All told, in 2020 the U.S. had 22 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, six more than any previous year, NOAA announced on Jan. 8. Such disasters affect millions of Americans and are particularly devastating for low-income communities and communities of color. They destroy homes, schools and businesses. They put lives at risk.
Families, communities and taxpayers are paying the price, yet many of these losses could be avoided with smart policies.
NOAA’s billion-dollar disaster list for 2020. (Image: NOAA)
For example, the National Institute of Building Sciences estimates that updating and improving building codes alone could save $4 for every $1 spent and create 87,000 new jobs. Similarly, reforming land use and zoning rules can help avoid putting families at risk. An estimated 41 million Americans currently live in homes at risk of flooding and millions more are at risk from wildfires.
As flood risks rise in the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should update flood maps, set tougher standards for floodplain construction and prepare for climate change, environmental and planning groups urged in a petition.
.
WASHINGTON President-elect Joe Biden has promised to help communities prepare for the effects of climate change. A new demand for tougher building standards could test that commitment.
On Wednesday, two influential organizations that advocate for stronger measures to withstand natural disasters, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Association of State Floodplain Managers, filed a petition with the federal government urging more stringent building standards for homes and infrastructure along rivers and coasts.
Those changes would better protect millions of Americans as climate change worsens, and they reflect the sort of policy changes that experts say the United States must adopt to cope with the effects of global warming. But they would also make homes more expensive to build, risking the anger of local governments and homebuilders, which is why previous administrations have been reluctant to impose similar changes.
Early Biden Climate Test: Groups Demand Tougher Rules on Building
A new push for stricter rules in flood zones could force Biden’s team to choose: Increase construction costs, or leave people exposed to climate change.
Homes under construction in Kissimmee, Fla., last year. “You can upset a lot of voters,” one analyst said.Credit.Mario Cruz/EPA, via Shutterstock
Published Jan. 6, 2021Updated Jan. 25, 2021
WASHINGTON President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. has promised to help communities prepare for the effects of climate change. A new demand for tougher building standards could test that commitment.
On Wednesday, two influential organizations that advocate for stronger measures to withstand natural disasters, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Association of State Floodplain Managers, filed a petition with the federal government urging more stringent building standards for homes and infrastructure along rivers and coasts.
Linn County Leader
The Linn County Commission met on Dec. 22 with Commissioners Dick King, Glen Murrain. Josh Muck and County Clerk Suzan Stephenson present. Presiding Commissioner King called the meeting to order. The agenda for Dec. 22, 2020 was reviewed.
The minutes of the Dec. 15, 2020 meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Murrain made a motion to approve and sign the minutes. Commissioner King seconded the motion and the motion was passed. Vote recorded: King-yes, Murrain-yes and Muck-yes.
Commissioner Muck made a motion to approve bills as submitted for payment. Commissioner Murrain seconded the motion and the motion was passed. Vote recorded: King-yes, Murrain-yes and Muck-yes.