Prioritize & Plan

Looking to the Future on Alaska’s North Slope

A balancing act

Increasingly accessible resources in the Arctic region have caught the imagination of potential developers. For instance, exploration geologists believe the North Slope of Alaska and the seas around it hold some of the largest remaining deposits of oil, gas, and coal in the United States. Additionally, the region provides habitat for a diverse array of fish, wildlife, and plant resources. A range of individuals and companies are eager to build businesses based on the region’s rich resources.

Quinault Indian Nation Plans for Village Relocation

Climate stressors on the Olympic Peninsula

The homelands of the Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) are located on the Pacific coast of Washington's Olympic Peninsula—the tribe's culture and economy depend on the bounty of the land, forests, rivers, and ocean. With its location on the Pacific Ocean, the risk and uncertainty of tsunami has been, and continues to be, ever-present. Today, though, the Quinault community faces a different type of threat to its daily life: impacts from climate change.

Solar Roadmap™

Government agencies, regional organizations, residents, businesses, and electric utilities can use this site to explore national best practices for encouraging the use of solar energy. Users can also find information on relevant policies, programs, and case studies illustrating various paths to developing solar power projects. Communities interested in solar energy can find actionable steps to increase cost-effective installation of solar systems, help drive economic growth, and improve their environments.

National Sea Grant Resilience Toolkit

The National Sea Grant Resilience Toolkit is a compilation of tools and resources developed by the Sea Grant Network. The toolkit lists tools that can help local communities build resilience in the face of a range of coastal issues. Sea Grant programs are spread across diverse communities located in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, Lake Champlain, and Guam, and they specialize in developing tools that are tailored to local needs.

Bioenergy Knowledge Discovery Framework

The Bioenergy Knowledge Discovery Framework (KDF) is an online collaboration toolkit and data resource providing access to the latest research on bioenergy. The site supports the creation of a robust, advanced, domestic bioenergy industry for the United States, offering resources for researchers, private industry, policy makers, and the public. In the KDF, users can:

Climate-Smart Conservation: Putting Adaptation Principles into Practice

Climate-Smart Conservation provides guidance to natural resource managers and conservation professionals for carrying out climate adaptation and incorporating climate considerations into their work. Developed collaboratively by a federal, state, and non-governmental organization (NGO) expert workgroup, the peer-reviewed 262-page publication is available in both hardcopy and electronic form. A companion training course based on the guide is offered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center (see link at right).

Tribal Climate Change Adaptation Planning Toolkit

The Northern Arizona University Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) established its Tribal Climate Change Program in 2009 to provide support and be responsive to the needs of tribes that are preparing for and currently contending with climate change impacts. This program offers training, technical assistance, educational resources, and tools to build the capacity of tribes to address climate change impacts.

Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Health Care Facilities Toolkit

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Sustainable and Climate Resilient Health Care Facilities Initiative (SCRHCFI) is an effort to help assure the continuity of quality health and human care before, during, and after extreme weather events.

Elevated Rehabilitation Facility Functions Flawlessly Through Hurricane Sandy

Climate stressors and impacts

Between 1895 and 2011, temperatures in the northeastern United States rose by almost 2ºF, and annual precipitation increased by more than 10 percent (approximately five inches). Coastal flooding in the area likewise increased due to a rise in sea level of approximately one foot since 1900.

Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program—Community Edition (BenMAP-CE)

Climate change can contribute to increased production of plant-based allergens, and higher pollen concentrations and longer pollen seasons can increase allergic sensitizations and asthma episodes. Meanwhile, extreme rainfall and rising temperatures can foster indoor air quality problems, including the growth of indoor fungi and molds.

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