Climate Change Adaptation in Government Decisions: Empirical Evidence from Superfund Remedies

Abstract

Adaptation to climate change requires greater permanence in cleanup remedies at contaminated sites when they face elevated risks from climate-related natural disasters, such as flooding, wildfire, and hurricane inundation. This article examines the sensitivity to these risks revealed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s remedy choices for sites on Superfund’s National Priorities List. The results suggest that the agency exercises at most modestly greater precaution at sites facing climate-related natural hazards. Neither federal nor state policies requiring climate change adaptation appear to increase responsiveness to climate-related risks.