Chapter II A National Flood Hazards Reduction Program
This section proposes a new National Flood Hazards Reduction Program (NFHRP). This proposed interagency process would be modeled on existing programs, most notably the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. We outline the objectives, structure, and primary participants of the program, and end with a discussion of how this program would provide a needed elevation of social vulnerability dimensions of coastal flood hazards.
Despite flooding being the most frequent natural hazard in the United States, there is not an integrated federal approach to managing the threat in coastal areas.14 Many federal agencies support research on coastal flood risk and are statutorily expected to communicate that risk. However, the fragmentation and lack of consensus on risk management can confuse and frustrate state and local governments, stakeholders, and the American people. The problem becomes more concerning when considering the unknown costs and risk associated with a changing climate. For the federal government to adequately plan for and respond to the risks of coastal flood hazards, it must prioritize interagency coordination, cross-cutting research, and long-term planning.
Finding 1 Federal, state, and local agencies often have their own coastal flood risk research, data, risk analyses, and risk maps, which siloes best practices for floodplain management programs. As a result, there is no central place for best available information on coastal flood hazards.
The current approach to managing coastal flood risk is highly fragmented, which reduces the cost efficiency and effectiveness of policy responses. Responsibilities for hazard mitigation, response, and rebuilding are split across different entities. Programs, regulations, and funding sources often overlap across the federal, state, and local levels. Illustrating this vast array of government actions and resources, Appendix I provides a summary 9
Problem Definition
