WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the wake of devastating hurricanes that have struck the United States and wildfires that destroyed nearly 6,000 homes in California, Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a report today on the need to limit risk from future disasters by rebuilding infrastructure to guard against natural disasters. The destruction we have witnessed makes clear that merely rebuilding without taking actions to ensure that infrastructure, homes, and businesses are made less susceptible to the next natural disaster will only lead to higher costs down the road.

The report, “The Need to Rebuild Smarter,” cites that the average cost of national disasters has more than tripled since the 1980s. Furthermore, climate change poses an increasing threat to communities in the United States, with populations at risk to hurricanes growing 22 percent faster than the overall population from 2001-2010.

“We must ensure that our recovery efforts include improvements in infrastructure that prepare us for a new climate reality,” said Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee. “As Congress moves forward with additional disaster relief, it should require relief funds for the construction of resilient infrastructure. We also should prioritize mitigation efforts that save us money.”

The report also highlights that disaster planning pays off—every dollar spent by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on disaster preparedness provides almost $4 in future benefits. There are several ways that the federal government can limit the devastation of natural disasters in the future. By strengthening building standards, supporting smart coastal development, updating FEMA flood maps, and increasing FEMA resources for disaster mitigation, we can be sure that the destruction caused by future disasters is limited to the greatest extent possible.

Click here to view the report.

###

 For more information, please contact Latoya Veal at Latoya_Veal@jec.senate.gov or 202-224-0379.