Natural Disasters and Industrial Activities in the Urban Environment: Potential Impacts of Joint Events and Preparedness for Industrial Accidents Caused by Natural Disasters

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***9817771 Steinberg Natural disasters pose a major threat to human life and property in urban environments. Population densities and the concomitant concentration of buildings, infrastructure, transportation, and information networks in urban areas require particular attention in response and mitigation planning for natural disasters. The mix of land use in urban space, especially in the close proximity of industry to residential uses in some areas, presents special issues in the planning for natural disasters. Industrial uses often use or produce hazardous materials that could be released unexpectedly during a severe natural hazard event. The potential for explosions as a result of a natural disaster also could be a concern for some industrial activities. An interruption to transportation and information networks as a result of a natural disaster could prevent, or at least slow, response to an industrial site affected by the natural disaster. Therefore, the consequences of a joint event could be catastrophic for the environment and nearby residential communities. This Urban Research Initiative (URI) research is a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary examination of the potential impacts of joint events, a natural and technological disaster, on residents and property in urban environments. The research uses a case study approach to investigation of two sites, one in California and one in Louisiana, supporting petroleum refining activities and also vulnerable to natural disasters. Furthermore, the research will investigate the preparedness of industry, government and individuals for response to a joint event, including local land use planning near petroleum refining activities as well as mitigation planning for natural hazards and industrial accidents. Current land use policy will be considered, including land use designation and density, and the soundness of land use practices will be evaluated given the special circumstances of a joint hazard event. This investigation uses a mix of quantitative modeling of environmental risk, geographic information tools, survey research, and qualitative interviews to build an impact scenario and determine community preparedness for a joint disaster. ***