Strengthen natural disaster and flooding response capabilities

Aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina | Adobe

Help Ensure States are Prepared for Hurricane Season

ACT NOW to tell Congress to protect rivers and invest in nature-based solutions to flooding.

The House of Representatives just introduced a bill that would make FEMA an independent agency which would include major reforms in an effort to get funding to flooded communities faster. This proposal is a good start to improving FEMA’s services delivery to communities impacted by natural hazards.

Join us in showing support and speak up for common-sense river management as part of the solutions to flood safety. A healthy river is a safe river.

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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

Sincerely,

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