Urge your lawmakers: fund flood resilience in West Virginia
- van: The Pew Charitable Trusts
- ontvanger: Members on the WV House and Senate finance committees; Joint committee on flooding
Flooding is an ongoing challenge in West Virginia. The unique topography—steep hillsides creased with rivers, streams, and narrow valleys—often sends floodwaters rushing through communities. In its most recent session, the Legislature took an important step to address this threat. Senate Bill 677, signed into law in March, mandates the delivery of a new flood resiliency plan by no later than June 2024. The bill also established a Flood Resiliency Trust Fund to invest in projects to help make West Virginia's communities flood-ready, and updated an existing Disaster Recovery Trust Fund. While this is progress that West Virginians should be proud of, these two funds now need money to get off the ground.
New funding for proactive planning and projects, including those that leverage the state's natural landscape to combat rising waters, will help make West Virginia more resilient. Such nature-based solutions and green infrastructure include protecting wetlands and restoring streams to their natural state to increase the landscape's capacity to hold and move floodwaters. Both funds addressed by the bill prioritize helping low-income communities and families that are least prepared to handle the impacts of intense flooding.
Senate Bill 677 represents a critical step toward building resilience across West Virginia and protecting communities and the state's infrastructure, but until these two funds are properly resourced, their benefits won't be realized. Meanwhile, we know the next flood is coming. More than 420,000 properties in West Virginia face a significant risk of experiencing a flood impact in the next 30 years. Studies show that for every $1 invested in flood mitigation, $6 are saved in future response and recovery costs. We must make sure that the Legislature and the governor fully capitalize the two trust funds and follow through on their commitment to make flood resiliency a top priority in West Virginia.
Reach out to your lawmakers today and urge them to provide money for both the Flood Resiliency Trust Fund and the Disaster Recovery Trust Fund.
New funding for proactive planning and projects, including those that leverage the state's natural landscape to combat rising waters, will help make West Virginia more resilient. Such nature-based solutions and green infrastructure include protecting wetlands and restoring streams to their natural state to increase the landscape's capacity to hold and move floodwaters. Both funds addressed by the bill prioritize helping low-income communities and families that are least prepared to handle the impacts of intense flooding.
Senate Bill 677 represents a critical step toward building resilience across West Virginia and protecting communities and the state's infrastructure, but until these two funds are properly resourced, their benefits won't be realized. Meanwhile, we know the next flood is coming. More than 420,000 properties in West Virginia face a significant risk of experiencing a flood impact in the next 30 years. Studies show that for every $1 invested in flood mitigation, $6 are saved in future response and recovery costs. We must make sure that the Legislature and the governor fully capitalize the two trust funds and follow through on their commitment to make flood resiliency a top priority in West Virginia.
Reach out to your lawmakers today and urge them to provide money for both the Flood Resiliency Trust Fund and the Disaster Recovery Trust Fund.
Dear Senator x/ Representative X:
As a resident of West Virginia, I was pleased to see the West Virginia Legislature pass Senate Bill 677 earlier this year. The new law provides needed improvements that will make our communities more resilient to flooding. However, two important funds under the bill need to be capitalized to reap their benefits. I urge you to fully fund these programs.
Senate Bill 677, which passed with the near-unanimous support of the Legislature and was signed into law in March, mandates the delivery of a new flood resiliency plan by no later than June 2024. The bill also authorizes a new $40 million Flood Resiliency Trust Fund to invest in projects to help make West Virginia's communities flood-ready, and $10 million for an existing Disaster Recovery Trust Fund. While this is progress that West Virginians should be proud of, these two funds are not yet capitalized.
Senate Bill 677 will help make West Virginia more resilient. It prioritizes proactive planning and projects, including those that leverage the state's natural landscape to combat rising waters. Such nature-based solutions and green infrastructure include protecting wetlands and restoring streams to their natural state to increase the landscape's capacity to hold and move floodwaters. Both funds created by the bill prioritize helping low-income communities and families that are least prepared to handle the impacts of intense flooding.
But without funding, the benefits of this new law won't be realized. And we know the next flood is coming. More than 420,000 properties in West Virginia face a significant risk of experiencing a flood impact in the next 30 years. Studies show that for every $1 invested in flood mitigation, $6 are saved in future response and recovery costs. The Legislature and the governor must make flood resilience a priority and fully capitalize the two trust funds.
Making sure our communities are resilient to flooding is important to me. Because of that, I hope you and the rest of the Legislature will follow through on your commitment to invest in West Virginia communities and infrastructure by making flood resiliency a top priority and by providing money for these funds.
petitie tekenenpetitie tekenenAs a resident of West Virginia, I was pleased to see the West Virginia Legislature pass Senate Bill 677 earlier this year. The new law provides needed improvements that will make our communities more resilient to flooding. However, two important funds under the bill need to be capitalized to reap their benefits. I urge you to fully fund these programs.
Senate Bill 677, which passed with the near-unanimous support of the Legislature and was signed into law in March, mandates the delivery of a new flood resiliency plan by no later than June 2024. The bill also authorizes a new $40 million Flood Resiliency Trust Fund to invest in projects to help make West Virginia's communities flood-ready, and $10 million for an existing Disaster Recovery Trust Fund. While this is progress that West Virginians should be proud of, these two funds are not yet capitalized.
Senate Bill 677 will help make West Virginia more resilient. It prioritizes proactive planning and projects, including those that leverage the state's natural landscape to combat rising waters. Such nature-based solutions and green infrastructure include protecting wetlands and restoring streams to their natural state to increase the landscape's capacity to hold and move floodwaters. Both funds created by the bill prioritize helping low-income communities and families that are least prepared to handle the impacts of intense flooding.
But without funding, the benefits of this new law won't be realized. And we know the next flood is coming. More than 420,000 properties in West Virginia face a significant risk of experiencing a flood impact in the next 30 years. Studies show that for every $1 invested in flood mitigation, $6 are saved in future response and recovery costs. The Legislature and the governor must make flood resilience a priority and fully capitalize the two trust funds.
Making sure our communities are resilient to flooding is important to me. Because of that, I hope you and the rest of the Legislature will follow through on your commitment to invest in West Virginia communities and infrastructure by making flood resiliency a top priority and by providing money for these funds.
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