Coastal Flood Resilience: Policy, Roles, and Funds (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised July 6, 2015 |
| Report Number |
IF10225 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Nicole T. Carter; Harold F. Upton; Francis X. McCarthy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Congress and other policymakers are faced with how to
cost-effectively reduce coastal flood risk. Issues include
how to coordinate action and assign responsibilities for
preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery; who
bears the cost of impacts and long-term adjustments; and
how to finance actions to improve coastal flood resilience.
States largely determine whether the approach to coastal
flooding is to protect (e.g., constructed dunes, gates),
accommodate (e.g., elevate structures and infrastructure), or
avoid and retreat (e.g., rolling easements that allow the
shore to migrate inland). A state’s approach can have
implications for disaster resilience (including for public
infrastructure), demand for federal assistance, and patterns
and rates of recovery. Federal programs and policies can
provide incentives or disincentives for nonfederal
investment in coastal planning and risk reduction. The past
decade has been marked by increased federal emergency
funding for areas hit by coastal storms and increasing
federal aid as a share of hurricane damages: 6% in 1955,
50% in 2005, 69% in 2008, and more than 75% in 2012
(see National Research Council, Reducing Coastal Risk,
2014). To what extent various federal programs and funds
promote resilience (i.e., ability to recover from disruptions
and adapt to changing conditions) is the subject of debate.
