Abstract

Hurricane Sandy devastated some of the most heavily populated eastern coastal areas of the Nation. With a storm surge peaking at more than 19 feet, the powerful landscape-altering destruction of Hurricane Sandy is a stark reminder of why the Nation must become more resilient to coastal hazards. In response to this natural disaster, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) received a total of $41.2 million in supplemental appropriations from the Department of the Interior (DOI) to support response, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. These funds support a science plan that will provide critical scientific information necessary to inform management decisions for recovery of coastal communities, and aid in preparation for future natural hazards. This science plan is designed to coordinate continuing USGS activities with stakeholders and other agencies to improve data collection and analysis that will guide recovery and restoration efforts. The science plan is split into five distinct themes:

• Coastal topography and bathymetry
• Impacts to coastal beaches and barriers
• Impacts of storm surge, including disturbed estuarine and bay hydrology
• Impacts on environmental quality and persisting contaminant exposures
• Impacts to coastal ecosystems, habitats, and fish and wildlife

This fact sheet focuses on assessing impacts on environmental quality and persisting contaminant exposures.

First posted October 24, 2013