Browsing by Author "Earnhardt, Rachel"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Community Flood Assessment for Bucksport, South Carolina
    (2022-04-22) McLaughlin, Aislinn; Earnhardt, Rachel; Swit, Nadia; Murphy, Rebecca
    Bucksport, South Carolina has experienced recurring high-impact flood events in the past decade that threaten local property, public health, and cultural heritage. This report aims to support the resilience of the community through a science and policy-based assessment of the factors contributing to flooding in the region. Findings from our hydrologic analyses indicate that a greater frequency of high magnitude precipitation events coupled with slower watershed drainage have led to longer standing water in the community after storm events. Results also reflect that these impacts will likely be exacerbated by climate change-attributed precipitation increases over the next century. Accordingly, our exploration of the relevant flood policy landscape highlights recommendations for the community to adapt and mitigate future flooding impacts through both state and federal-level funding for watershed-scale planning and resilience-focused investment.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    State of the Coast: A Review of Coastal Management Policies for Six States
    (2023-01-17) Karasik, Rachel; Pickle, Amy; O’Shea, Maggie; Reilly, Kelly; Bruce, Molly; Earnhardt, Rachel; Ahmed, Iqra
    This analysis of coastal habitat policy in six US states—California, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington—aims to identify promising policy approaches for improved protection and restoration of oyster reefs, mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass.   Coastal habitats provide critical environmental, economic, and recreational services valued at billions of dollars in the United States alone. However, the quantity and quality of most coastal habitats have been under decline for centuries due to a variety of threats. Coordinated policy responses across levels of government are required for protection and restoration of coastal habitats because they do not have discrete jurisdictional boundaries and are often harmed by distant anthropogenic activities.   The analysis finds that state-level management is principally guided by federal coastal protection and management statutes, namely the Clean Water Act and Coastal Zone Management Act. State and federal policies are rarely habitat-specific and do not comprehensively address threats, which can result in a fragmented policy landscape that struggles to meet habitat protection and restoration goals. With limited long-term monitoring data and few effectiveness studies, our ability to understand which policy levers work and the extent to which they can be replicated in other states is limited.   A successful path forward may be found through local initiatives tailored and designed for their local context that have effectively restored degraded habitats and employed innovative regulatory mechanisms intended to streamline the permitting process for restoration. Dedicated funding for sustained, long-term monitoring to best understand the effects and outcomes of habitat protection and restoration policy efforts will also be critical to identify enabling conditions and replicate effective measures in similar contexts.   The Pew Charitable Trusts supported the development of this report. Pew is not responsible for any inaccuracies and does not necessarily endorse the findings.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Strengthening Supply Chains for US Decarbonization
    (2023-08-28) Ewing, John; Earnhardt, Rachel; Carlson, Maria; Reeves, Joy
    The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act provides new sources of capital and incentives for accelerating net-zero efforts. The law concurrently seeks to shift supply chains vital for US decarbonization to domestic sources and, more selectively, to links with free-trade partners. However, challenges abound. This policy paper responds by exploring opportunities inherent to rapidly creat­ing just, low-carbon, and sustainable supply chains for key sectors of the US economy. These recommendations center upon the following key efforts: * Expediting permitting for critical decarbonization materials * Applying exceptions and special waivers on domestic content * Incentivizing recycling and materials innovation * Applying domestic content guidance progressively * Developing human capital * Developing decarbonization clusters * Expanding domestic exploration incentives * Prioritizing friendshoring, risk reduction, and low-carbon trade in foreign policy This report is part of Keys to the US Energy Transition: An Energy Pathways USA Series.