A Note From The Chair

By Alex Yescas

Hello Floodplain Managers, I hope the start of the year has been great for all of you. Many people that I have spoken to “virtually” are reporting that they are very busy and that the rest of the year is not going to let up. This promising trend shows that our public infrastructure is not being ignored, and I appreciate everyone stepping up their efforts. A recent opinion piece from the Brookings Institution noted that “…the COVID-19 recovery gives us a chance to not only rebuild and renew our infrastructure, but to connect more and different types of workers to water careers.” As flood professionals, we understand and welcome the idea that we will always be renewing and upgrading infrastructure, and that we need to recruit the best and brightest to join us in this effort to be successful. With the new federal administration coming on board last month, changes are being made to the national floodplain regulations. You may have seen that the new administration signed a roll back of the past executive order that will now protect public health and the environment and restore science-based decision-making to tackle the climate crisis. As members of the floodplain community, we know that safety is of paramount importance, especially during times of uncertainty. The Brookings article, entitled “The hidden role of water infrastructure in driving a COVID-19 recovery” notes that the importance of water health, hygiene, and safety has never been more significant and that now is the time for Washington to elevate water as a core issue to help drive a lasting recovery. I couldn’t agree more.

We are also monitoring the current COVID-19 climate to understand the approach to our 2021 annual conference. This year, our conference is scheduled to take place in September in Los Angeles. We are planning to send out a membership survey on the planning of this year’s event—please stay tuned for more information. Even before the pandemic forced the issue, scientists had been pondering ways to reduce their carbon footprints, including by cutting back on air travel to physically be somewhere. The positive aspects of virtual conferences include not only the reduction in carbon footprint, but also enabling people who otherwise would not have been able to attend due to financial or other reasons to take part in important information sharing and career building events.

SAVE THE DATE

California Extreme Precipitation Symposium (CEPSYM) Exploring Floods in California’s Central Valley from a Climate Perspective June 22 & 23, 2021 – Virtual Format

Floodplain Management Association Annual Conference September 7-10, 2021 Venue – TBD (Westin Hotel – Los Angeles, CA, or Virtual)

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Still, as FMA remains busy and productive through this pandemic, the reality remains that being physically “together” is still in the future. With that said, this year we are moving forward on all our FMA luncheons being virtual. Carl Walker will be our FMA luncheons champion for all our regions. Carl will be coordinating the calendar of events and you will be seeing luncheons scheduled soon. I also want to present a great leadership opportunity to you. The FMA Board of Directors is recruiting a new Membership Committee (MC) Chair. The MC Chair will be actively involved with our members in reaching out to understand current needs and aligning to the latest trends. The MC Chair will also work on broadening our relationships with our sister organizations such as ASCE, APWA, and ASFPM. Please reach out to Mary Seits or anyone on the Board of Directors if you are interested in leading the MC.

Until next time, let’s remain busy and stay connected!