Agencies are to collect information about natural hazards and asses risk to real property assets over time. Image: BNMK 0819/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffOMB has issued guidance to agencies under a law and Biden administration policies calling on them to include assessments of natural hazard and climate risk information in their real property asset management and investment decisions.
Memo M-24-03 says that is to include “identifying information about current and future (projected) natural hazard and climate risks over the expected service life of an asset or portfolio of assets and considering how critical an asset is for an agency’s mission or programs.”
“Agencies are directed to collect information about the impacts of natural hazards and identify forward-looking climate projections to understand potential exposures on an agency’s real property assets. This includes understanding exposure from direct physical impacts of hazards and, where relevant, information about expected exposure to assets or infrastructure systems that affect an agency’s operations at a facility,” it says.
The memo also addresses what it calls “climate-smart infrastructure technical best practices” for financial assistance programs for infrastructure. For example, it encourages agencies to help prospective financial assistance recipients:
* “use evidence-based information, decision-support tools and best-available climate data, including resources provided by other federal agencies, to identify and reduce current and future climate risks over a prospective infrastructure project’s anticipated service life”;
* “identify actions to reduce embodied carbon and climate change impacts comprehensively”; and
* “use nature-based solutions in project design, unless alternatives are demonstrated to be more beneficial to society when the full range of benefits are considered, or nature-based solutions are not technically suitable or feasible for project goals.”
OPM Advises Agencies on Conducting RIFs During Shutdown
Updated Shutdown Contingency Plans Show Range of Impacts
Use Shutdown as Justification for More RIFs, OMB Tells Agencies
Unions Win a Round in Court Disputes over Anti-Representation Orders
Deferred Resignation Periods End for Many; Overall 12% Drop
Senate Bill Would Override Trump Orders against Unions
See also,
How to Handle Taxes Owed on TSP Roth Conversions? Use a Ladder
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire
Best States to Retire for Federal Retirees: 2025
