WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association today announced that it will work with Idaho, Maryland and Oregon to test its forthcoming State Resilience Assessment and Planning Tool (SRAP Tool) and identify best practices in adapting to, withstanding and recovering from disasters.
Governors increasingly face a host of human and natural disasters such as severe storms, wildfires and terrorism, as well as chronic stressors including hunger and violence. These threats can all negatively impact the viability of energy, water, transportation and other critical infrastructure assets. In 2017 alone, there were 16 weather- and climate-related disasters with losses exceeding $1 billion, resulting in a total estimated cost of more than $300 billion and 362 deaths.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration Division, the SRAP Tool is a self-assessment designed to help governors begin to understand their states’ resilience by identifying gaps in planning and preparedness for future disasters. Based on the results of this assessment, NGA will host policy retreats to help these states identify and assess strategies to improve resilience to acute disasters and chronic stressors.
NGA policy retreats help state teams focus on specific challenges, discuss state opportunities and produce an actionable list of next steps for state officials.
To learn more about the Environment, Energy and Transportation Division, click here.
To learn more about the Homeland Security and Public Safety Division, click here.
