For Immediate Release: August 15, 2017
Contact: William Gerlich, 212-390-8860
WASHINGTON, D.C. — SmarterSafer.org, a national coalition of taxpayer advocates, environmental groups, insurance interests, housing organizations and mitigation advocates, released the following statement today expressing disappointment in President Donald Trump’s executive order to rollback parts of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standards. Established in January 2015, the standards require that federally subsidized structures and projects comply with building and elevation standards to mitigate the risk of flooding, in accordance with the best available science.
“Smart mitigation strategies better protect lives, property and taxpayer dollars. We disagree with today’s executive order, and hope the President will reconsider his decision so that our country can reduce the loss of lives and property to disasters, and reduce the amount of taxpayer dollars spent on rebuilding and repairing communities after a major storm strikes. Studies show that every dollar spent on disaster mitigation saves $4 in post-disaster recovery and rebuilding costs. As the White House prepares to roll out its ambitious infrastructure plan and as Congress works to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program, we urge lawmakers to incorporate comprehensive mitigation strategies that protect infrastructure investments from a future of more frequent natural disasters.”
Earlier this year, SmarterSafer released a proposal that outlines how the federal government should improve mitigation efforts and reform the National Flood Insurance Program. Click here to learn more.
About SmarterSafer.org
SmarterSafer is a national coalition that is made up of a diverse chorus of voices united in favor of environmentally responsible, fiscally sound approaches to natural catastrophe policy that promote public safety. The coalition believes that the Federal government has a role in encouraging and helping homeowners to undertake mitigation efforts to safeguard their homes against natural disasters. At the same time, the coalition opposes measures that put people’s lives at risk at the expense of taxpayers. Measures such as subsidizing artificially low rates for homeowners’ insurance policies help to encourage construction in environmentally sensitive and unsafe areas. The coalition is working to ensure that Congress does not incentivize people to live in harm’s way in places prone to hurricanes and floods.