Dane County Begins Considering Climate Change During Natural Disaster Planning

For the first time, Dane County officials will take climate change into consideration while planning for natural disasters.

Dane County upgrades its hazardous mitigation plan every five years, as required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. County Executive Joe Parisi said that this year, local officials will take a look at how climate change might impact natural disasters.

“We’ll look at the science behind climate change that tells us we are going to be having warmer and wetter springs, with greater possibilities of heavy rainfall,” he said.

The prediction of more precipitation and more hot summer days are part of a 2013 report by the Dane County Climate Change Action Council, using data collected by University of Wisconsin scientists.

The report explores various potential outcomes from climate change, such as a longer growing season and the effect on animal populations.

The county’s hazard mitigation plan will be formed over the next eight months. So far, 42 of the county’s 61 cities, villages and towns are participating. The plan requires approval of the Dane County Board and FEMA.