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Claire Munaretto

Claire Munaretto
Senior Economist

Claire Munaretto

Senior Economist

Ms. Claire Munaretto is an environmental economist with 10 years of experience in economic analysis, policy analysis, and research. Ms. Munaretto has conducted social, economic, and environmental justice analyses for private, federal, and state clients. She also has substantial experience valuing natural resources and estimating impacts on ecosystem services, such as recreation and tourism. She specializes in econometrics and quantitative models and their application to environmental analyses.

Climate Change

Provincewide Climate Risk Assessment, British Columbia Supported the development of a strategic provincewide climate risk assessment that identified 15 climate-related risks, from flooding to wildfire to health impacts, which could be used to prioritize adaptation responses. Managed the development of strategies and a framework to address risk events.
Climate Adaptation and Resilience Assessment, Mammoth Lakes, California Conducted a natural capital assessment for the town of Mammoth Lakes, California, as part of its climate adaptation and resilience assessment. The natural capital assessment involved an estimation of the value of ecosystem services provided by natural areas in the region. This assessment also evaluated how ecosystem service values may be affected over time by climate change and by management activities to support sustainable outdoor recreation.

Coastal Resilience

Analysis of Flood Risk and Infrastructure Damages, Florida Assessed the impacts of flooding on hospital, airport, port, and transportation infrastructure and identified the corresponding economic impacts. Where possible, this analysis quantified and monetized the impacts, and identified secondary, or cascading impacts that might otherwise not be in a typical benefit-cost analysis.
Business Case Analysis for Stormwater Resiliency, Miami Beach, Florida Supported a hedonic analysis, and the neighborhood and citywide business cases, which assessed various investment scenarios (no action vs. public vs. private) and stormwater events (king tide, 5-year, 10-year, and hurricane) that incorporate sea level rise. Utilized stormwater inundation data to assess whether resiliency investments are cost effective at the neighborhood level and then scaled to the citywide level to discuss the costs of inaction. These analyses included the assessment of property damage impacts, property taxes, insurance payments, city operational costs, traffic impacts, business revenue and closure impacts, and tourism.

Offshore Wind

Ocean Wind 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), New Jersey Supported the preparation of the draft EIS for 1,100-MW offshore wind project from up to 99 wind turbine generators (WTGs) over a 35-year operational life. Led four chapters of the EIS: demographics, employment, and economics; environmental justice; recreation and tourism; and land use. All chapters evaluated baseline conditions of their topic areas and potential impacts as a result of the offshore wind farm for proximal counties. The demographics, employment, and economics chapter evaluated populations, housing, income, employment, and industries in the area. The environmental justice chapter evaluated minority and low-income populations and whether they would be disproportionately affected by the construction and operation of the offshore wind farm. The recreation and tourism chapter evaluated onshore, coastal, and offshore recreation, and the land use chapter evaluated how baseline land and infrastructure would be affected by the offshore wind operation.
Empire Wind EIS, New York Supported the preparation of the draft EIS for a 1,100-MW wind farm project from up to 99 WTGs over a 35-year operational life. Led the demographics, employment, and economics chapter of the draft EIS, which evaluated baseline conditions of their topic areas and potential impacts as a result of the offshore wind farm for proximal counties. The demographics, employment, and economics chapter evaluated populations, housing, income, employment, and industries in the area.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Draft EIS, Virginia Supported the preparation of the draft EIS for the 3,000-MW wind project from up to 205 WTGs. Led two chapters of the EIS: demographics, employment, and economics, and environmental justice. All chapters evaluated baseline conditions of their topic areas and potential impacts as a result of the offshore wind farm for proximal counties. The demographics, employment, and economics chapter evaluated populations, housing, income, employment, and industries in the area. The environmental justice chapter evaluated minority and low-income populations and whether they would be disproportionately affected by the construction and operation of the offshore wind farm.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) South (formerly known as Kitty Hawk North) Draft EIS, North Carolina Supported the preparation of the draft EIS for the 1,000-MW wind project from up to 69 WTGs. Led four chapters of the EIS: demographics, employment, and economics; environmental justice; recreation and tourism; and land use. All chapters evaluated baseline conditions of their topic areas and potential impacts as a result of the offshore wind farm for proximal counties. The demographics, employment, and economics chapter evaluated populations, housing, income, employment, and industries in the area. The environmental justice chapter evaluated minority and low-income populations and whether they would be disproportionately affected by the construction and operation of the offshore wind farm. The recreation and tourism chapter evaluated onshore, coastal, and offshore recreation, and the land use chapter evaluated how baseline land and infrastructure would be affected by the offshore wind operation.

Environmental Impact Assessment

Two Rivers and Lucky Star Wind Development Projects, Wyoming Conducted an economic analysis for a proposed combined 780-MW wind energy project on more than 98,000 acres of private land in Wyoming. The economic analysis evaluated the following: the area of influence and local governments primarily affected; construction and operations labor estimates, wages, and benefits; local hiring and expected use of non-local skilled workers; land use and land use changes; and impacts on local employment, the population, housing, public services, and taxes.
Moneta Divide Natural Gas and Oil Development Project, Wyoming Conducted an economic analysis to address potential effects of the Moneta Divide natural gas and oil development project. The study conducted an impact analysis of the Moneta Divide project’s proposed oil and gas drilling and 50-year production period. The study evaluated construction and operations labor, wages, and benefits; local hiring and expected use of non-local skilled workers; and impacts on local employment, the population, housing, and taxes.
Socioeconomic Baseline Report and Supplemental Environmental Resource Reports for Social Conditions and Environmental Justice, Nevada Conducted an application for a proposed gold mine expansion and mine life extension in northeastern Nevada. The socioeconomic baseline report characterized recent socioeconomic conditions in the surrounding counties and communities that could be affected by development and operations of the proposed expansion.
Lithium Mine Proposed Project, Nevada Supported an application for a proposed lithium mine in Humboldt County, Nevada, conducting the economic analysis, which evaluated the following: the area of influence and local governments primarily affected; construction and operations labor, wages, and benefits; and impacts on local employment, the population, housing, and taxes. The study also included an environmental justice analysis, which evaluated potential disproportionate impacts on low-income and minority communities in the study area.
Silver Mine Proposed Expansion, Alaska Led the draft baseline sections for the socioeconomic and environmental justice chapters of a supplemental EIS. Conducted the economic analysis, which evaluated the following for the proposed expansion: the area of influence and local governments primarily affected; construction and operations labor, wages, and benefits; and impacts on local employment, the population, housing, and taxes. The study also included an environmental justice analysis, which evaluated potential disproportionate impacts on low-income and minority communities in the study area.
Proposed Quarry Expansion, Colorado Conducted an application for a proposed expansion and life extension for a quarry in Colorado. The socioeconomic analysis evaluated construction and operations labor estimates, wages, and benefits; local hiring and expected use of non-local skilled workers; land use and land use changes; and impacts to local employment, population, housing, public services, and taxes in the surrounding counties and communities that could be affected by development and operations of the proposed expansion.
New Railway Construction and Operation, Utah Led the socioeconomic portion of the EIS, which evaluated the economic impacts of three potential rail routes and a no-action alternative. Key economic measures estimated for this study were employment, labor income, and total value added or gross regional product.
Cost Analysis of Carbon Capture and Storage: Case Studies and Models, Illinois Conducted an in-depth literature review of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects worldwide, comparing the cost-effectiveness of CCS in a saline aquifer in Illinois to other major projects. Worked with the engineering and drilling team to understand drilling, pipeline, and monitoring costs in central Illinois. Estimated total cost of CCS from these projects based on variables such as storage amount, location, quantity of wells, permeability, and pipeline length.

Feasibility Studies

Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Families in Mexico City to the Impacts of Climate Change on Water, Mexico Developed a feasibility study seeking to enhance resilience of the most vulnerable population in Mexico City to climate change impacts on water through enhancing knowledge and communication to manage future climate risks, scaling up access to domestic rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS), developing financial products and services dedicated to promoting RWHS adoption, and creating public policy instruments to support the sustainable deployment of RWHS.

Natural Resources Assessment

Return on Investment Study: Washington Conservation Corps, Washington Conducted a return on investment (ROI) analysis for the Washington Conservation Corps to determine suitability for ROI analysis and develop an approach for estimating and monetizing benefits and costs of its removal of invasive species on protected lands. Reviewed literature for research findings that inform the methodology of specific ROI analyses and assembled and reviewed program-specific publicly available data for use in the analysis, including liaising with leaders and evaluators for the programs that are the subjects of ROI studies. Last, developed a model to estimate ROI and wrote the results in a clear, comprehensive, and detailed report.

Policy Analysis

Hours-of-Service Economic Analyses, Washington, DC Provided analytical support for the evaluation of the hours-of-service rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers. This project involved quantifying the costs and benefits of different proposed regulatory changes. Costs of the rule arise through losses in productivity under the new proposed rules as compared to the baseline of the current regulations. Benefits arise from reduction in fatigue-related crashes and from drivers working extreme schedules getting improved sleep that can be linked to decreases in mortality.
Economic Impact Analysis of California High-Speed Rail from Burbank to Anaheim, California Supported the estimation of short- and long-term economic impacts of construction and operation of two sections of the proposed California High Speed Rail in Southern California. This analysis estimated direct, indirect, and induced jobs created by the construction of track and rail stations between Burbank and Anaheim, and the long-term economic impacts resulting from rail operations.

Recreation

Valuing Urban Beaches in Chicago: Distribution of Benefits across Race and Income, Chicago, Illinois Conducted a valuation of Chicago’s public beaches using survey data to conduct a travel cost analysis considering socioeconomic demographics. Created and administered the survey used as well as performed data analysis on the results. Conclusions, which were drawn from the data and literature to better inform how the public good is used, found the Chicago beaches to be an extremely valuable public good to the metropolitan area.

Regulatory Support

Economic Analysis for the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Rule, Washington, DC Supported the analysis for a proposed CFATS rule that focuses on chemical facilities that manufacture, process, use, store, or distribute certain chemicals. This analysis involved updating a 2007 final rule by validating the estimates for the number of facilities and the cost of various security measures to owners and operators, and updating the estimated costs and benefits of the proposed rule.
Advanced Clean Cars II Economic Impact Analysis, Colorado Led a macroeconomic impact analysis of the Advanced Clean Cars II rulemaking for the state of Colorado. Tailored and adapted previous analyses conducted by the California Air Resources Board to evaluate different time horizons and compare different possible scenarios for electric vehicle adoption in the state of Colorado.
Animal Waste Reporting Requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Washington, DC Led the regulatory impact analysis for the EPCRA reporting requirements for air releases of hazardous substances from animal waste at farms. Estimated costs to all farms to establish whether they fall under the reporting requirements and costs of compliance with the proposed rule on the regulated industries, state and local governments, and the agency. Conducted an environmental justice analysis of low-income, minority, and tribal communities in areas around farms exceeding the reportable quantities of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide using GIS.
Regulatory Support for Stratospheric Protection Division, Washington, DC Managed tasks and conducted economic analyses for rulemakings promulgated under the AIM Act, such as projecting possible trends of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) imports consumption and emissions through 2050 using historical import data and projected future consumption and emissions of HFC imports. Also conducted stakeholder interviews to establish a baseline understanding of the domestic HFC supply chain. Additionally managed and coauthored a report on the domestic HFC reclamation market, which was published as a Notice of Data Availability.
Economic Analysis for Proposed Regulation of HBCD, Washington, DC Conducted an economic analysis to support EPA’s proposed rule to regulate the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). The economic analysis includes profiling industries affected by the rule, modeling monetized costs and benefits, and completing other minor analyses, including a small business impact analysis, environmental justice analysis, and sensitivity analysis. Utilizing data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Energy, estimated the number of buildings in the United States with HBCD-containing thermal insulation.
Drinking Water Treatment Cost Models, Washington, DC Updated labor cost and land cost inputs to the spreadsheet-based models to estimate the cost of more than 40 drinking water treatment technologies.
Regulatory Support for EPA’s Office of Emergency Management, Washington, DC Provided support on varying regulatory projects ranging from ad hoc analyses, environmental justice analyses, report formatting, public comment support, comment summary development, and other regulatory support efforts.

Statistical Analysis

Worst-Case Scenario Modeling: Fatalities and Injuries, Washington, DC Conducted worst-case scenario modeling of vessel-related accidents resulting in fatalities and/or injuries using the extreme value theory framework.
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