Fall 2022
Forum in Review
The Formerly Incarcerated –
An Untapped Workforce
Addiction Recovery And Workforce Development
Water Management:
Flood & Drought
Water Management: Flood & Drought
Col. Jeremy C. SlinkerDirector
Kentucky Division of
Emergency ManagementColin Wellenkamp,
JD, LLMExecutive DirectorMississippi River Cities
& Towns InitiativeAlice C. HillDavid M. Rubenstein
Senior Fellow for Energy
and the EnvironmentCouncil on Foreign Relations
More frequently occurring environmental disasters of an unprecedented scale are straining the states’ emergency management capabilities. Flooding is now the costliest and most common natural hazard in the United States. Simultaneously, half of the lower 48 states are currently in drought, exacerbating the risk of flooding when severe storms occur.
A panel of experts, including Colonel Jeremy Slinker, Director, Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, Colin Wellenkamp, Executive Director, Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative, and Alice Hill, David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment, from the Council on Foreign Relations, provided intergovernmental perspectives on prevention, recovery, and resilience as the nation faces a future of daunting extremes.
Part 1: The Kentucky Experience
Kentucky has endured six major disasters since 2020, including three floods, two tornadoes and a deadly winter storm. Disasters have ranged from a flood-related levee breach followed by a drought that left one city without a water supply to the catastrophic cross-state flooding on July 28, 2022, that left whole towns submerged ― challenging the state’s emergency management resources, according to Col. Jeremy Slinker. There were 43 flood-related fatalities as bridges and roads collapsed and people could not gain access to critical medical supplies.
Coordination and innovation were key to mounting an effective emergency management response to Kentucky’s recent major disasters, Col. Slinker reported. The first priority is always to save lives, he said, which required coordinated joint agency efforts, including National Guard mobilization to rescue marooned individuals, and neighbors saving neighbors.
Coordination and innovation were key to mounting an
effective emergency management response to Kentucky’s recent
six major disasters.
Starting with hospitals, long-term care facilities and nursing homes, the agencies brought water supplies by tanker to the most vulnerable settings, then developed points of distribution throughout the state for bottled water. Using everything from ATVs to helicopters and boats, medical supplies such as oxygen tanks and bottled water and supplies were transported to marooned people along with informational flyers about how to get help.
Sheltering people whose homes were destroyed required funding from the state legislature for the Commonwealth Sheltering Program. Ultimately, 800 people were sheltered in hotels, state park lodges, and in travel trailers brought in to RV parks.
The second focus is to repair infrastructure, from collapsed interstate bridges to local private bridges. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can offer support, Col. Slinker noted, but isolated people could not access FEMA in person during the Kentucky floods. It was an innovation for FEMA to adopt text messaging to coordinate with state and local agencies.
A third focus is removing debris from flooded areas that can exacerbate flooding and block repairs. The Natural Resources Conservation Service is a potential partner to support this effort. Debris may include hazardous materials that can cause further destruction, such as breaking down bridges, polluting water supplies or destroying waste-water treatment plants. FEMA’s charter requires that facilities be returned to their prior functioning level, but some facilities needed to be upgraded. Kentucky decided to meet the emergency need for clean water and waste water treatment by providing temporary plants while planning for permanent repairs and upgrades.
Coordination and innovation were key to mounting an
effective emergency management response to Kentucky’s recent
six major disasters.
Col. Slinker concluded by cautioning against delays in resilience planning. He acknowledged that future disasters are inevitable, if not imminent, and that there is seldom a convenient time or budget surplus for emergency planning. “You have to train, prepare and plan for disasters,” said Col. Slinker. “In the midst of disaster, a plan will avoid panic and enable you to meet emergencies while simultaneously rebuilding infrastructure.”
Part 2: The Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative
The Mississippi River is the linchpin of the nation’s domestic freight and water infrastructure, transporting 40% of the nation’s agricultural output ― feeding 1 in 12 people on earth ― while creating nearly $500 billion in annual revenue and directly supporting more than 1.5 million jobs.
Ten states border the 2,500 miles of the Mississippi River and share responsibility for sustaining its health. Recognizing this shared responsibility and the fact that upstream and downstream cities impact the health of the river, in 2012 mayors of cities and towns along the river agreed to create a regional coalition to mitigate risk at the watershed level, founding the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative (MRCTI.org). MRCTI's work helps protect and restore the Mississippi River as a natural system that can support human culture and economies as well as the river's unique ecosystem and wildlife.
Climate risks significantly impact the river basin, reported Colin Wellenkamp of MRCTI. In fact, the region endured a 200-year flood event in 2011, followed by a 50-year drought in 2012 ― with the impact of drought being much more expensive and far reaching. The 2012 drought accounted for $35 billion in losses, and was the second most expensive disaster on Earth that year. In 2019, the largest, longest flood in U.S. history occurred on the river, leading to $20 billion in losses. Since 2005, disasters involving the river have led to $210 billion in losses.
Since 2005, disasters involving the Mississippi River have led to $210 billion in losses. We are facing unprecedented flooding seasons with an outdated and broken river infrastructure.
Sources of Support
Systemic solutions are required to address climate challenges, Mr. Wellencamp noted. MRCTI has developed a unified infrastructure and investment program to address the region’s growing vulnerability to disasters. Recent congressional allocations have made these plans practical, and provide funding for all the affected states.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 appropriates $548 billion in new spending for infrastructure improvement, systemic risk reduction and resilience. It is designed to create U.S. jobs run by U.S. firms. There are specific allocations per state but, without assistance, many small cities may not have the expertise to pursue these funds, Mr. Wellencamp said, and will require state leader support. The funds may be allocated to transportation infrastructure such as roads, bridges, public transport, railroads and airports, as well as to power and water infrastructure, broadband, resiliency and environmental remediation.
The Jobs Act provides the highest level of state revolving funds (SRFs) in the past 30 years. These loan programs are capitalized by federal grants, state appropriations and dedicated revenues. States may use the funds to provide a range of financial assistance to local governments, including loans, grants and credit enhancement. The biggest spending allocation is for water infrastructure, to provide clean drinking water and waste water treatment. There is 100% forgiveness of these loans for qualifying towns.
For details, see this pdf from the Congressional Research Service:
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), visit this page Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
The states are in control of state revolving funds (SRFs): The state decides who qualifies, collects the applications, and allocates the funds.
The Storm Act
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 fully funded the STORM (Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation) Act’s Revolving Loan Fund program and appropriated $100 million per year over five years for a total of $500 million. The law authorizes FEMA to provide capitalization grants to states, establishing revolving loan funds for local governments to reduce risks from natural hazards and disasters. The STORM Act allows FEMA to empower states to make funding decisions and award loans directly.
The Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act includes $369 billion in climate and clean energy investments designed to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions some 40% below 2005 levels by 2030. It allocates funding for natural infrastructure projects such as water management, cutting edge conservation projects and habitat protection, and allows FEMA to fund disaster-mitigation-capacity building, as well as projects to sequester carbon and reduce flood plain vulnerability. Mr. Wellencamp concluded by urging state leaders not to miss the opportunity to put these funds to work.
Part 3: Climate Change: Too Little and Too Much Water
Our infrastructure was built for the climate of the past, not the future, said Alice C. Hill from the Council on Foreign Relations. As environmental disasters become more frequent and unprecedented, they severely stress our vulnerable infrastructure.
Increasing Concentration of Greenhouse Gases
Courtesy Alice C. Hill
Ms. Hill reminded the Forum that the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in earth’s atmosphere, with carbon dioxide now at 421 PPM — the highest in 3 million years — continues to push average temperatures up, leading to unprecedented and devastating natural events including more intense storms, heavier rainfall, flooding, drought, wildfires, sea-level rise, and long hot temperatures. Events grow larger for every tenth of a degree of temperature increase.
Increase in Billion-Dollar Events (1980-2022)
Courtesy Alice C. Hill
In the 1980s, there were on average seven natural disasters per year that caused billion dollar losses. Since 2020, there have been 17 per year. With a 4°C increase in global temperature, the world will become un-insurable. For instance, private insurers refuse to provide wildfire insurance, leaving the burden of recovery on the government.
Our infrastructure was built for the climate of the past, not the future.
Environmental disasters disrupt global supply chains and raise the specter of new public health risks such as new diseases. Climate change puts at risk our economy and infrastructure, public health, and national security.
With a 4°C increase in global temperature,
the world will become un-insurable.
What Can State Legislators Do?
There is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for states to access significant federal funding for climate readiness projects, said Ms. Hill. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) appropriates $548 billion in new spending for infrastructure improvement, systemic risk reduction and resilience. With this funding, leaders have a transformational opportunity to mitigate climate-related risks and to make the U.S. infrastructure resilient against the impacts of climate change, cyber-attacks, and extreme weather events.
“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for states to access significant federal funding for climate readiness projects.”
Great For What States Can Do
The new funding will support projects that improve risk assessment to reliably predict future risk and allocate funding to build plans that mitigate those risks, Ms. Hill reported. Legislators can lead on innovations such as climate resilient building codes that consider wind and flood risks, and advocate for revised land use practices that take into account flooding risks. New requirements for risk disclosures, such as the risk for flooding or for wildfires, could be built into state codes. States have access to funding for grid resilience, including investments in alternative energy sources such as wind and solar. Creating resilient cities will require innovations, for example, painting streets white to reflect excess heat in urban areas. Finally, workforce education is essential so that people understand the risks ahead and can engage in informed envisioning of solutions.
Fact sheet provided by Environmental and Energy Study Institute:Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change (pdf)See the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit for a list of funding sources and qualifying criteria for eligible projects.
Discussion
Moderated by
Tom Finneran
Sen. Rod Bray
Senate President Pro Tempore, Indiana
The Mississippi River is at its lowest level since 1982. What has to happen to get crops shipped to port?
Col. Jeremy Slinker
Director, Kentucky Division of Emergency Management
Stream conditions are a critical consideration, and it is the federal agencies that have the authority to initiate the major projects to address these issues. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture can access federal funding for large projects. Once hazardous debris is removed, the NCRS can mitigate the ongoing issues.
Colin Wellenkamp, JD, LLM
Executive Director, Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative
This country is in drought from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. It is not equally intense in all areas but covers a large section of the US. As a result, grain movement is down 40%. Drought followed by floods causes erosion and further deposition of silt into the watershed. The U.S. urgently needs a national drought mitigation policy. Formerly, FEMA did not provide funds for droughts. Now, with new programs, drought mitigation projects can be funded.
The National Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP) is a federal partnership that is dedicated to helping communities better prepare for future droughts and reducing the impact of drought on livelihoods and the economy.For funding opportunities under this program, visit this page at drought.gov.
Kevin Lynch
Managing Director, External Affairs, Avangrid Renewables, LLC
Another funding opportunity to combat climate change is embedded in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which provides tax credits, research, loans, and grants to increase domestic manufacturing capacity for wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, and other essential components of clean energy production and storage. Also included are tax credits to reduce carbon emissions, and programs to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will invest $369 billion in Energy Security and Climate Change programs over the next ten years with a goal to improve resilience and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40% by 2030.For more information about our guest speakers’ organizations, visit: Kentucky Emergency Management Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative Council on Foreign Relations
Presenter Biographies
Col. Jeremy C. Slinker
Director
Kentucky Division of Emergency Management
Colonel Jeremy C. Slinker has served with the Kentucky State Police for 25 years as a Trooper and in all supervisory ranks. He has held Command positions in Post Operations, Special Operations, and Drug Enforcement/Special Investigations. In 2016 he was appointed to the Kentucky State Police Command Staff as the Special Enforcement Troop Commander and in 2017 promoted to his current position as the Operations Division Director. Lieutenant Colonel Slinker resides in Richmond, Kentucky, and is a 1993 Graduate of Eastern Kentucky University.
Colin Wellenkamp, JD, LLM
Executive Director
Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative
Colin Wellenkamp's extensive career in the legal and policy fields has been focused on advocating and advancing public interests through improving local government functions and the activity of the business world. Mr. Wellenkamp is dedicated to assisting organizations and people transition to a sustainable way of life. Colin has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Saint Louis University, a J.D. from Creighton University School of Law, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Sustainable Development Law from George Washington University Law School.
PA native of Missouri, Colin now lives in St. Charles, MO, with his wife and daughters.
Alice C. Hill
David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment
Council on Foreign Relations
Alice Hill is the David M. Rubenstein senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations. Her work at CFR focuses on the risks, consequences, and responses associated with climate change. Hill previously served as special assistant to President Barack Obama and senior director for resilience policy on the National Security Council staff where she led the development of national policy to build resilience to catastrophic risks, including climate change and biological threats. Her coauthored book, Building a Resilient Tomorrow, was published in 2019. In 2020, Yale University and the Op-Ed Project awarded her the Public Voices Fellowship on the Climate Crisis. Hill’s new book, The Fight for Climate After COVID-19, was published in September 2021.
In 2009, Hill served as Senior Counselor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in which she led the formulation of DHS's first-ever climate adaptation plan and the development of strategic plans regarding catastrophic biological and chemical threats, including pandemics. While at the Department of Homeland Security, Hill founded and led the internationally recognized anti-human trafficking initiative, the Blue Campaign. Hill served as a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution from 2016 to 2019, during which time she was awarded the National Institute of Building Sciences’ President’s Award and the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center Writing Fellowship. In 2016, Harvard University’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative also named her Meta-Leader of the Year. Earlier in her career, Hill served as supervising judge on both the superior and municipal courts in Los Angeles and as chief of the white-collar crime prosecution unit in the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s office. The Department of Justice awarded her its highest accolade, the John Marshall Award for Outstanding Legal Achievement.
Hill earned her bachelor’s degree in history and economics with distinction from Stanford University and her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Axios, The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, CNN, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Nature, and Lawfare, among others. Hill is also a contributing author to the book, Standing Up for a Sustainable World: Voices of Change, edited by Claude Henry, Johan Rockström, and Nicholas Stern.
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