BIDEN ADMINISTRATION COMMITS HISTORIC $3.46 BILLION IN HAZARD
MITIGATION FUNDS TO REDUCE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210805/biden-administration-commits-historic-346-billion-hazard-mitigation-funds]


Release Date: 
Tháng 8 5, 2021 

WASHINGTON – President Biden today approved more than $3.46 billion
to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change nationwide.
This significant investment will be available for natural hazard
mitigation measures across the 59 major disaster declarations issued
due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

With the growing climate change crisis facing the nation, FEMA’s
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
[https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/hazard-mitigation] will
provide funding to states, tribes, and territories for mitigation
projects to reduce the impacts of climate change. Every state, tribe,
and territory that received a major disaster declaration in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic will be eligible to receive 4% of those
disaster costs to invest in mitigation projects that reduce risks from
natural disasters. This influx of funding will help communities
prioritize mitigation needs for a more resilient future, including
underserved communities that are most vulnerable to the impacts of
climate change. These projects can help address effects of climate
change and other unmet mitigation needs, including using funds to
promote equitable outcomes in underserved communities

“The Department of Homeland Security is committed to helping build
stronger and more resilient communities that are prepared for future
disasters,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N.
Mayorkas. “States, tribes, territories, and localities will now
receive the funding needed to treat the climate crisis with the sense
of urgency it demands.  Through this funding, communities across the
nation will have the critical resources needed to invest in adaptation
and resilience, and take meaningful action to combat the effects of
climate change.  This funding will also help to ensure the
advancement of equity in all communities, especially those that are
disproportionately at risk from climate change impacts.”

"Climate change is our country’s biggest crisis. Our communities
will continue to suffer from losses caused by extreme weather events
unless we invest in mitigation efforts to reduce the impacts of
climate change. This new funding is a tangible solution that we can
implement today to help prevent future disasters. It will allow us to
provide direct aid to states, tribes, and territories to complete
mitigation projects, strengthen our infrastructure, identify long term
solutions to these hazards and ultimately make a real difference in
our communities,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

Communities across the country have been impacted by the enormous
effects of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, and other
events. The increasing duration, intensity, and severity of such
disasters—which are exacerbated by climate change as well as changes
in population, land use, and weather patterns—are alarming and
devastating, especially for underserved populations.

For eligible mitigation projects, HMGP funding can cover 75% of total
project costs and states or communities cover the remaining share.
Preparing and mitigating for the impacts of climate change, which is
one of the most important threats facing the United States, requires
the full collaboration of the Federal Government to support state,
local, tribal, and territorial governments.

The FEMA Mitigation Action Portfolio
[https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_mitigation-action-portfolio-support-document.pdf]
includes examples of innovative mitigation projects that address many
types of natural hazards and emphasize the importance of collaboration
between governments, private sector entities, and non-governmental
organizations in order to achieve effective hazard mitigation and
disaster resilience.  For example, mitigation projects can:

 	* Reduce risks associated with climate change, such as wildfires,
drought, increased flooding, and coastal erosion, through the use of
nature-based features, such as storm water parks, living shorelines,
and land conservation.
 	* Address persistent residential vulnerabilities by mitigating
repetitive loss structures affected by flooding.
 	* Help utilities or other critical facilities adapt to future
conditions and reduce risks, through microgrids, seismic and wind
retrofits, flood protection, and other infrastructure protection
measures. 

This one-time investment represents a 23% increase in the funding made
available for declared disasters since the program’s inception. Over
the past 30 years, this program has made more than $15 billion
available to states, tribes, and territories to make communities more
resilient and reduce risks from future disasters.