Oakland receives $3 million in climate adaptation grant

The Port of Oakland, in partnership with the City of Oakland, has been awarded a $3 million grant from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for Sustainable Transportation Planning and Climate Adaptation. The grant is designed to address potential flooding issues caused by sea level rise (SLR) and groundwater intrusion (GWI).

Director of Environmental Programs and Planning Colleen Liang emphasized the importance of the funding: “Sea level rise and groundwater intrusion pose an existential threat to the Port and the City. We are grateful to Caltrans for this award. We will use this funding to support adaptation strategies for vulnerable populations at the Port and in the City of Oakland.”

The plan, titled “Sea Level Rise and Oakland’s Infrastructure and Frontline Communities: Climate Adaptation Planning for Community-Led Resilience Projects,” includes conducting an asset inventory and vulnerability assessment. The project will focus on the expected impacts of sea level rise and sea level rise on the port and nearby Oakland communities.

In addition to the grant, the Port of Oakland will contribute $1.5 million toward the $4.5 million project. The port manages approximately 20 miles of coastal territory in San Francisco Bay, which includes critical transportation infrastructure such as Oakland International Airport and the Port of Oakland.

The project aims to simulate the impacts of sea level rise, sea level rise and liquefaction in the near and long term (2030, 2050, 2100) and will explore adaptation measures to address identified vulnerabilities. Community engagement will be an integral part of the planning and implementation phases of the project.

Recently, the Port of Oakland Commission approved a $19.3 million agreement to secure solar power for the next 20 years, further underscoring the port’s commitment to sustainability and resiliency.