Legislators must prepare now to protect against flooding and monster storms

Congress needs to act on National Flood Insurance Program revisions by Nov. 21.

Here’s why they need to hear your voice.

Preparedness in advance of climate change and rising sea levels is important to everyone, regardless if you live in one of the urban areas, by the shore, or in a flood plain. No one escapes disaster on the scale we’ve seen too often in this century’s worst storms.

Just ask residents of Texas, Florida, South Carolina and several Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico. Floods paralyze entire regions, raise prices on commodities and devastate economies.

In 2017 alone, our nation suffered more than $300 billion in damages because of extreme events, primarily flooding and coastal storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Congress is evaluating the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) based on real risk and affordability for those who need it most. If they act, new insurance guidelines and rates should go into effect next year.

Tell your representatives that comprehensive reform of the NFIP is an important first step in this battle.

Flood Insurance is only a first step

Here’s what needs to happen next

National Flood Insurance Reform is just one piece in the larger resilience puzzle. We also need to:

• Improve the applicability of the NFIP to urban coastlines.
• Increase clear and direct communication about the danger of flood risk and the importance of insurance coverage.
• Continue to review policies and incentives to ensure responsible building practices.
• Discourage construction in the riskiest, most flood-prone areas.
• Offer incentives for investments in projects and programs that build our resilience.
• Harden coastlines against flooding before it occurs.
• Provide resources and assistance for low- and moderate-income homeowners and environmental justice communities.

Join with like-minded individuals dedicated to promote sensible, proactive strategies for managing our flood risk and learn ways you can join the fight and take steps to achieve greater resilience in our cities and towns.

Two great places to start are the Waterfront Alliance and its regional initiative, The Resilience Task Force.

Three New Jersey mayors call on legislators to prepare for the worst

Our response, as mayors of three of New Jersey’s most flood-prone cities? First, understand and communicate our risks associated with climate change. Second, develop policies and incentives to move us away from our riskiest areas and building practices. Third, invest in projects and programs that build our resilience.

Read more here: Mayors Ravinder Bhalla of Hoboken; Ras Baraka of Newark; and J. Christian Bollwage of Elizabeth call for comprehensive reform of the National Flood Insurance Program.