Lead: Melissa O. Tier
Counselor: Michael Oppenheimer

In her dissertation, MACH-affiliated researcher Melissa O. Tier investigates how environmental justice (EJ) concepts can be better incorporated into climate adaptation policies across and within federal, state, and local governance levels. Her research includes analyzing how the Biden Administration’s Justice40 initiative influenced federal climate adaptation grant programs, particularly in how agencies adjusted their program criteria to meet EJ goals. She also examines flood-prone property buyout programs in the MACH region to understand how different funding sources shape equity strategies, and surveys both residents and municipal staff in New Jersey to learn how they perceive public assistance programs for EJ and climate adaptation. Finally, she is collaborating with MACH colleagues on an initiative with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop and implement evidence-based policy on compound flooding in NJ & NY.