“The best disaster response and recovery policy is advance planning, land use, and building codes to prevent a disaster from happening in the first place. Society has the experience and tools at its disposal to prevent many of the devastating impacts disasters have on humans.” In this month’s Natural Hazards Observer (PDF), Edward A. Thomas […]
Tag Archives | publications
Corps of Engineers Mandates Consideration of Sea Level Rise
Posted on October 13, 2009
In a new public document, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) has announced that it will immediately require all COE Civil Works projects in coastal and estuarine areas to consider sea level rise in all phases of its projects. The short document continues with specific explanations of which rates of sea level rise must […]
Improved Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance Released
Posted on September 29, 2009
FEMA has released a re-formatted version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Guidance with internal links throughout the document. It is now possible to jump between sections in the document based on the internal links. The substance of the guidance remains the same, only the format has been changed. Kudos to […]
Smart Growth Guide for Coastal and Waterfront Communities Released
Posted on September 9, 2009
Today the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the International City/County Management Association, and Rhode Island Sea Grant released Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities. Developed in consultation with the national Smart Growth Network, the interagency guide builds on the network’s ten smart growth principles to create coastal and waterfront-specific strategies […]
Updated Extreme Weather Information Sheets Available
Posted on August 21, 2009
The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management has released an updated version of their popular and extremely handy Extreme Weather Information Sheet series for (all PDFs) Texas, Louisiana Southwest, Louisiana Southeast, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Northwest, Florida North Central, Florida Northeast, Florida West Central, Florida East Central, Florida Southwest, Florida Miami Dade, and Florida […]
FEMA Releases Risk MAP FY09 Flood Mapping Production Plan
Posted on August 11, 2009
New maps Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for those of you in the coastal areas of Texas, Alabama, and parts of the Florida panhandle. You can download the full map from this FEMA page (warning: it’s 8 MB).
Television Programs Promote Storm Resilience
Posted on August 6, 2009
Gambling against Mother Nature is a three-part television series produced in partnership by NOAA’s Coastal Storms Program, the Mississippi/Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, WKRG-TV, the City of Orange Beach, Alabama, and grassroots, inc. to encourage wiser development along the Gulf Coast. Wind and Water: Beaches, Barrier Islands, and Storm Surge, the first of the three 30-minute […]
Mississippi Releases Handy Overview of State's Flood Risks
Posted on August 1, 2009
Al W. Goodman, Jr., the Mississippi State Floodplain Manager, has just released a great overview of the flood risks in Mississippi. The report covers flooding, the National Flood Insurance Program, the Community Rating System, and Map Modernization in a slim, readable 13 pages (and that includes an additional resources section, too). Highly recommended. Floodplain Management in Mississippi: A Background Paper. (PDF, 550KB)
New Report Shows How Urban Governments are Adapting to Climate Change
Posted on July 27, 2009
The Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) released a report highlighting the innovative measures local governments are beginning to implement to adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change. Developed by CCAP’s Urban Leaders Adaption Initiative, the report, Ask the Climate Question: Adapting to Climate Change Impacts in Urban Regions, (PDF, 1.8MB) offers best practices […]
Study Finds Florida Home Retrofitting Program Cost Effective
Posted on June 23, 2009
A new assessment of the “My Safe Flordia Home” program found that while there was room for improvement, the program saved more than it cost. More precisely, it found that each dollar spent in the program reduced risk by $1.50. Perhaps most relevant for those working in coastal communities in a time of limited resources, […]