department of Defense, with Russia in close second place. 2. Russia has magnified its surveillance and data collection in the Arctic through technology systems such as UAVs, satellites, drones, and underwater sea technology, as well as military operations spanning from military base construction to military exercises and Northern Sea Route exploration. Through these vehicles, Russians have been collecting environmental and scientific, military, and resource data. 3. China has proliferated its surveillance and data collection in the Arctic through diplomacy, secret initiatives, dual use technologies, and strategic investment. China has utilized technology systems like satellites, research stations, drones, icebreakers, and submarines. The international community has voiced concern with Chinese intentions behind this data collection. 4. Starlink and OneWeb do not pose the same concerns to the Department of Defense. Nonetheless, they highlight a trend of private sector companies gaining more influence in the Arctic. Key Recommendations: 1. To respond to Russia, the U.S. Department of Defense should 1) publish an annual report exploring Russian activities, such as drones, satellites, and icebreaker movements, and how these various technologies can collect data that could be harmful to U.S. national security, 2) lobby for a joint monitoring and data collection platform at the Arctic Council, and 3) invest in joint military exercises with Arctic Council countries and NATO. 2. To respond to China, the Department of Defense should take these three actions: 1) develop a Polar Defense Working Group to ensure data collection in both the Arctic and Antarctic is in line with international norms, treaties, and laws, 2) leverage the Arctic Council to conduct universal research station inspections and studies on how dual use technologies could be harmful to regional security, and 3) devote more resources to grow U.S. icebreaker presence in the Arctic. 3. To ensure Starlink and OneWeb continue to align with U.S. national security data collection and surveillance goals, the Department of Defense should 1) build a voluntary data-sharing platform between Arctic companies and the U.S. national security community, 2) invest in targeted hiring efforts to recruit private sector executives to strengthen the DOD and its Arctic strategy, and 3) design an annual Arctic Satellite Collaboration Forum.
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    City of Greenville, NC Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Emissions Reduction Plan
    (2022-04-22) Rosenthal, Regan; Patchett, Maggie
    As we near the International Panel on Climate Change’s 2030 deadline to halve global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, cities are being called upon to proactively manage the negative effects of urbanization. Greenville, North Carolina aims to join the growing list of American cities who are taking responsibility for their role in climate change by generating a comprehensive inventory of the GHGs emitted by their municipal operations. Our team’s objective was to catalog the city’s greenhouse gas footprint and make recommendations according to our findings, working in coordination with the City Manager of Greenville, NC. Specifically, we were tasked with creating an emissions inventory that could be used as the city’s baseline, against which future years’ inventories could be measured and compared to track reductions over time. We produced a baseline GHG emissions inventory of municipal operations from fiscal year 2019, as that was the most recent fiscal year which experienced no operational interruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic. The inventory identifies activities and sectors with high emissions contributions, and we used this data to recommend the emissions reductions measures that would be most beneficial to the city. Our GHG emissions accounting methodology utilized the standardized framework for local governments created by ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. Using ClearPath—ICLEI’s GHG emissions inventory tool—we generated an emissions report which includes an emissions inventory, projections of future emissions, and forecasts that predict the effects various potential reduction measures might have on Greenville’s GHG footprint over a 10-year period. The emissions report contributed to the development of a sustainability project work plan with benchmarks and targets to track municipal emissions reduction performance over time. Key Findings: 1. The majority of Greenville’s emissions are Scope 1, or direct emissions from operational activity. 2. The greatest contributing sector of municipal operations to the city’s emissions inventory is Vehicle Fleet. In this instance, “Vehicle Fleet” encompasses both municipal vehicles and transit vehicles, though future inventories should distinguish between the vehicle types to better target possible areas for emissions reductions. 3. Greenville’s emissions per capita for municipal operations are not directly comparable to other North Carolina municipalities. The City of Greenville does not have operational control over some activities and sectors included in their peers’ inventories of government operations. Key Recommendations: 1. Implement energy efficiency improvements within Greenville’s vehicle fleet to reduce the sector’s contribution and the overall emissions footprint for municipal operations. 2. Disaggregate data into individual records within ClearPath to better understand which activities by sector have the largest contribution to better select emissions reduction measures. 3. If data is available, use the same process to generate a 2005 emissions inventory for the purposes of setting goals and measuring progress. 4. Continue the momentum from this project by making sustainability a permanent fixture within city operations through the hiring of a sustainability professional.
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    Communicating the Value of Water Delivery Services to Influence Consumer Acceptance of Infrastructure Investments
    (2014-04-24) Brubaker, Sonia
    The U.S. EPA estimates that there are approximately 240,000 water main breaks per year in the United States (U.S. EPA, 2011a). While drinking water system assets, particularly pipes buried underground, can last for many years, this infrastructure largely goes unnoticed until a failure occurs that disrupts the delivery of water to the community’s homes and businesses. Many factors contribute to the need to reinvest in our nation’s water infrastructure. The pricing of water services should accurately reflect the true costs of providing safe drinking water to consumers, a strategy known as full cost pricing (U.S. EPA, 2012a). But because of historically low water rates due to longevity of water system assets, deferred maintenance, and governmental subsidies, many rate payers resist increases in their water bills and water systems have traditionally found it difficult to raise rates to pay for needed future capital investments (American Water, 2011a). The effects of our aging infrastructure coupled with our changing climate have heightened the urgency to reinvest in water infrastructure for many utilities over the past decade. Substantial educational and outreach materials have been developed for national and state level Value of Water campaigns to support this investment. Water systems and water associations are taking the lead in establishing communication with their communities and best practices should be shared across the industry on how to effectively communicate the great need of repairing and replacing our nation’s infrastructure.
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    Community Perceptions of Wildfire and Controlled Burning
    (2018-04-27) Gaasch, Kathryn
    Community backlash following the western North Carolina wildfires in 2016 revealed patterns of miscommunication and distrust regarding forest management practices. To improve messaging in fire-impacted communities, a pilot survey study was conducted in Morganton, NC. The study explored community perceptions of wildfire and controlled burning threats, the variables that might explain them, and whether perceptions of controlled burning can be affected by messaging. Results show that survey respondents perceived fire to be beneficial for North Carolina forests. Survey respondents generally perceived wildfire to be an overall threat while they generally did not perceive controlled burning to be an overall threat. Political alignment, perceived wildfire risk to personal residence within ten years, and belief that wildfire is a natural part of the ecosystem were found to be statistically significant predictors of wildfire threat perceptions. Political alignment, years lived in Morganton, and the belief that wildfire is a natural part of the ecosystem were found to be statistically significant predictors of controlled burning threat perceptions. Perceptions of controlled burning may also be changed due to effective and targeted messaging.
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    Community Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in East Palo Alto
    (2016-08-23) Saena, Fagamalama
    Climate change and sea level rise continue to devastate communities around the globe. The impacts have a disproportionate effect on those of lower socio-economic levels, and the consequences are frequently not borne equally amongst impacted individuals (UNDP, 2013). Community-based adaptation has been widely used to assess vulnerabilities and impacts at the community level, with an inclusive process that addresses root causes of risk. The process provides the opportunity for local government to empower and engaged impacted communities in identifying and prioritising their urgent adaptation needs. This study aims to understand East Palo Alto community vulnerabilities by assessing local knowledge and perception of risk to climate change. East Palo Alto, an urban city in California with socio- economic challenges, is vulnerable to flooding and coastal inundation. The limited financial and institutional capacity of the local government and community increases vulnerability and risk. Recommendations and steps are presented to guide actions and programs that are crucial in addressing community priorities and concerns
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    Community Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in East Palo Alto
    (2016-08-23)
    Climate change and sea level rise continue to devastate communities around the globe. The impacts have a disproportionate effect on those of lower socio-economic levels, and the consequences are frequently not borne equally amongst impacted individuals (UNDP, 2013). Community-based adaptation has been widely used to assess vulnerabilities and impacts at the community level, with an inclusive process that addresses root causes of risk. The process provides the opportunity for local government to empower and engaged impacted communities in identifying and prioritizing their urgent adaptation needs. This study aims to understand East Palo Alto community vulnerabilities by assessing local knowledge and perception of risk to climate change. East Palo Alto, an urban city in California with socio-economic challenges, is vulnerable to flooding and coastal inundation. The limited financial and institutional capacity of the local government and community increases vulnerability and risk. Recommendations and steps are presented to guide actions and programs that are crucial in addressing community priorities and concerns.
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    Constitutional Conservation in California: Evaluation of Environmental Rights in Law and Governance
    (2023-04-28) Carter, Michelle Elizabeth
    The United States legal system has played a crucial role in modern environmental protection. However, environmental laws are difficult to enforce, reactive, and do not adequately protect ecosystems and human health. New legal movements like Rights of Nature and Green Amendments seek to close these gaps by granting legal rights to either ecosystems or human communities to defend their natural environments. Through a comparative legal analysis, this project concludes that the most effective policy option is to grant humans the right to a clean and healthy environment. This approach offers numerous advantages, including compatibility with existing state laws, established precedent in other states, and anticipatory and preventative language. To put this policy into action at the state level, the project includes a stakeholder analysis and assessment of California's legal landscape. Findings suggest that such an amendment is likely to pass through California's state legislature.
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    Costs and Impediments to Using Home Efficiency Government Incentives
    (2024-04-25) Davis, Dejanae; Veltri, David
    Residential electrification technologies, specifically heat pumps, are readily available in the United States, yet are not being installed at rates that will help meet the nation’s climate commitment of zero emissions by 2050. Our client, Hayward Institute, is interested in the obstacles that exist in clean energy transitions in the home and how programs can help expedite these transitions across the United States. A qualitative study was designed and carried out to identify the barriers that are hindering the transition to electric appliances in homes. To uncover the barriers that homeowners may face, we conducted interviews with program managers and contractors about home electrification incentives in four different states: Montana, Colorado, Massachusetts, and West Virginia. States were selected based on criteria including political landscape, state energy policy, climate, economic standing, and client interests. By identifying these barriers, this report hopes to influence programmatic changes that will streamline home electrification incentive processes.
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    Duke University's Alternative Transportation Future
    (2021-04-29) Gilman, James; Almes, Hardy
    Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duke University’s emissions from commuting were increasing. To address this trend, Sustainable Duke has been looking to increase the use of alternative transportation by expanding usage of existing services that support these modes. This study examines the knowledge and barriers to use of alternative modes among graduate students. A survey was administered to assess these concerns. The study also examines the academic literature on alternative transportation and environmental psychology and compiles interview responses from peer universities. The study found students to be largely unaware of available alternative transportation options and services. Barriers relating to time, safety, and convenience were identified in both the survey and the existing literature. The data also suggest a strong preference for receiving information on transportation services via student-wide emails. These results will be used to develop informational materials designed to address barriers to alternative transportation use at Duke. Future work will be needed to judge the efficacy of and update these materials moving forward.
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    Effects of Conservation Area Proximity and Size on Municipal Ballot Measures in the Eastern United States
    (2024-04-26) Baughman, Will; Bird, Griffin
    In recent decades, conservation ballot measures have been one of the principal means of conserving land in the United States. Recent research suggests that public support for these measures is significantly influenced by the characteristics of existing conservation areas, like land use designations. No studies thus far have investigated the impacts of existing conservation area size and proximity to municipalities on municipal conservation referendum success. We hypothesized that these variables would be negatively and positively correlated with referendum success, respectively, while state, time period, and additional socioeconomic and demographic variables would not be correlated with referendum success. Our hypotheses were tested using a multiple logistic regression model and multiple linear regression model, yielding results that suggests negative correlations between referendum success and particular time periods, as well as positive correlation with certain socioeconomic and demographic variables, but no correlation with conservation area size or proximity. These results suggest that the physical conservation area characteristics assessed do not have the potential to influence referendum success, however our models have limited explanatory power and further study is needed to clarify this relationship.
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    Environmental Justice Analysis of Post-Hurricane Funding and Planning
    (2020-04-23) Zhao, Alicia; Cornish, Kyle; Gonsenhauser, Rachel
    As disasters increase in frequency and severity with climate change, affected communities across the United States are struggling to recover in a timely manner. Through analysis of federal and state recovery funds and semi-structured interviews with state and local stakeholders, our project examined how rural communities in North Carolina are accessing recovery funds following hurricanes Matthew and Florence. Results show that barriers to hurricane recovery are procedural, informational, financial, and cultural in nature. Additionally, stakeholders identified numerous strategies for community members to build resilience in their communities throughout the post-hurricane funding and planning process. Generally, effective resilience strategies fell into three distinct groups which encompassed all phases of the hurricane planning process: expanded pre-disaster planning, building relationships and trust, and partnerships with local organizations. Our research highlighted actionable steps that can be taken to address issues in the current hurricane recovery funding framework.
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    Evaluating the Impacts of Climate Change and Changes in Coastal Housing Accessibility on the Maine Lobstering Community: A Quantitative Analysis
    (2023-04-28) O'Shea, Margaret
    The lobstering industry in Maine is both culturally and economically important to the State of Maine. It is also experiencing dramatic changes both from climate change as well as socio-economic shifts along the coast. This analysis investigates these impacts, asking how shifts in abundance from climate change and changes to the accessibility of housing may be influencing where lobster fishers live and fish. Results found, first, that areas with higher home prices had higher number of lobster licenses, indicating that there may be increased financial strain on coastal fishers. Additionally, the analysis did not find a clear relationship between abundance and the number of lobster licenses in a town, suggesting both the need for further analysis on this, and possibly that the relationship does not yet exist given that severe declines in abundance have not yet occurred in coastal Maine. These findings may help identify areas in which lobster fishers may need increased support from state and community programs like working waterfront protections, as well as strategies for diversifying fisher incomes.
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    Evaluating Viability of Community Solar Microgrids for Resilience in Puerto Rico
    (2019-04-26) Deng, Simeng; Hansen, Asger Victor; Hiltbrand, Galen; Maddex, Sean; Sinclair Lecaros, Santiago
    Hurricane Maria, which hit the Caribbean two weeks after Hurricane Irma in September 2017, caused the largest electricity blackout in U.S. history. After the hurricanes, Toro Negro, a rural community nestled into the mountains of Puerto Rico went without electricity for a staggering 8 months. This experience led the community to build and manage Puerto Rico’s first fully operational community solar microgrid to gain electricity reliability and resilience. The aim of this project is to develop an effective management strategy for community solar microgrid systems in Puerto Rico. Our team established a price rate at which the residents of Toro Negro can pay for their electricity and an operations and maintenance plan to ensure the microgrid remains economically feasible for the lifetime of the system. Additionally, we have established a common governance strategy and policy recommendations for microgrids in Puerto Rico. Our project can serve as a blueprint for other communities looking to transition to clean energy and increase storm resiliency. 
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    Evaluation of Durham City and County Greenhouse Gas Reduction Initiatives
    (2014-04-25) Xi, Wenyi; Gao, Gary; Anjum, Rubaina; Son, Myeongyeon
    To combat climate change, local governments and communities have undertaken various initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Durham City and County created a GHG Emissions Reduction Plan in 2007, with a goal of 50% GHG reduction for government operations by 2030 from the 2005 baseline. The purpose of this study is to examine various projects that the Durham local governments have undertaken since 2007, evaluate their energy savings and GHG reduction, and provide recommendations for further GHG reduction. The scope includes only projects associated with local government. Six different project types are examined: building upgrades, transportation, traffic signals, landfill methane, water and wastewater management. About 20 government officials from different departments were interviewed to collect information about projects and relevant data such as energy consumption and financial costs. Based on the data, the study analyzes the trend of energy use and GHG emissions through time and uses common metrics to measure energy intensity. Most of the GHG reduction projects were effective and are discussed in detail in the paper. The study provides recommendations for each individual project as well as general overall recommendations. The overall suggestions are to 1) set quantifiable sub-goals for different projects to complement the current total 50% reduction goal, 2) offer training to facility management teams on the importance of adopting best practices prevalent in the relevant industries, 3) install better metering technologies for more accurate data, and 4) foster more collaborations and better communication between each government department as well as between the government and the private sector. These recommendations will also help other cities conduct similar GHG reduction initiatives.