1. Vulnerability of Communities in Close Proximity to OCS Programs Support Infrastructure and Activity
June 22, 2017
Keely M. Hite
Social Science Specialist
Division of Environmental Assessment

2. What makes you vulnerable?
Vulnerability
What makes you vulnerable?

3. What is vulnerability?
“The inability of a system to withstand against the perturbations of external stressors.” (Paul, 2013)

4. Vulnerability of Communities in Close Proximity to OCS Programs Support Infrastructure and Activity
BOEM Information Need:
Data for analyses, public involvement, and consultation to comply with OCSLA, NEPA, E.O , E.O
Identify baseline conditions of communities onshore of potential or existing OCS activity
Analysis and monitoring of spatial changes and relationships of high, median, and low income neighborhoods over time
Date Information is Required: FY

5. Existing Tools Modeling of Census Data:
SocScape-University of Cincinnati
Census block resolution
EJScreen-EPA
Census tract resolution (size varies)

6. Background
Relationship with Previous Work/Efforts: Environmental Justice related BOEM studies in the GOM and Alaska Regions
Relationship with Future Efforts: This study is proposed as a pilot study for the South Atlantic; and could be adapted for future use in other BOEM regions.

7. Study Objectives
Garner an enhanced understanding of vulnerabilities affecting communities onshore of OCS planning areas
Identify proximity of EJ neighborhoods to other income populations
Gain understanding of spatial relationship between populations and offshore support industrial zones

8. Study Objectives Analyze movement and change over the past15 years
Gain understanding of how these variables affect communities’ vulnerability to impacts and disasters

9. Methods Ethnographic data collection Community participation
-structured interviews
Community participation

10. Relationship to Strategic Science Questions
How can BOEM best assess cumulative effects within the framework of environmental assessments?
How does BOEM ensure the integrated use of its social sciences in assessing the impacts of OCS activities on the human environment?