Recent research has shown that sites in the Caribbean dating back to 5000 BC experienced sea level rise that was “just as bad as anything we are expecting.” Not only did these civilizations survive a changing coastline and more storm surges, but also they stayed put and successfully adapted to the changing world. Ongoing reseach […]
PUBLICATION: New EPA Report Outlines Adaptation Options
Posted on May 18, 2009
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a report outlining different ways that coastal managers of all levels can help adapt to on-going climate change. It focuses on nine general goals: Maintain/restore wetlands Maintain sediment transport Preserve coastal land/development (including infrastructure) Maintain shorelines utilizing “soft” measures Maintain shorelines utilizing “hard” measures Invasive species management […]
FEMA Moves Towards Digital-Only FIRMs
Posted on May 18, 2009
FEMA has announced that beginning on or after October 1, 2009, it will provide only a single paper Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) to each community when their maps are updated, and will convert all other distribution of maps and FIS reports for digital delivery. FEMA will continue to provide […]
DHS Releases New Compendium of Disaster Assistance Programs
Posted on May 18, 2009
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security just released The Compendium of Disaster Assistance Programs (PDF 1.5 MB), and it’s arguably as imposing impressive as it sounds. While the 43-pages of tabular data on “federal programs providing assistance (financial and non-financial) to individuals, states, localities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses impacted by a disaster” may not be […]
National Hurricane Center Urged to Update Warning System
Posted on May 8, 2009
The Miami Herald reports that U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL) told forecasters and federal, state, local and Red Cross emergency managers on Friday that the nation’s emergency warning system needs to join the wired and increasingly wireless 21st century. During a House subcommittee hearing on national and state hurricane preparedness held in Miami, he argued […]
Blueprint for Coastal Resiliency Released
Posted on April 27, 2009
The Heinz Center and Ceres have released Resilient Coasts: A Blueprint for Action, which outlines policy changes and common sense actions that could reduce economic, ecological and social losses from future storms and rising sea levels along U.S. coastlines. Specific recommendations include: enable planning for climate impacts by providing the necessary science and decision-making tools; […]
LEGAL: Liability of Government for Flood Damages Tested
Posted on April 21, 2009
As flood-damages grow, so do lawsuits alleging that certain individuals, organizations, or developments are responsible for exacerbating problems (see the legal section of this site). Yesterday a civil suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began in a federal court in New Orleans. The plaintiff contends that the 76-mile-long Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO: […]
TECHNOLOGY: Twitter for Evacuation?
Posted on April 20, 2009
The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced a new plan to use micro-blogging phenomenon Twitter to help provide evacuees with the latest news on major evacuation routes. MDOT will update the feeds so anybody can access them via computer, cell-phone or other electronic devices. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with the the easy-to-use but […]
California Creates On-Line Climate Change Impact Maps
Posted on April 20, 2009
As part of a project funded by the California Energy Commission, California Department of Transportation, and the Ocean Protection Council, the Pacific Institute has created a web-accessible map of the California coast showing areas and infrastructure vulnerable to flooding and erosion under current ocean conditions, and those at risk with a 1.4m rise in sea […]
EDUCATION: FEMA Launches New School Program
Posted on April 16, 2009
FEMA has released a new online educational program designed to provide elementary and middle school teachers with resources to integrate natural disaster preparedness information into their curriculum. Ready Classroom (www.discoveryeducation.com/readyclassroom) provides teachers with activities, lesson plans and multimedia tools to teach students how natural disasters develop and how to build their own emergency preparedness plans […]