Just got this press release announcing that EPA will continue a promising-looking webcast series designed to help local governments adapt to climate change. While the blurb doesn’t say the program is specifically targeting coastal communities, it seems likely that much if not all of what they discuss will apply to all of us abutting the […]
Tag Archives | infrastructure
New Guidance for Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning
Posted on October 21, 2010
The Florida Department of Community Affairs and Florida Division of Emergency Management yesterday released its long-awaited Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning: A Guide for Florida Communities. [QUICK NOTE: while this is written for Florida, it’s likely to be useful for communities anywhere in the US.] From their announcement: Over the past four years the Department and the […]
Funding for "Climate Change Mitigation" Available
Posted on July 26, 2010
New funding opportunity. From their press release: EDA Offers Grants through Climate Change Mitigation Fund The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) advances economic growth by assisting communities experiencing chronic high unemployment and low per capita income to create an environment that fosters innovation, promotes entrepreneurship, and attracts increased private capital investment. EDA […]
FEMA Releases Guidance for 2011 Mitigation Grant Programs
Posted on July 21, 2010
Via the always useful CZMA Climate Change and Coastal Hazards E-News Update newsletter: The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) “Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program Guidance” (176 pp.) represents the unification of all five of the agency’s hazard mitigation grant programs into one guidance document. These programs, which provide funding for eligible mitigation activities that reduce […]
Editorial Advises Better Planning and Building, NOT the Ike Dike
Posted on May 28, 2010
A new Houston Chronicle article argues that building the so-called “Ike Dike” will put more, not less people and property at great risk, and that the best way to protect property from hazards is to keep them out of hazardous areas. In “Forget the Ike Dike, let’s improve building methods” Texas A&M professor John Jacob […]
Texas Town Tightens Development Rules
Posted on May 12, 2010
The City Council of Galveston, Texas recently approved new beach-front construction regulations. The new rules push new development 75 feet back from the north toe of dunes, or 350 feet from the mean high-water line, whichever line is farther landward. They are seen locally as a compromise with some wanting stricter regulations while others did […]
County Uses FEMA Funds for Innovative Infrastructure Reconstruction
Posted on May 11, 2010
Good case study on a county using FEMA Public Assistance (PA) 406 Mitigation funds to pay for post-storm recovery using a relatively innovative technique: When technical advice from a Public Assistance Specialist recommended using a geo-textile to stabilize the embankment and make the road more resilient once repairs were completed, Lafayette County’s Emergency Management Coordinator […]
Governor Requests Additional Flood Assistance for Impacted Communities
Posted on April 16, 2010
A new press release from MEMA (emphasis added): Governor Patrick Requests Additional Flood Assistance for Impacted Communities Thursday, April 15, 2010 – Governor Deval Patrick has made a request to President Obama to declare a Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation in order to expedite financial aid to the local cities and […]
Study Finds Northeast Getting Fiercer Rainstorms
Posted on April 6, 2010
A new study is reporting that that precipitation in the northeastern portion of the United States has seen an increase in heavy rain events over the past 50 years. The report, authored by the Clean Air-Cool Planet and the University of New Hampshire’s Carbon Solutions New England group, is based on an examination of National […]
Region Forms Group & Plan to Address Threats to Critical Infrastructure
Posted on March 15, 2010
Emergency Management has written a case study on one region’s efforts to assess and identify its critical infrastructure and how to address the risks posed to it. Not surprisingly, the article reports that the project was not easy: along with the standard challenges of who should be involved and who should be in charge, they […]