U.S. Reps. Ann Wagner (R-MO) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced legislation Thursday to strengthen protections for flood-prone communities by encouraging them to plan for future disasters and prevent repeated federal bailouts of properties that experience repetitive flooding.
The bill, the Repeatedly Flooded Communities Preparation Act, H.R. 1797, incentivizes repeatedly flooded communities to submit flood prevention plans to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a condition of their participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Additionally, the legislation sets deadlines for FEMA to develop criteria on how to govern these plans and to determine appropriate action for communities that fail to act.
Under the NFIP, properties that are flooded are rebuilt. But rebuilding multiple times costs the federal government. Repetitive loss properties make up 1 percent of NFIP properties, but add up to about 30 percent of all the claims, the lawmakers said. In total, repetitive loss properties have cost the federal government more than $12 billion, they said.
“Repeated flooding has devastated Missouri communities for too long,” Wagner said. “This important legislation prevents loss of life and property and helps local communities who have been greatly affected by flooding. No one wants to spend money to rebuild flood-prone properties, and this bill will ensure the necessary steps are taken to alleviate the effects of natural disasters.”
The legislation, a version of which passed in the House in 2017 as part of the 21st Century Flood Reform Act, would also require FEMA to report implementation progress to Congress every two years, and would allow FEMA the ability to target assistance to communities working to address repeatedly flooded areas.
“All too common natural disasters are requiring us to take dynamic action to prevent communities from being devastated by the worst impacts of the growing climate crisis,” said Rep. Blumenauer. “Floods are no exception, yet the National Flood Insurance Program actually incentivizes many communities to ignore this problem. This legislation would take a crucial step in the right direction by encouraging those who have experienced repeated flooding to plan for future disasters. Through these preventative steps, communities can actually protect their members from persistent flooding and relieve pressure on the federal government to bail out those neglecting their responsibilities.”