Van Hollen Secures Language to Help Flood Mitigation Efforts in Maryland

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen announced that he successfully secured language encouraging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide assistance to States in updating their flood mitigation plans as a part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. This language will ensure that mitigation plans take into account the needs of communities with multiple recent Presidentially declared disasters – including communities in Maryland like Ellicott City.

 

“Ensuring that our flood mitigation efforts take into account recent disaster declarations is crucial to our planning and continued efforts to protect our communities. With FEMA’s help, our state and places like Ellicott City will be able to better prepare for future natural disasters. I will keep fighting for the resources Maryland communities need to recover from recent flooding and prepare for future events,” said Senator Van Hollen.

 

This builds on provisions Senator Van Hollen secured in the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations bill earlier this year, including a provision to encourage research and deployment of permeable payments, language directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development to stand up their Office of Disaster and Emergency Management, and a provision ensuring that the Community Development Block Grant program’s Disaster Recover grants are disbursed in a timely manner.

 

The text of the amendment, included within the Manager’s Package, passed the committee with overwhelming support. The text reads:

 

At the bottom of page 94 insert—

 

FEMA is encouraged to provide assistance, when requested, to States in updating mitigation plans, to ensure such plans take into account the needs of communities with multiple recent Presidentially declared disasters.

 

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