Wildfires emerging as a hot topic on the Hill

As the U.S. endures another fire season, legislators on the Hill are seeking to address some of the challenges associated with managing wildland fires on federal land. A hearing held by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on August 3 tackled the complex challenges in reducing wildland fire risk, focusing primarily on wildfire management programs and technologies.

Building the Modern World: Geoscience that Underlies our Economic Prosperity

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Geoscience information is integral to the strength and growth of communities and provides the resources for economic growth. All building materials, energy resources, construction projects, and hazard mitigation efforts are fundamentally based on geoscientific data and the geoscience workforce.

Our speakers are:

Emily W. Coyner, PG, Director of Environmental Policy, National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association | Slides Video
Brian K. Banks, PG, Principal, Schnabel Engineering | Slides Video
Austin Becker, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Coastal Planning, Policy, and Design, University of Rhode Island | Slides Video

Key topics to be addressed include:

The industrial materials and minerals used to construct buildings/infrastructure
The importance of readily available construction materials and the resulting demand for mines and quarries throughout the U.S.
How geoscience is used to determine whether or not sites are suitable for infrastructure development
How geoscience is used to help guide design and construction to enhance the quality of life, economic strength, and physical security of coastal areas

Webinar Co-sponsors:
American Association of Petroleum Geologists; American Geophysical Union; Consortium for Ocean Leadership; Geological Society of America; National Ground Water Association; National Science Foundation; Soil Science Society of America

Resources to Learn More

View this webinar's Question & Answer session
U.S. Geological Survey: Aggregates Publications & Data Products
U.S. Geological Survey: Aggregate Resource Availability in the Conterminous United States
Federal Highway Administration: Wherefore Art Thou Aggregate Resources for Highways?
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine: Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine: Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering
National Research Council: Underground Engineering for Sustainable Urban Development
Environmental Protection Agency: Green Infrastructure: Coastal Resiliency
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit: Coastal Resilience Tools
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit: Coastal Infrastructure (Hawai'i and Pacific Islands)

Search the Geological Surveys Database for reports and factsheets about geoscience and the economy.

Building the Modern World: Infrastructure is made of ROCKS

BuildingModernWorld_Webinar_Flyer.pdf

AGI_BuildingModernWorld_Aug2017_Coyner.pdf

AGI_BuildingModernWorld_Aug2017_Banks.pdf

AGI_BuildingModernWorld_Aug2017_Becker.pdf

Critical Issues Webinar: Planning for Coastal Storm and Erosion Hazards

Coastal hazards webinar flyer. Image Credit: C. Hegermiller, USGS

Register now for this upcoming Critical Issues Webinar! July 6, 2017 at 1:30pm EDT. 90 minutes.

This special 1.5 hour-long AGI Critical Issues webinar will focus on efforts to anticipate, mitigate, and respond to coastal storms, erosion, and associated hazards at the federal, state, and local level. Speakers from California, Texas, and Georgia will discuss the impacts of coastal storms and erosion, tools used for coastal hazard mitigation planning in their regions, and examples of community engagement and coordination. Learn more at http://bit.ly/coastal-hazards-webinar.

Interactive map of sea level rise impacts in Delaware

The Delaware Sea Level Rise Inundation map shows how various extents of future sea level rise (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 meters) would affect flooding in coastal Delaware. For each scenario, users can see the areas that would be flooded during an average higher tide (Mean Higher High Water). The map does not include the effects of erosion, subsidence, or future construction.

Users can search by location to see the effects on individual areas.

Click here to access the interactive map.

How do pyrite and pyrrhotite damage building foundations?

Pyrite and pyrrhotite are minerals known as iron sulfides. When iron sulfides are exposed to water and oxygen, a series of chemical reactions breaks down the iron sulfides and forms new minerals called sulfates. These sulfates take up more space than the original iron sulfides. As they grow, the new sulfate minerals push against the surrounding rock, causing it to swell and crack. This causes damage in two main ways:

Planning for Coastal Storm and Erosion Hazards

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Coastal hazards are a widespread challenge that cost millions (and sometimes billions) of dollars in the U.S. every year due to property loss and spending on mitigation measures. Based on the most recent U.S. Census, over 39% of the U.S. population lives in areas that may undergo significant coastal flooding during a 100-year flood event¹. Additionally, six of the ten most expensive weather-related disasters in U.S. history have been caused by coastal storms^1,2. Reducing risk and responding to coastal hazards is an ongoing challenge that relies on close coordination and cooperation between geoscientists, coastal planners, emergency managers, and communities at all levels.

An introductory talk and three case studies from around the U.S. cover coastal storm and erosion hazards in the U.S., as well as examples of coastal hazard planning from the Pacific, Gulf, and Atlantic coasts, with a focus on how geoscience informs planning at all levels. Speakers from California, Texas, and Georgia discuss the impacts of coastal storms and erosion, tools used for coastal hazard mitigation planning in their regions, and examples of community engagement and coordination.

Our speakers are:

Maria Honeycutt, Coastal Hazards Specialist, NOAA Office for Coastal Management | Slides Video
Patrick Barnard, Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center | Slides Video
Jeff Taebel, FAICP, Houston-Galveston Area Council | Slides Video
Jennifer Kline, Coastal Management Program, Georgia Department of Natural Resources | Slides Video

Webinar Co-Sponsors:
American Institute of Professional Geologists; American Meteorological Society; Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists; Consortium for Ocean Leadership; Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Geological Society of America; Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers; International Association of Emergency Managers; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; U.S. Geological Survey.

References:

¹ Coastal Flood Risks: Achieving Resilience Together. Federal Emergency Management Agency
² Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Table of Events. National Centers for Environmental Information

CEU Credits

To earn CEU credits, please complete the associated on-demand GOLI course that was developed from this webinar with a grade of 70% or higher and then submit your application for CEUs. CEUs are awarded from the American Institute of Professional Geologists. To view the full list of on-demand GOLI courses, please browse the GOLI course catalog.

Resources to learn more:

View this webinar's Question & Answer session
Federal Emergency Management Agency: Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Local Governments
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Digital Coast website
U.S. Geological Survey: Coastal Change Hazards Portal
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit website
Our Coast, Our Future Project website: sea level rise and storm scenarios for north-central California coast, San Francisco Bay, and Southern California, including an interactive viewer that shows socioeconomic impacts, flooding, and waves and currents.
Texas Coastal Watershed Program: Community Health and Resources Management website
Georgia Department of Natural Resources: Post-Disaster Recovery and Redevelopment Planning Guide
EARTH Magazine: More than a nuisance: Over time, small floods cost more than extreme events

Search the Geological Surveys Database for reports and factsheets about coastal hazards.

Coastal Hazards: Coastal Storms and Erosion: Managing for an Uncertain Future

Senate passes Digital Coast bill authorizing NOAA’s Digital Coast program

On May 25, the Senate passed the Digital Coast Act (S.110) to help coastal communities prepare for storms, adapt to rising sea levels, and strengthen economic planning efforts.

NWS Releases 2017 #Hurricane Season Forecast

US Residents may need to button down the hatches a bit more this year because the the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released their prediction for the 2017 hurricane season and there's a 45% chance it will be a higher-than-average season. Based on current predictions there is a 70% chance of 11-17 named storms this year.

Hazards Caucus briefing conveys the importance of geologic mapping and monitoring

The Hazards Caucus Alliance, a network that supports the Congressional Hazards Caucus, hosted a briefing on April 6 about how geologic and hazards mapping and monitoring are used to prepare and protect communities from natural hazards.

EARTH Interviews NHC Director During Hurricane Awareness Week

On May 9, EARTH News Editor Timothy Oleson went to check out the National Hurricane Awareness Tour's stop in Washington, D.C., at Ronald Reagan National Airport, where he sat down with National Hurricane Center (NHC) director Rick Knabb to learn more about the tour and efforts to track and forecast tropical storms.

American Geosciences Institute

hazards