In an effort to make communities more resilient in the face of post-disaster scenarios, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is taking proactive measures. These include raising buildings above floodplains to lessen the risk and impact of potential floods. This initiative comes in the wake of an executive order by President Joe Biden that broadened the definition of a floodplain. This expansion takes into account the effects of climate change and future flood risk, which may result in even higher-elevated and better-fortified structures.
This new direction from FEMA will incorporate both current and future changes in flooding. The agency will utilize climate science to estimate flood risk. This includes considering factors such as sea level rise and erosion. While there may be additional costs associated with the implementation of this new rule, FEMA believes that the prevention of future damages will balance out these expenses. That said, local governments, which typically shoulder around 25% of the costs for repairs or flood barrier installations, may face financial challenges.
As part of FEMA’s effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, a new policy has been rolled out. This policy dictates that all new and reconstruction projects must be built to withstand the increased flooding that is expected to occur due to climate change. Effective from September 9th, all projects funded by FEMA must be elevated at least 2 feet above the area flood level. This must be done using the most recent data while also taking into account the probable impacts of climate change.
This is a part of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, originally proposed in 2015. This standard will be applied to a wide array of projects, including schools, police stations, and crucial infrastructure such as roads and bridges. The goal is to make taxpayer-funded projects more resilient. This will work to protect federal investments, reduce the risk of damage and loss, and is expected to apply to approximately 35,000 projects over the next decade. This rule represents a significant step towards a more proactive and climate-conscious approach to building and maintaining our communities.
Science4Data is committed to cut through greenwashing and measure real impact. Join the journey to a sustainable future. Your actions matter.
