Help Ensure States are Prepared for Hurricane Season

French Broad River, North Carolina | Jack Henderson

“FEMA staff baffled after head said he was unaware of US hurricane season”- Reuters June 2, 2025

FEMA staff weren’t the only ones left shocked by this headline. Since the Trump Administration took office in January, there has been a concerted effort to roll back the role the federal government plays in natural disaster management. President Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have called for FEMA to be abolished, rescinded the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard designed to ensure federal infrastructure investments are resilient to floods, and eliminated the $5 billion Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program.

Natural disaster management is a shared responsibility of local communities, states, and federal agencies. With the federal government taking a giant step back from their role, it now falls more on states and local communities to fill in the gaps to help vulnerable citizens.

States cannot wait for another hurricane or major flooding event to hit to strengthen their programs and invest in flood resilience. Join us in asking state leaders to ACT NOW to strengthen their natural disaster and flooding response capabilities.

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Dear {contact_data~salutation},

As the leader of a state that faces the threat of hurricanes every year, you know the impacts and havoc that result when a major storm makes landfall. 2024’s Hurricane Helene was a stark reminder that hurricanes can be devastating to river communities bringing destructive flooding, cutting off clean water supplies, and destroying infrastructure and nature.

Local communities, states, and the federal government have traditionally been partners in helping prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters like hurricanes. But with major changes underway at FEMA and other federal agencies, our river communities can no longer rely on federal funding to do their part to keep us safe and resilient. It’s more important than ever for states to have strong natural disaster and floodplain management programs in place to protect people and the rivers they depend on.

Here are some steps that you can take to prepare our state to weather hurricanes and flooding this year and long into the future:

- Coordinate Across Agencies: States typically have separate departments for floodplain management, emergency response, natural resources, housing and human services, etc. but all these entities play an important role in natural disaster management. Establish a Chief Resilience Officer to effectively coordinate efforts across agencies. If your state already has a CRO, make sure they have the authority and funding to act effectively.

- Invest in State Staff Capacity: Many states rely on funding from FEMA to fund hazard mitigation and floodplain management staff positions. The Trump Administration is seeking to shift more of the cost of natural disaster management onto states, which could impact funding necessary to staff key positions within your agencies. State agencies should work with legislators to ensure that states agencies have the necessary funding for critical natural-disaster focused positions.

- Fund Integrated Hazard Mitigation: Preventing a disaster is far more cost effective than recovering from one. State integrated hazard mitigation programs are an effective way to reduce risk and create efficient systems tailored to local needs. Programs can utilize state revenue or receive infusions of federal funding to provide flexible funding to support local coordination, planning, implementation and administration to ensure outcomes are locally driven. Prioritizing nature-based solutions like floodplain restoration, open space preservation, and coastal marsh restoration that provide multiple benefits to a diverse range of partners further strengthens support for these programs and maximizes investments.

- Strengthen Land Use and Development Standards: The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) sets minimum standards for land use and development for participating communities. States can and should adopt higher standards to reduce risk especially as they take on more of the cost of disaster mitigation and recovery responsibilities. Guiding development away from high-risk areas can reduce recovery costs and protect floodplain and wetland ecosystems while safely increasing economic development and meeting other community needs like affordable housing.

- Address Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: The dams and levees that keep many communities safe from flooding are often decades old and inadequate to accommodate modern storm events. Every state should put in place a Dam Safety Program and a Levee Safety Program that includes funding for inspections, repairs, and removal when structures have reached the end of their lifecycle.

Thank you for your consideration of these recommendations on strategies that your state can take to strengthen your natural disaster and flooding capabilities as you prepare for the 2025 hurricane season.  
 
Sincerely,

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