Pinyon is currently supporting the benefit-cost analysis of three groups of structural interventions in the Boston region. This involves estimating the annualized costs and benefits of the structural interventions, including estimating the reduction in flood damages to structure and contents values from the structural interventions. We compare the flood damages under the coastal storm surge and sea level rise in 100 years under various flood events with and without the structural interventions for three regions that would benefit from the structural interventions. We compare these benefits in reducing the risks of flood damages with the cost of constructing and maintaining the structures. All monetized benefits and costs are annualized over the life of the project. Pinyon also describes other benefits of the project that are not monetized, including ecosystem goods and services, avoided emergency costs and other homeowner costs, social benefits including considerations of environmental justice populations, and avoided business income disruptions. The project is currently ongoing.
In a previous effort, Pinyon staff have estimated the flood damages to structures and contents; disruptions to business income and sales; and regional economic impacts of these wide-scale disruptions under the 0.5% annual exceedance probability or 200-year event.
