Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and Gary Peters have announced that the Facilitating Hazard Mitigations Projects Act has advanced in the Senate. The bill aims to simplify the requirements for demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of hazard mitigation grants provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Currently, states, local governments, tribes, and territories that request hazard mitigation funding from FEMA are required to submit a benefit-cost analysis (BCA) to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of their projects. However, extensive feedback from applicants has shown that the current BCA process is cumbersome and overly complicated, which puts small and underserved communities at a disadvantage for accessing grant programs.

In response to these concerns, Senator Cassidy stated, "Louisiana communities need less bureaucratic red tape to better access the resources needed to build protections against natural disasters. Our bill makes it easier to apply for grants to fund resiliency projects." Senator Peters added, "Too often, complex application requirements limit the ability of underserved communities to access critical hazard mitigation funding that helps protect people and property against disasters. This bipartisan legislation will help simplify the process and ensure communities in Michigan and across the United States will have the capacity to apply for critical FEMA funding."

The Facilitating Hazard Mitigations Projects Act aims to streamline the application process and make it easier for all communities to apply for funding. It requires FEMA to evaluate how to reduce the complexity of its cost-effectiveness requirements for hazard mitigation grants, and provide a report to Congress on that evaluation. FEMA is also required to consult with states, local governments, tribes, territories, and non-profit partners as it performs its evaluation. Importantly, FEMA would still be required to ensure grants are cost-effective and meet all other eligibility requirements.

The bill has received support from various organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, BuildStrong Coalition, the Mitigation, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Caucus of IAEM, National Association of Counties, Association of State Floodplain Managers, National Emergency Management Association, Public Safety and Crime Prevention for the National League of Cities, and the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association.

Marty Durbin, Senior Vice President of Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, commended Senators Cassidy and Peters for their bipartisan efforts, stating, "The benefit-cost analysis at FEMA has been challenging for communities to navigate, while creating barriers to developing solid predisaster mitigation projects. Congress must act now to streamline the approach."

Dr. Natalie Enclade, Executive Director of the BuildStrong Coalition, emphasized the importance of simplifying the process for obtaining hazard mitigation grants, stating, "The Facilitating Hazard Mitigation Projects Act represents a significant step forward in enhancing our nation's disaster preparedness efforts."

Chasity Schmelzenbach, Mitigation Chair of the International Association of Emergency Managers, expressed support for the bill, stating, "The bill would address the disparity and complexity of Cost Benefit Analysis that has been identified as a long-standing barrier to effective mitigation programs in many locations."

Matthew Chase, Executive Director of the National Association of Counties, highlighted the burden placed on counties by the current BCA process and expressed gratitude for the introduction of this legislation. He stated, "The Facilitating Hazard Mitigation Projects Act would require FEMA to examine ways to reduce the complexity of this process to ensure resources reach communities more efficiently."

Chad Berginnis, Executive Director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, emphasized the need to make critical programs more efficient while making communities more resilient, stating, "ASFPM strongly supports evaluating how to reduce the complexity and burden of doing a benefit-cost analysis for hazard mitigation projects."

Russell Strickland, President of the National Emergency Management Association, welcomed the direction of the bill and the opportunity for FEMA to work directly with stakeholders in improving the BCA process, stating, "The National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) welcomes the direction in the bill for FEMA to work directly with stakeholders in these BCA improvements as we all strive to make programs for building resilience less complicated."

Yucel Ors, Legislative Director of Public Safety and Crime Prevention for the National League of Cities, highlighted the importance of streamlining the BCA process to allow smaller communities to access critical resources and bolster their disaster preparedness efforts, stating, "Streamlining the BCA process lowers the administrative burden and levels the playing field, allowing smaller communities to access critical resources and bolster their disaster preparedness efforts, ultimately fostering greater community resilience."

Annie Vest, President of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association, praised the proposed legislative changes, stating, "Embracing the proposed legislative changes to FEMA's Benefit Cost Analysis not only paves the way for reduced complexity but also instills hope in identifying the benefits of projects that may be challenging to quantify yet remain remarkably vital for our communities."

The Facilitating Hazard Mitigations Projects Act aims to simplify the process for accessing hazard mitigation grants, ensuring that all communities, including small and underserved ones, have equal opportunities to protect themselves against natural disasters. With the support of various organizations, the bill is expected to contribute to enhancing the nation's disaster preparedness efforts and building resilient infrastructure systems across the United States.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-peters-announces-committee-passes-bill-to-simplify-requirements-for-hazard-mitigation-grants