Pentagon Submits Bases Most Threatened by Climate Change

Military officials flagged nearly four dozen bases they say are most threatened by climate change.

According to Defense One, the list of 46 locations was submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week after a six-month delay. One base in Japan is included, while there are two in Guam. Besides three other threatened bases in Hawaii, the rest are in the continental U.S.

"The effects of a changing climate are a national security issue with potential impacts to Department of Defense missions, operational plans, and installations," the report read, according to Defense One.

Each of the four branches of service — the Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force — conducted their own assessments and submitted their list of bases.

Appearing on the list is Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, which has roughly four miles of land along the water and another 11 miles of piers and wharfs. It is the largest Naval base in the world and supports Naval ships and personnel that operate in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, along with the Mediterranean Sea. Rising sea levels are threatening the welfare of the base, officials wrote.

California and Florida each listed eight bases, including Tyndall Air Force Base on the Florida panhandle. That facility was decimated by Hurricane Michael last year, with buildings and aircraft destroyed or rendered inoperable.

The full list of bases in the report, organized by service:

Army (most threatened to least threatened):

1. Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.
2. Fort Irwin, California.
3. Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
4. Fort Bliss, Texas.
5. White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
6. Camp Roberts, California.
7. Hawthorne Army Depot, Nevada.
8. Tooele Army Depot, Utah.
9. Military Ocean Terminal Concord, California.
10. Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colorado.

Air Force (most threatened to least threatened):

1. Vandenberg AFB, California.
2. Eglin AFB, Florida.
3. Hurlburt Field, Florida.
4. Patrick AFB, Florida.
5. Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.
6. Dover, Delaware.
7. Homestead AFB, Florida​.
8. Macdill AFB, Florida.
9. Tyndall AFB, Florida.
10. Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

Navy (not ranked):

• Naval Air Station Key West, Florida.
• Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia.
• Naval Base Guam, Guam.
• Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii.
• Wahiawa Annex, Hawaii.
• Naval Magazine Indian Island, Washington.
• Naval Base Coronado, California.
• Naval Base San Diego, California.
• Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, Washington, D.C.
• Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
• Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
• Naval Support Facility Indian Head, Maryland.
• Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
• Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia.
• Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Virginia.
• Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads – Northwest Annex, Virginia/North Carolina.

Marine Corps (not ranked):

• Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.
• Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
• Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan.
• Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Hawaii.
• Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina.
• Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, Florida.
• Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina.
• Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
• Marine Corps Reserve Forces, New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California.

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