We can’t control where storms hit, but we can harness nature to better protect us

By Collin O'Mara and Scott Carmilani

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As Congress works toward reauthorizing the NFIP, there are several ways they could help better protect our environment and communities. First, they can encourage communities to maintain or improve the management of floodplains and the natural habitat they provide, including through the voluntary Community Rating System program. Instead of favoring levees and other engineered solutions, the program should prioritize protection and restoration of floodplains, wetlands, and other natural systems that can reduce flood risks now and into the future.

There is growing bipartisan support for directing the Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize these types of natural defenses, including as part of the Water Resource Development Act.

Second, accelerating the creation and adoption of accurate and publically available flood risk maps — and taking into account the growing risks posed by rising sea levels and a changing climate — would empower communities to make smarter development choices and help individual homeowners proactively prepare for potential floods.

Finally, Congress can ensure that the program continues to move toward insurance rates that reflect actual risks, rather than subsidizing new construction in flood zones. Together, these measures would help defend cities and towns against flooding, guide new development toward less risky areas, and conserve natural habitats on which our wildlife depend. 

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