UMass Ready To Open Northeast Climate Center

Researchers are ready to begin work at the new Northeast Climate Science Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The U.S. Department of the Interior chose UMass to lead a group of seven universities studying the impacts of climate change.

The center's principal investigator, Richard Palmer, says the research will help lead to infrastructure improvements as events such as the typical "100-year flood" become more frequent.

"We may be seeing those once every 30 or 40 years," Palmer said. "And so what that means is that we have to plan and manage for more frequent extreme events."

Palmer says some of the center's research will focus on Northeast forests.

"If forests see continued increases in temperature, we may actually see a change in the predominant species," he said. "There's a lot of concern about the maple production and maple syrup in western Massachusetts and whether the winter has been cold enough."

The center is one of eight regional climate centers and is funded by a $7.5 million federal grant.