ACTION ALERT
Help Protect Our Communities at Risk from Flooding
Dear Eric,
Flood risks are growing along our coasts because of sea level rise and inland because of an increase in heavy rainfall. In fact, almost 1.9 million homes nationwide (or roughly two percent of all US homes)—worth a combined $882 billion—are at risk of being underwater by 2100.
Urge your members of Congress to reauthorize and strengthen the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is the primary source of flood insurance for more than five million homeowners and small businesses and provides critical tools to help communities understand their flood risks.
The NFIP is designed to not only provide flood insurance but also integrate floodplain management as the most effective way to reduce risk. But flood risk maps in many parts of the country are outdated, inadequate, or non-existent, and even the latest maps do not include sea level rise projections.
With sea levels rising and more heavy rainfall, and with more and more people and property located in floodplains, reauthorizing and reforming the program is vital to help communities, local planners, policymakers, and others be aware of flood risks and take protective actions in the face of climate change.
It’s time for Congress to reform the NFIP so that it can better protect people and property from the impacts of climate change, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
Please help safeguard inland and coastal communities from flood risks—write today to urge Congress to extend and strengthen the NFIP.
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Sincerely,
Kate Cell
Climate Campaign Manager
Union of Concerned Scientists
P.S. Learn more about the growing impacts of climate change—and the clean energy and sustainability revolution that will help us rein it in—watch the new movie, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, in theaters now.