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COVER STORY June/July 2015 airportbusiness 11 The aviation world is also adept at uncovering the lessons learned in the aftermath of such situa- tions; and Hurricane Sandy was no exception. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched a pilot study to help airports learn how climate change can impact operations by increasing the frequency of severe weather events and to aid them in developing climate adaptation plans that mitigate these impacts. Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) also undertook the Disaster Infrastructure Resiliency Plan (DIRP) study to further study the issue. Last month, Boston Logan International Airport became the nation's first airport to draft a climate adaptation plan. The multimillion dollar strategy strives to make the airport, which is almost completely surrounded by water, more environmentally sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change. The document details how the airport can cut carbon emissions, trim energy consumption and protect runways and terminals from rising seas. "The big trigger for this was Hurricane Sandy," says Tom Glynn, Massport CEO. "We've always been concerned about environmental issues, but I think that Hurricane Sandy drew attention to what our risks really are." Erica Mattison, legislative director for the Environmental League of Massachusetts, lauds Massport for being first out of the box with such a plan. She states emergency preparedness is a critical concern for airports. "When an airport shuts down it has huge implications for, not just the immediate city where the airport is located but the entire region that relies on the airport for a variety of things," she says. A natural disaster can significantly impact tourism and business travel and pose hefty financial losses to the community and the surrounding area. Such plans are becoming increasingly import- ant, she adds. According to a 2014 National Climate Assessment, 13 of the country's 47 largest airports have one or more runways that are vulnerable to moderate or high storm surges. Hotter days, heavier rainfall, increased snow and ice, and more intense storms are some of the direct impacts airports may experience from climate change, reports Airport Climate Adaptation and Resilience: A Synthesis of Airport Practice, a document published in 2012 by the Airport Cooperative Research Program. "Very few airports … are considering ways to address these effects. Yet 70 percent of airport delays are the result of extreme weather, and such weather events are on the increase. In 2011, the United States witnessed a record 12 weather/climate disasters, each costing $1 billion or more," states this report. Mattison says all of these things are among the reasons why airport stakeholders should be asking themselves the following: • How quickly would the airport be able to bounce back and reopen if disaster strikes? (The T he aviation world is well versed in cleaning up scheduling delays after natural disaster strikes but even so Hurricane Sandy served as a wakeup call for airports across the states. Flooding from this storm closed LaGuardia Airport, JFK International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Teterboro Airport cancelling flights in the tens of thousands. Widespread cancellations also occurred in Washington, D.C., and Boston, which set off a ripple effect of cancellations across the United States. SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING VERSUS CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING Sustainability Plans. These plans take a close look at the entire organization—people, envi- ronment and operations—to improve sustainability. They are based on the EONS acronym developed by Airports Council International—North America where each letter of EONS signifies one of the four elements of sustainability as it relates to airports and the aviation industry: f Economic Viability f Operational Excellence f Natural Resource Conservation and Preservation f Social Responsibility Climate Adaptation Plans . These plans are focused on the facility, its long-term longevity, and its functioning.