Back in 2019, we wrote a post about the surprising connection between the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). That post concluded with the following:
It looks like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be forced to address ESA compliance on a state-by-state basis
The State of Hawaii has not shown up on this blog before, but last week’s dam breach and evacuations have earned it a coveted spot.
On March 8, the Kaupakalua Dam in Maui overtopped, prompting evacuation orders downstream. The 138-year-old earthen dam overtopped during heavy rains and is scheduled to
Most of our past Blog posts have been focused on current events, analysis of new trends, and breaking news. Today, we are sharing some news that is eight months old but that offers a potential and promising path for getting things done. Some of you may already know of a
Most people would not associate flood insurance with the protection of endangered species. But over the past decade, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been the target of multiple lawsuits alleging that the agency has violated the Endangered Species Act by not considering the impacts of its flood insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) often seems to be the Congressional-stepchild; everyone knows that it deserves some attention but everyone is too busy with their favorite child. Unfortunately, the Program is scheduled to expire in May and when it expires, the consequences can be dire. Financial Services Committee
The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018, included as title I of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (S. 3021), was signed into law today. The new law provides the needed authorization for investment in harbor, waterway, flood protection, and other water infrastructure improvements throughout the country.
As
Amidst much fanfare, on Friday President Trump released a Presidential Memoranda (much like an Executive Order, yet different?) directing Federal agencies to work together to reduce regulatory burdens on Western water deliveries. It appears that the main thrust of the Memoranda is for NOAA Fisheries (which has Endangered
Great news for those of us tracking the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which authorizes specific projects, creates and modifies programs, and updates authorities for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: The Senate has scheduled a a cloture vote on Tuesday. For those with less background on the inner-workings of
Today the President signed an FY2019 “Minibus” into law (HR 5895) covering three of the twelve appropriations areas – energy and water, MilCon/VA, and legislative branch. The Energy and Water portion funds the activities of USACE’s Civil Works function. The agreement would provide a total of $7 billion to USACE
At last week’s Floodplain Management Association meeting in Reno, Nevada, the two of us planned and participated in a panel discussion on federal funding for flood control projects under the Trump administration. Attendees enjoyed a discussion on federal funding options for local entities that are ready to carry out a flood control