Resiliency

NWIL Scenarios

A resilient community is one that grapples with uncertainty. Scenario planning “is a structured way for organizations to think about the future,” beginning with a long discussion about how the participants think that big shifts will impact them, followed by an establishment of priorities that eventually “form the basis for sketching out rough pictures of the future” (“Scenario Planning,” The Economist). The following scenarios imagine different futures for Northwest Illinois.

National Flood Insurance

Communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) by adopting and enforcing floodplain management regulations are eligible for flood insurance, disaster assistance, and mitigation grants through the Federal Management Agency (FEMA). Forty-six municipalities and all six counties participate in the program.

Climate Resiliency

Climate resiliency refers to how well a community is prepared to respond to climate-related risks. Indicators of risk include:

FEMA National Flood Hazard Zones
These support FEMA's National Flood Insurance program and contain current effective flood hazard data, showing the risk of flooding to communities.

Income Inequality (Gini Index)
This map uses the Gini index to illustrate income inequality. Per the US Census, "[the index] ranges from 0, indicating perfect equality (where everyone receives an equal share), to 1, perfect inequality (where only one recipient or group of recipients receives all the income)."

National Risk Index (NRI)
FEMA's NRI shows a community's risk with respect to 18 natural hazards. BHRC's counties fall within the Very Low and Relatively Low categories; the highest risk hazards for the area are Cold Wave, Ice Storm, and Strong Wind.

Areas of Environmental Concern

Soil and water contamination due to past land uses can hinder redevelopment. Funding from federal and state agencies for cleanup efforts, however, can turn these sites into viable investment opportunities. The dashboard below illustrates brownfield, Superfund, and state site remediation program sites. 

Brownfields
The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)'s definition of brownfield is "...abandoned or under-utilized industrial and commercial properties with actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment." The federal government generally is generally not involved in brownfield cleanups; state and tribal response programs often assist with remediation. The sites on the map below have been sorted by the level of assessment and recommendation for cleanup.

Superfund Sites
Like brownfields, Superfund sites are those contaminated by hazardous waste. However, due to the level of contamination, risk to human health, or other circumstances, the US EPA either cleans up or forces the responsible party to clean up the site. The National Priorities List (NPL) guides the US EPA in "determining which sites warrant further investigation."

State Site Remediation Program (SRP)
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) carries out the SRP program to provide those looking to conduct investigative or remedial activities "the opportunity to receive review, technical assistance, and no further remediation determinations from the [IEPA]." Sites that receive a no further remediation (NFR) letter are no longer considered a hazard to human health and the environment (as long as the site is used according to the terms in the letter). 

Distressed Communities

The map below is based on StatsAmerica data (accessed March 2024) that looks at certain distress criteria as defined by the US Economic Development Administration (US EDA). 

County-Level Data

• Unemployment Ratio - Counties with an unemployment rate 1 percentage point above the national rate may qualify for select grants. This ratio shows how many percentage points a county's unemployment rate is above or below the nation's. For example, if the national unemployment rate is 3.2, and a county's rate is 5.3, then the ratio is 2.1. This unemployment rate uses the 24-month rate from the BLS, ending July 2024.

• Per Capita Personal Income (PCPI) - Shows the county's average PCPI as a percent of the national figure. This is based on the 2022 BEA figure.  Counties with an PCPI ratio at least 80% or below may qualify for select grants.

• Per Capita Money Income (PMCI) - Shows the county's average PMCI as a percent of the national figure. This is based on the 2022 ACS figure. Counties with an PMCI ratio at least 80% or below may qualify for select grants.

Census Tract-Level Data

If a county does not qualify, census tracts may. There are two census tract layers - Unemployment and PMCI. Figures come from the 2022 5-year ACS. The layers show census tracts that have an unemployment rate 1 percentage point or more above the national rate or a PCMI ratio at least 80% or below the national PCMI.