With public attention focused on natural disasters following hurricanes in the Gulf Coast region, flooding in the West and the Northeast, and wildfires in the West, there is increasing awareness among state and local officials regarding the need to link land use planning, environmental management, and resource management with disaster mitigation. Natural disasters directly or indirectly affect every state, and governors are leading state efforts to take preventative measures to limit the loss and damage that disasters cause.
Integrating Mitigation and Risk Management into Land Use Planning
With renewed urgency, states are examining how land use planning relates to disaster risk. Of particular concern to governors and other state policymakers are communities and structures that are repeatedly affected by natural disasters. States are employing varied mitigation strategies to help prevent and limit the loss and damage that disasters cause. The Federal Emergency Management Agency defines Mitigation in part as "the ongoing effort to lessen the impact disasters have on people's lives and property through damage prevention." Policymakers are recognizing that integrating mitigation strategies into land use planning is an effective means of reducing disaster risk and lessening disaster impact. Integrating mitigation measures with land use planning is particularly useful in rebuilding communities, where preventative steps can help to minimize the risk of repetitive loss.
Utilizing Environmental Management to Protect Communities at Risk
Increasingly, policymakers are realizing the mitigation benefits of managing the natural environment in certain ways. Wetlands and barrier islands can provide natural buffers against storm surge and hurricane winds, and open space and farmlands can serve as floodplains and help to prevent or slow the spread of forest-fires. In many instances, environmental protection and land preservation, combined with risk-oriented land use planning, can substantially reduce losses suffered as a result of disasters.
Identifying and Protecting Vital Resources
Natural disasters can negatively affect a state or community's vital resources, including drinking water, food supply, and energy supply. Policymakers are taking steps to mitigate against damage to or loss of these resources. Protecting these resources from disaster damage can be critical in restoring services and providing food, water, and ice following disasters.
Protecting Populations from Hazards
Policymakers are using mitigation strategies to protect those made vulnerable during a disaster from hazards. Some of the risks to these populations include release of toxic or hazardous material, collapse of structures, and the threats of flooding.
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