APPALACHIAN GROUPS SEND LETTER TO CONGRESS SEEKING CRITICAL INVESTMENTS IN APPALACHIAN FLOOD RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PROGRAMS

Over the last decade, there have been nearly twenty federally declared flooding disasters in the region; total FEMA spending on these events totals nearly $1 billion.

APPALACHIA – A group of organizations spanning the Appalachian region have crafted and delivered an open letter to Congress, urging the support of crucial investments for flood recovery and resilience in their communities. The letter underscores the urgent need for decisive action as the region grapples with the intensifying impacts of climate change and increasing flood events.

“Devastating floods are not a future threat, they are already happening,” says Rebecca Shelton, Director of Policy at Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center. “Our communities are vulnerable and have already suffered, we need Congress to act.”

Signatories of the letter include the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, National Wildlife Federation, ReImagine Appalachia, and fourteen other organizations. These organizations collectively represent a broad cross-section of interests and expertise in the region, ranging from environmental protection to community development and economic progress. Their united voice underscores the immediacy and critical importance of the issues at hand.

The letter provides a comprehensive roadmap of specific funding requests for the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, honing in on several federal programs that can extend the much-needed lifeline to these communities. Among the key funding requests are $60 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Disaster Home Repair Program, $700 million for FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance program, and $400 million for FEMA’s Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Analysis program.

“These investments are vital for Appalachian communities, which are often uniquely vulnerable to flooding, to recover from disasters and build resilience against future climate impacts,” states Jessica Arriens, senior program manager for Climate & Energy Policy at the National Wildlife Federation.

Beyond immediate funding requests in the letter, the informal coalition has also laid out a draft policy platform for flood resilience in Appalachia. This platform consists of four main pillars: increasing local and state capacity to respond and recover, relieving the recovery and mitigation burden for low-income households, improving flood mapping and data inputs, and investing in nature-based hazard mitigation.

This policy platform represents an extensive collaborative effort among the coalition members, drawing on their collective knowledge and expertise to address the pressing flood concerns in the region. It provides a comprehensive and strategic blueprint to foster long-term flood resilience, emphasizing the need for supportive infrastructure, inclusive policy reforms, and innovative solutions.

“Flooding is a bipartisan issue – no one wants water in their basement and we all deserve protections against the increasingly severe floods our region is experiencing. Our communities are working hard at the local level, but we need support from Congress to ensure the sustainability and resilience of our communities,” said Dana Kuhnline from ReImagine Appalachia.

The letter also makes a compelling case for investment in the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Federal Priority Streamgages network, among others. These initiatives are vital for monitoring and mitigating the impacts of climate change, and for promoting sustainable development and resilience in the region.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please reach out to John Neurohr at jneurohr@clearpointpa.com.