Blumenauer Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Federal Emergency Management Agency's Approach to Climate Disasters
U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) today introduced the Climate Risk and Emergency Support in Livable Inclusive and Equitable Neighborhoods and Communities Everywhere (RESILIENCE) Act, bold legislation to strengthen the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) approach to climate disasters.
"Oregonians know all too well that climate disasters like floods, heat waves, and wildfires are an unfortunate part of our reality, but that commonsense changes can help us create safer communities for all," said Blumenauer. "I'm deeply concerned that FEMA is far too reactive, rather than proactive, and that vulnerable groups and neighborhoods who are already disproportionately impacted by climate change aren't receiving the support they need before and after disaster strikes. FEMA can and must do better to meaningfully and equitably deal with climate disasters, and my Climate RESILIENCE Act is a step in the right direction."
The introduction follows a year of record-breaking weather in Oregon, in which a severe winter storm, destructive wildfire season, and unprecedented heat wave all together killed more than 100 Oregonians and left hundreds of thousands of people without power. And Oregonians aren't alone. A startling new report revealed that more than 40 percent of Americans live in counties that were hit by climate-fueled extreme weather events in 2021.
The Climate RESILIENCE Act--the first piece of legislation to come out of Blumenauer's comprehensive legislative roadmap to address climate disasters--would help protect communities across Oregon and America, by:
Improving FEMA's disaster definition to include extreme temperature events, like heat waves and freezes;
Improving FEMA's definitions and cost share eligibility requirements for disadvantaged communities and underserved communities;
Enhancing the hazard mitigation planning process to better integrate states', tribes', and territories' hazard mitigation planning into other mitigation planning processes, also includes a focus on resiliency planning and investments;
Providing both financial and non-financial technical assistance for hazard mitigation planning, as well as for grant applications for small impoverished and disadvantaged communities;
Expanding the list of eligible activities funded under FEMA's pre-disaster and post-disaster mitigation programs, including improving hazard resistance of structures, enhancing natural infrastructure, and working with community organizations to improve planning; and
Expanding Pre-Disaster Mitigation Assistance funding to address FEMA's oversubscription issues.
The Climate RESILIENCE Act is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Sean Casten (D-IL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MI), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Mondaire Jones (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Jerry McNerny (D-CA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Maria Newman (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton(D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).
The legislation is endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, Union of Concerned Scientists, Sunrise, Sierra Club, EarthJustice, Center for Biological Diversity, National Urban League, Coalition of Communities of Color, Verde, Chief Resilience Officer for the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, Director of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Oregon State Resilience Officer, Director of the Oregon Department of Energy, and the Port of Portland. Their statements of support are available here.
Full text of the legislation is available here. A section-by-section summary is available here.
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