Bill offers military bases weather protections

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) recently espoused the benefits of legislation designed to protect military bases from extreme weather events by requiring potential disaster preparation and severe environmental condition changes.

The Requiring Every American Defense Installation to Nullify Environmental Stresses for Security (READINESS) Act, which was included in the must-pass annual defense authorization bill, requires all Department of Defense bases have military installation resilience plans.

“Our military cannot afford to ignore extreme weather as it becomes more frequent and severe,” Schatz, lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, said. “Our new law will make sure we build stronger and more resilient military bases so that our armed forces can continue to protect American interests at home and around the world.”

Provisions of the measure include addressing current risks and threats to military resilience resulting from extreme weather events, change in sea level, flooding, and wildfires; examining the future risks and threats to military resilience during the 50-year lifespan of the base resulting from extreme weather events and other environmental conditions; and describing the projects necessary to mitigate the identified risks to the military base. The legislation would also allow for the use of projections from recognized governmental and scientific entities, such as the National Academies of Sciences, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Global Change Research Office, to inform future risk assessments.

Persistent flooding, drought, and wildfires pose the most significant threats to base operations and resilience for each of the military services.