Toxic Tides: Public report DRAFT

The report identifies 5,500 hazardous facilities along U.S. coasts at risk of 100-year coastal flooding by 2100 under a high-emissions scenario. It highlights a significant environmental justice gap, finding that poorer and marginalized communities are 15-41% more likely to live near these at-risk sites. The analysis emphasizes the danger of 'NaTech' disasters, where natural events trigger technological failures, leading to toxic contamination of floodwaters.

• Under a very high emissions scenario (RCP 8.5), 5,500 hazardous facilities along the U.S. coast are projected to be at risk of flooding during a 100-year coastal flood by 2100. Meeting pledged pollution reduction commitments (RCP 4.5) would reduce this number by 362 sites, or 7%. Regardless of the scenario, over two-thirds of the facilities at risk by 2100 will face inundation within the next 25 years.
• Hazardous facilities at risk of 100-year coastal flooding by 2100 are disproportionately located near vulnerable populations. Neighborhoods with higher concentrations of renters, non-voters, people living in poverty, those without vehicles, those with limited English proficiency, Hispanic residents, or adults over 65 are 15-41% more likely to have an at-risk site within 1 kilometer.
• Specific types of hazardous facilities burden different vulnerable groups: power plants, cleanup sites, and fossil fuel ports are often near renters, non-voters, and those in poverty; conversely, oil and gas wells, hazardous waste sites, landfills, and former defense sites are disproportionately located near Native American communities.
• Certain facility types face extreme risk by the end of the century under high emissions: over 40% of coastal fossil fuel ports and terminals, about one-third of coastal power plants, and over one-fifth of coastal sewage treatment facilities, refineries, and formerly used defense sites.
• Geographic risk is highly concentrated, with nearly 80% of the 5,500 at-risk facilities located in seven states: California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
• The report highlights the risk of 'NaTech' (natural-technological) disasters, where natural events like hurricanes trigger industrial accidents. Examples include Hurricane Katrina's oil spills and emissions, the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, and Hurricane Harvey in Texas, where 95 reported incidents released over 10 million pounds of air contaminants.

APA

Climate Central (n.d.). Toxic Tides: Public report DRAFT. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/4EqeVii0ZS95CX4OqZMDOA/6a373ff8a9ce104b7d531ece1d558bc8/Toxic_Tides_Report.pdf

Chicago

Climate Central. Toxic Tides: Public report DRAFT. n.d. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/4EqeVii0ZS95CX4OqZMDOA/6a373ff8a9ce104b7d531ece1d558bc8/Toxic_Tides_Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=Toxic Tides: Public report DRAFT |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/4EqeVii0ZS95CX4OqZMDOA/6a373ff8a9ce104b7d531ece1d558bc8/Toxic_Tides_Report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentralndtoxic, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{Toxic Tides: Public report DRAFT }}, institution = {Climate Central}, url = {https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/4EqeVii0ZS95CX4OqZMDOA/6a373ff8a9ce104b7d531ece1d558bc8/Toxic_Tides_Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }