Washington, D.C.: With the 2017 hurricane season fully upon us, and the likelihood of increased flooding in the months and years to come due to climate change, many communities may soon find themselves faced with federal buyouts of flood-ridden lands under FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Local governments usually oversee these floodplain buyouts with little or no funding for restoration or management, much less guidance on maximizing long-term benefits. The Environmental Law Institute has a number of practical, implementable resources to help communities optimize use and management of buyout properties to improve community resilience.
“The acquisition and restoration of these floodplain properties can increase community resilience while improving wildlife habitat, enhancing ecosystem services, and providing much-needed open space and recreational facilities to a community,” says Dr. Rebecca Kihslinger, Senior Science & Policy Analyst with ELI. “Buyouts present an opportunity for communities to create public assets while restoring the ecological integrity of the floodplain and strengthening the community’s resilience to future disasters.”
Some of the materials available on the ELI website include:
- Floodplain Buyouts: An Action Guide for Local Governments on How to Maximize Community Benefits, Habitat Connectivity, and Resilience: This guide helps local governments across the country leverage hazard mitigation buyouts to protect, restore, and connect habitats in local communities.
- Strategic Partnerships and Floodplain Buyouts: An Opportunity for Wetland Restoration: This Handbook summarizes key considerations for wetland and conservation agencies or organizations interested in playing a role in the floodplain buyout process.
- Floodplain Buyout Case Studies: These studies look at a number of floodplain buyouts in representative communities across four states and in various regions that were funded by the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
ELI continues to work in this area. Visit https://www.eli.org/land-biodiversity/floodplain-buyouts to learn more and for updates.
Dr. Rebecca Kihslinger is also available for interview.