The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced yesterday that U.S. government and university scientists are partnering to form a new institute that will use satellite observations to detect, monitor and forecast climate change and its impact on the environment. The Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites is part of NOAA’s effort to create a […]
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REPORT: Interagency Study Concludes Structural Shore Protection Can't Solve All Problems
Posted on May 28, 2009
The Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (a group organized by the U.S. Corps of Engineers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina) has released a draft of a report evaluating the performance of the New Orleans hurricane protection system during Hurricane Katrina and to assess the risks posed to the New Orleans region by future tropical […]
President Declares National Hurricane Preparadness Week
Posted on May 28, 2009
Well, it’s official: President Obama has declared this week National Hurricane Preparedness Week. As his press release explains: “The threat hurricanes pose to lives and property cannot be eliminated, but preparedness can reduce the dangers these storms pose for our families and communities . . . . I call upon government agencies, private organizations, media, […]
PUBLICATION: New EPA Report Outlines Adaptation Options
Posted on May 18, 2009
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a report outlining different ways that coastal managers of all levels can help adapt to on-going climate change. It focuses on nine general goals: Maintain/restore wetlands Maintain sediment transport Preserve coastal land/development (including infrastructure) Maintain shorelines utilizing “soft” measures Maintain shorelines utilizing “hard” measures Invasive species management […]
FEMA Moves Towards Digital-Only FIRMs
Posted on May 18, 2009
FEMA has announced that beginning on or after October 1, 2009, it will provide only a single paper Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) to each community when their maps are updated, and will convert all other distribution of maps and FIS reports for digital delivery. FEMA will continue to provide […]
DHS Releases New Compendium of Disaster Assistance Programs
Posted on May 18, 2009
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security just released The Compendium of Disaster Assistance Programs (PDF 1.5 MB), and it’s arguably as imposing impressive as it sounds. While the 43-pages of tabular data on “federal programs providing assistance (financial and non-financial) to individuals, states, localities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses impacted by a disaster” may not be […]
National Hurricane Center Urged to Update Warning System
Posted on May 8, 2009
The Miami Herald reports that U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL) told forecasters and federal, state, local and Red Cross emergency managers on Friday that the nation’s emergency warning system needs to join the wired and increasingly wireless 21st century. During a House subcommittee hearing on national and state hurricane preparedness held in Miami, he argued […]
LEGAL: Liability of Government for Flood Damages Tested
Posted on April 21, 2009
As flood-damages grow, so do lawsuits alleging that certain individuals, organizations, or developments are responsible for exacerbating problems (see the legal section of this site). Yesterday a civil suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began in a federal court in New Orleans. The plaintiff contends that the 76-mile-long Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO: […]
TECHNOLOGY: Twitter for Evacuation?
Posted on April 20, 2009
The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced a new plan to use micro-blogging phenomenon Twitter to help provide evacuees with the latest news on major evacuation routes. MDOT will update the feeds so anybody can access them via computer, cell-phone or other electronic devices. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with the the easy-to-use but […]
California Creates On-Line Climate Change Impact Maps
Posted on April 20, 2009
As part of a project funded by the California Energy Commission, California Department of Transportation, and the Ocean Protection Council, the Pacific Institute has created a web-accessible map of the California coast showing areas and infrastructure vulnerable to flooding and erosion under current ocean conditions, and those at risk with a 1.4m rise in sea […]