EPA to Assist Seminole Tribe of Florida Prepare for Climate Change

Some 20-plus communities in the nation, including the Seminole Tribe of Florida, will share out $600,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency money for training and technical assistance to help water utilities bolster their climate change resilience and readiness.

The EPA made its assistance announcement Wednesday.

Climate change isnt a distant threat -- it is already impacting communities across the country, said Ken Kopocis, deputy assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "EPA is helping water utilities plan for and adapt to these challenges to ensure that they can continue to meet their public health and environmental missions no matter what circumstances may arise in the future.

Drinking water, wastewater and stormwater utilities will participate in a multi-year program to prepare for potential impacts from climate change. Challenges include droughts, more intense and frequent storms, flooding, sea-level rise and changes to water quality.

Communities will receive technical assistance in using EPA's Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool. That's software that helps users identify assets, threats and "adaptation options" to help reduce risk from climate change.

Communities receiving assistance from EPA include --

• Auburn, Ala.
• Austin, Texas
• Blair, Neb.
• Bozeman, Mont.
• Faribault, Minn.
• Fredericktown, Mo.
• Haworth, N.J.
• Helena, Mont.
• Henryville, Ind.
• Hillsboro, Kan.
• Houston, Texas
• Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.
• Nome, Alaska
• Norfolk, Va.
• Portsmouth, N.H.
• Redwood Valley, Calif.
• Sandpoint, Idaho
• Seminole Tribe of Florida

During each risk assessment, EPA claims, utilities will consider potential future climate change impacts in an effort to build more climate-ready and resilient water services and infrastructure.