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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and
Risk Management
Crisis and Emergency Management
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NOTICE: The ICDRM's monthly emergency managment forum, held at the GWU |
| February
2003
Volume 4 - Number 1 |
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Links:
Current events
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DHS and Natural Hazard Mitigation: Like Oil
and Flood Water?
Flood Mitigation Assistance funds transferred to
new Department of Homeland Security
By: Jennifer Chang
Many states and community flood plain management programs will be unfunded in FY03 as Flood Mitigation Assistance funds were recently re-obligated to support the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. According to Larry Larson, executive director of the Association of State Flood Plain Managers, flood mitigation projects nationwide had been approved by FEMA but had not yet been officially obligated on FEMA’s balance sheets in Washington, DC. “The legality of the transfer of funds is not clear,” said Larson. “The Flood Mitigation Assistance fund comes from flood insurance premiums paid to the National Flood Insurance. These aren’t tax dollars collected from all of the taxpayers in the U.S.” Flood losses in the United States continue to dramatically rise and repetitive loss claims continue to place a disproportionate burden on the flood insurance program. Flood-prone communities have worked with individual homeowners, local business interests, as well as State and Federal agencies to create floodplain management projects. In a letter to FEMA’s director, the Association of Flood Plain Managers express their concern that the abrupt revocation of funding will “discourage community and property owners from participating in mitigation in the future.” Additionally, Larson expressed concern about future funding for FEMA’s flood plain mapping program. Proposed program funding has decreased from $200 million to $100 million. “This trend demonstrates that mitigation is not a DHS priority,” said Larson who noted that flood risk quantifiably outstrips fire risks and typically has a greater impact on an entire community. “Community leadership reinforces this view and we have to work to educate people to understand where the real risk lies.” Related Links: Association of Flood Plain Managers (ASFPM) – www.floods.org ASFPM letter to FEMA Director - www.floods.org/FMAtransftoDHSLTR.pdf Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration: www.fema.gov/fima/ Flood related publications in 2002 - www.colorado.edu/hazards/bib/bib02/floods.html |