A National Security Threat Without Borders: Climate Change and the Need for Military Facility Modernization

December 2024
Citation:
54
ELR 11035
Issue
12
Author
Janessa H. Brito

The U.S. military has recognized climate change as a national security threat. Over the past three decades, installations across the country have experienced infrastructure damage, personnel evacuations, and millions or billions in rebuilding or repair costs. This Article argues that most military facilities are woefully unprepared for these impacts; to expedite action, it calls for a focus on expanding Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for infrastructure-related procurement, as well as specific measures, mandates, and responses. The Article examines recent devastating weather events across Air Force installations in Florida and California. It then discusses recent laws on environmental response, with a focus on the National Defense Authorization Acts and specific provisions for infrastructure, facility, and related environmental measures, and highlights various directives, plans, and spending behavior. It concludes by proposing top-down solutions for speeding procurement and broadening use of OTAs.

Major Janessa H. Brito is a 2024 LL.M. graduate of the George Washington University Law School and a judge advocate general in the U.S. Air Force.