Does the U.S. Need to be More Prepared for Catastrophic Floods?

What’s the story?

Just ten day previous to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Harvey, President Trump rescinded flood preparedness rules for federal infrastructure projects via an executive order. The rules for roads, bridges, and federal buildings, called the Flood Risk Management Standard, were created by President Obama via executive order in 2015.

Those standards had not yet been put into effect, so President Trump’s actions did not change anything currently happening. It simply derailed a process that had yet to be completed.

If you’re someone who opposes this move by the current administration, then consider it a two steps forward, one step back kind of challenge. If you support Trump’s action, then you currently have inertia on your side.

Why does it matter?

According to Politico:

"Since 1998, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has spent nearly $50 billion on Public Assistance Grants to recover from federally declared flood disasters. The majority of that money — nearly $27 billion — has helped rebuild flood-damaged public infrastructure projects like bridges, schools, roads and hospitals.”

Severe flood damage is not limited to coastal areas like the Texas Gulf Coast. All 50 states have experienced serious flood damage in recent years. The Flood Risk Management Standard was an attempt by the Obama administration to bring regulations in line with current climate realities in order to mitigate inevitable destruction in the future.

The Trump administration maintains that the rules, if enacted fully, would have slowed down infrastructure projects to a degree that is counterproductive, by increasing the number of hoops to jump through and unnecessarily increasing building costs. The executive order is supported by the National Association of Home Builders, who applauded the president’s action in a statement:

"The FRMS posed unanswered regulatory questions that would force developers to halt projects and raise the cost of housing.”

Opponents of the recent executive order argue that the the move is penny-wise but pound-foolish. Saving money on infrastructure that will be wrecked by severe flooding simply means taxpayers will pay more overall, even if they get to enjoy new infrastructure sooner. Norma Jean Mattei, President of the American Society of Civil Engineers, said in a statement:

"While a streamlined permitting process can help to address our nation's significant infrastructure needs, it must be a balanced approach that protects the health, safety, and welfare of the public and the environment in which Americans live.”

President Trump’s executive order changed nothing that would have affected what is happening on the Gulf Coast right now. However, if you, CountaCitizen, want Congress to take steps to counter the president’s executive order and renew a federal commitment to flood disaster preparedness, now would be the time to reach out to your Members of Congress. The devastation as a result of Hurricane Harvey makes the conversation timely.

If you support the president’s move, let your Members of Congress know that, too. They’ll have that support to refer to in their conversations with those in Congress that disagree.

What do you think?

Do you agree with the president’s executive order? Has Hurricane Harvey changed your position? What’s your priority, development or mitigating future disasters? Is there a middle path that no one’s thought of yet?

Tell us in the comments and then use the Take Action button to tell your reps what you think!

Take Action

— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Wikimedia / Creative Commons)

Related Reading:

• Trump Rescinded Obama’s Flood-risk Rule Weeks Before Hurricane Harvey Hit — Newsweek

• Trump reversed regulations to protect infrastructure against flooding just days before Hurricane Harvey — Business Insider

• Trump rolled back federal standards to flood-proof infrastructure projects a few weeks before Harvey hit — Vox