Growing Returns

Selected tag(s): flooding

Learn how to navigate federal flood planning with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Flooding is the costliest disaster in the United States, touching communities from coastlines to cities to inland towns, and wreaking havoc across countless homes, businesses and ecosystems. Estimated to cost the nation up to almost $500 billion per year, more frequent and severe flooding events are causing communities to find solutions that tackle the potential impacts.  

Many local communities and entities seek opportunities to collaborate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), who conduct federally funded flood risk management studies. These studies can be a great way to understand flood risks in a community and to build large-scale resilience.  

However, through a series of surveys and EDF experiences, many advocacy partners that have participated in these studies expressed the Corps planning process is confusing and complex! To address this concern, EDF is releasing a new step-by-step guide to help communities and fellow advocates navigate federal flood planning and learn when and how to engage.  

Explore our step-by-step guide now 

Delta flyover – Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion wetlands restoration project in the MS River Delta region of Louisiana

What is federal flood planning and how can it help your community? 

Before we get into the ins and outs of the step-by-step guide, let’s bring it back to the beginning. What is a federal flood feasibility study anyways?  

In simple terms, a federal flood study emerges when a local community or entity, later known as the study’s non-federal sponsor, raises flooding concerns to the Corps and expresses the need for a feasibility study that can identify solutions to this problem. The proposal must be authorized by Congress and receive funding through appropriations, and if that happens, the Corps will move forward with conducting a feasibility study that may eventually lead to the construction of a project(s). Potential projects could include anything from developing floodplain management plans to installing grey and green infrastructure to forming disaster response strategies.  

Why should you seek a federal flood study? No matter the size, budget or location, the Corps provides an opportunity to address flood risks in a community. Federal flood studies and their projects are designed to help leaders and communities prepare for extreme weather and disasters, which are increasing in frequency and severity. Experts agree it is financially smart to prepare before disaster strikes, with research showing that every dollar spent on mitigation can save $13 in damages. It also provides a safety net for residents to better protect their homes, businesses and families.   

Using our step-by-step guide to navigate federal flood planning 

EDF’s new step-by-step guide is a much-requested resource that gives advocates an overview of the complex federal flood planning process led by the Corps. This guide walks you through each step of the planning phase, allowing users to better understand and anticipate how a study and project develops. 

We also share ways advocates can engage during the planning process to ensure the study’s outcome best represents their community’s priorities and goals. The guide incorporates helpful resources, like a glossary, FAQ guide and templates along the way. 

Looking at case studies  

EDF is proud to have worked alongside several local communities on a variety of federal flood studies and projects, represented in the following case studies:  

Collier County, Florida 

In Collier County, Florida, EDF and local partners engaged in the planning process to propose the prioritization of nature-based solutions as well as hybridized, multi-hazard flooding and community engagement. We presented alternative study renderings with these priorities in mind, gaining media attention and eventually leading to changes in the proposed study. 

New York-New Jersey Harbour and Tributaries  

In the New York metropolitan area, EDF worked with a coalition of local partners to advocate for changes, like incorporating multi-hazard flooding solutions, to the Corps’ $52 billion plan to address flooding in the New York-New Jersey Harbor. The coalition launched a campaign website, gained media attention and ran advertisements, which led the non-federal sponsor to make a request for the Corps to take specific actions that better align with stakeholder priorities. 

New York City, New York State, Hudson River, USA, Water

Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, Louisiana  

EDF and partners at the Mississippi River Delta Coalition have guided the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project and played a key role in advocating for a $2.9 billion initiative to reconnect the Mississippi River to the Barataria Basin. Learn more about the benefits of this project.  

Explore our step-by-step guide now 

  

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Celebrating the groundbreaking of a natural infrastructure project to combat flooding in North Carolina

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) joined North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) at a groundbreaking event today to celebrate the progress of a new and significant natural infrastructure pilot project.  

The Stoney Creek pilot project is an innovative approach to utilizing natural infrastructure and nature’s processes to address flood risk in the City of Goldsboro and in the greater area of Wayne County, North Carolina. Moreover, it is a major step forward in advancing community flood resilience across the entire state.  

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How can we support New York City’s housing cooperatives in adapting to climate change?

Co-authored by: Anushi Garg and Linda Shi

Anushi is the senior analyst for Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Resilient Coasts & Watersheds program in New York-New Jersey. Linda is the associate professor for Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University.

New York City, like many cities, is simultaneously facing a housing affordability crisis and the impacts of climate change. As the city responds to these complex, interlinked challenges, it is critical to find solutions that ensure all New Yorkers have access to housing that is affordable and adapted to a changing climate.  

Unfortunately, cooperative housing, also known as co-ops, lacks access to many public sources of climate adaptation and disaster recovery funding, despite making up more than 12% of the city’s housing stock. Co-ops have a unique ownership model, one where residents have shares in a corporation that owns the building, as well as a proprietary lease tied to their unit, rather than a property title. This model helps preserve long-term affordability, but can also prevent co-ops from accessing resources geared towards housing that is owned by an individual.  

To support affordable multi-family co-ops, Environmental Defense Fund, Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB) and Cornell University released An Assessment of NYC Cooperative Housing’s Climate Vulnerability and Barriers to Adaptation. This report, based on a mapping assessment, a first-ever survey of co-ops and a policy review, looks at climate impacts on permanently affordable co-ops in New York City and encourages more responsive and equitable policies.   Read More »

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Three ways to make home buyouts more efficient

By: Gabrielle Rosario, EDF Intern

Each year, flood risk increases from sea level rise and storms, raising major concerns among millions of homeowners. Flooding can inundate homes, damage property and cause safety and health concerns, as well as isolate residents from essential government services like trash pickup or emergency vehicle access. In fact, by 2030, over 20 million Americans will be at risk of inundation due to sea level rise, and many will be unable to afford to move.  

Managed retreat policies, such as voluntary home buyouts, can facilitate the relocation of residents out of increasingly flood-prone communities. But unfortunately, existing federal programs are slow and require local governments to meet complex and challenging guidelines. 

Innovative approaches are needed to make buyouts more efficient. Here are three strategies that can help: 

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One year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back federal wetland protections. Here are the impacts so far.

One year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision that significantly reduced federal wetlands protections, leaving America’s wetlands at greater risk of development and degradation. The case of Sackett v. EPA was decided 9-0 in favor of the Sacketts, a couple from Idaho that filled in wetlands to build on their property near Priest Lake. The Court ruled unanimously that the wetlands on the Sackett’s property were not regulated under the Clean Water Act, but a narrow majority of justices went further to issue a controversial 5/4 opinion that scaled back federal protections that have provided for the thoughtful conservation of America’s wetlands for decades.  Of note, Justice Kavanaugh, siding with the minority, expressed concern about the decision’s “significant repercussions for water quality and flood control throughout the United States.”   

The impacts of the decision are still unfolding, and there remains a lot of uncertainty on how the unclear language of the Court will be interpreted in the long term. But what we do know is that this decision will have a significant impact. Here’s where things stand one year later. 

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Five reasons why mandatory flood disclosure in Florida would be a big win for realtors

By: Rachel Rhode, Manager, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds and Eve Cooke, Fellow, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds

Buying a home is often one of the biggest financial decisions individuals and families will ever make. More than one-third of Florida properties are at risk of severe flooding in the next 30 years, and despite these risks, Florida does not require flood-related disclosures to prospective homebuyers. Across the U.S., 32 states have enacted flood disclosure laws, requiring a seller to share a property’s flood risks or past flood damages during real estate transactions. Florida residents deserve transparency through flood disclosure, and realtors would benefit by keeping up with this growing industry standard.   

Knowing one’s risk is essential in ensuring effective preparedness and response. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates just one inch of flooding in a typical 2,500 sq. ft., one-story home can cause more than $25,000 in damages. It is widely misunderstood by more than one-third of homeowners that flood damage is typically not included in standard homeowners or rental insurance policies. 

Legislators and realtors are stepping up to address this gap in Florida’s flood policies. In the 2024 Florida Legislative Session, there has been bipartisan support for a new policy on flood disclosure. The Florida Realtor Association is amongst the stakeholders supporting this initiative. 

Knowledge is power.  Below are the top five reasons why mandatory flood disclosures are a win for realtors and residents. 

Credit: Chase Guttman

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Our Nation’s wetlands are at risk. So is our ability to manage flooding.

Following the Sackett v. EPA Supreme Court decision in May 2023, millions of acres of wetlands across the U.S. lost critical federal protections they once had under the Clean Water Act. The affected wetlands – which include those that do not have a continuous surface water connection to another federally protected body of water, like streams, lakes or an ocean – are now potentially at risk of loss and degradation. Also at risk could be the multitude of benefits provided by wetlands, which support clean drinking water, habitat for fish and wildlife, human health and well-being, contribute to economic activity and reduce damages from flooding. 

Photo credit: Sara Cottle

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Sharing innovative solutions to build climate resilience in Cuban coastal communities

The sun beats hot past colonial facades and newly minted hotels in Old Havana, onto the children playing soccer across Paseo del Prado. High tides splash over the tidal wall and the taxi driver notes, over the noise of the street, that dark storm clouds line the horizon and are threatening heavy rains. Like other coastal and island regions, communities in Cuba are experiencing the disproportionate effects of climate change.   

Since 2016, Environmental Defense Fund, the Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for Nature and Humankind and the Caribbean Agroecology Institute have partnered with local communities and organizations from Cuba as a part of the Research Initiative for the Sustainable Development of Cuba (RISDoC). RISDoC is a coalition of academics, civil society associations and representatives from international agencies who have come together to exchange innovative strategies and share lessons learned to prepare for climate impacts and spur sustainable economic growth. In addition to bringing together a range of Cuban community members, government officials and researchers, RISDoC connects experts from other regions with Cuba. This includes partners in Puerto Rico and Louisiana, regions that are experiencing more frequent and severe storms due to climate change and are working to build resilience.  

Thanks to this important initiative, RISDoC participants are building a more resilient future in Cuba. Check out a few of their key priorities: 

Photo credit: Noel López

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North Carolina’s coastal wetlands and marshlands are a critical lifeforce for hunters and anglers

This op-ed was originally published in The Coastland Times. 

Last week as Hurricane Lee tracked northward through the Atlantic, North Carolina’s coastal areas saw coastal flooding and beach erosion from storm surge and powerful 17-foot waves. At Cape Hatteras, the storm’s erosion uncovered a buried fence from the 1800s. Elsewhere, roads and neighborhoods experienced flooding. Those effects were felt despite Lee being more than 300 miles off our coast. We were fortunate the monster storm didn’t come any closer to our shores. These tropical systems, along with Nor’easters and other more frequent storm events take a toll on residents, business owners, and our state’s natural resources, including important fish and wildlife habitat.

As we mark National Hunting and Fishing Day, it’s worth taking stock of how increasingly intense and more frequent severe weather events are impacting our marshlands, wetlands, and sounds, which in turn directly – and adversely – affects our coastal communities and our hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational history and traditions. Read More »

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Transformational climate adaptation puts communities at the center. This project shows us how.

From record-setting rain in New York City to overflowing rivers in Vermont to another hurricane slamming into Florida’s coast – this year alone, we’ve seen historic neighborhoods, communities, local businesses and homes devastated by severe weather events that are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change. Now more than ever, we need to invest in climate resilience to prepare our communities. 

Building resilience isn’t easy, but it’s possible – and the Ohio Creek Watershed project in the City of Norfolk, Virginia is a prime example. Earlier this year, city officials and community members celebrated the completion of a $112 million watershed resilience project that shows transformational climate action is possible when community members have a seat at the decision-making table.  Read More »

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