Flood maps used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are out-of-date and understate the risks to homes and businesses from flooding and extreme rain triggered by climate change. One study came to the same conclusion: a 2020 evaluation of flood risk by the non-profit group First Street Foundation, which analyzed every property in the... Continue Reading →
Federal funding opens soon for mitigation projects
While we wait for federal lawmakers to pass a comprehensive infrastructure package that may integrate clean energy infrastructure and a sustainable framework for climate change and resilience in the face of continued severe natural disasters, there’s another federal resource worthy of attention. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a new program, Building Resilient Infrastructures... Continue Reading →
Tougher building codes save money in the long run
A study by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shows that the adoption of modern building codes is averting over a billion dollars a year in structural damage in California and Florida alone. The preliminary findings of this first-of-its-kind study are expected to be formally released in August.The study calculates how much damage has been... Continue Reading →
FEMA proposing new rules on building in floodplains
In January of 2015, the Obama Administration issued Executive Order 13690. The order was aimed at improving resilience to current and future flood risks and modified the 1977 Executive order 119888, which addressed flood plain development. Among other actions, the new order directed FEMA to develop a proposed amendment to 44 CFR part 9, “Floodplain... Continue Reading →