Hurricanes

This is the November 2, 2017 hearing on "The 2017 Hurricane Season: A Review of Emergency Response and Energy Infrastructure Recovery Efforts," held before the Subcommittee on Energy of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. From the opening statement of Fred Upton: "So, this year's Atlantic hurricane season was unprecedented. Four named storms in close succession slammed into the Gulf, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These hurricanes caused catastrophic damage and energy supply disruptions across the country. While Texas and Florida are further down the road to recovery, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Puerto Rico--a number of colleagues from this committee have been down there--and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where the majority of folks still remain without power for more than a month after Hurricane Maria made landfall. Today's hearing will review the emergency response and energy recovery efforts in the wake of those storms. It will help us begin to understand what went right and what went wrong, what lessons can be learned, and how we, as policymakers, can identify gaps, so that when the next hurricane hits, we will be better prepared." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Patricia Hoffman, Ray Alexander, DeAnn T. Walker, Robert F. Corbin, Frank Rusco, Thomas A. Fanning, Julio A. Rhymer, Sr., Chet Thompson, Max E. McBrayer, Jr., Ramon-Luis Nieves, and Catherine B. Kennedy.

This is the April 12, 2018 hearing titled "Are We Ready for the Next Hurricane Season? Status of Preparation and Response Capabilities for 2018," held before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. From the opening statement of Roger Wicker: "Thank you for waiting during two relatively early morning votes for the Senate. And I'm happy to chair this timely hearing after the 2017 hurricane season and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate. My home State of Mississippi is especially vulnerable to natural disasters, and the memory of Hurricane Katrina still remains fresh. I want to take this opportunity to remind the Committee that Barry Myers, President Trump's nominee to be the NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] Administrator, still awaits confirmation from the Senate. I think as this hearing progresses, we should be mindful of that." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jamie M. Miller, Allen Owen, Charles Lindsey, Jennifer Pipa, Timothy Gallaudet, Linda L. Fagan, and T. Bella Dinh-Zarr.

This is the March 1, 2022 hearing on "FEMA: Building a Workforce Prepared and Ready to Respond Part II," held before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery of the Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Val Butler Demings: "Our hearing today is a continuation of a very important topic that the subcommittee examined on January 20, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's work force. I am pleased that FEMA Deputy Director Erik Hooks is joining our hearing this morning. As we all know, the most valuable resources of any organization are the men and women on the ground executing the mission. FEMA's work force works nonstop to help those in need, and I am so grateful for their dedication to their mission. As a former law enforcement officer and as a Member of Congress now, I have personally seen the incredible work FEMA has done to support Floridians in the wake of disasters, like Hurricane Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne in 2004, and Hurricane Irma in 2017." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Erik A. Hooks.

This is the October 5, 2021 hearing on "Hurricane Ida and Beyond: Readiness, Recovery, and Resilience," held before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform. From the opening statement of Carolyn B. Maloney: "The committee is holding this hearing to address the serious and growing crisis posed by natural disaster and extreme weather events driven by climate change. Between August 29 and September 1, Hurricane Ida devastated the U.S. from the Louisiana coast to New Jersey, and my home state of New York. This deadly hurricane resulted in over 100 deaths, including 13 in New York City. [...] Today, I reintroduced the Federal Agency Climate Prep Act. This bill will ensure that communities have a say in how Federal agencies implement their climate action plans, which is crucially making sure our taxpayer dollars are put to work where they are most needed. Last week, I was proud to support the $28 billion for victims of Hurricane Ida that Congress approved, but I was disappointed that 175 of my Republican colleagues voted against this bill, including many members whose constituents are in dire need of the emergency funding approved by Democrats. I am hopeful that as extreme weather becomes more frequent and more deadly, we can agree on a bipartisan basis that impacted Americans deserve our help." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Deanne Criswell.

This is the May 25, 2016 hearing titled, "Improvements in Hurricane Forecasting and the Path Forward," held before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. From the opening statement of Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator from Florida: "I wanted to convene this hearing one week before the official start of the 2016 hurricane season. As the hearing title suggests, we will be focusing on improvements in forecasting, and we will discuss how track and intensity forecasts can be further enhanced. [...] Innovation is the key to ensuring lives and property are spared by accurate forecasting. This hurricane season, there are two new tools that will be at the disposal of our researchers and forecasters. The first is called the Coyote. It is a small unmanned aerial system deployed directly from the P-3 hurricane hunters. This drone is able to fly into weather conditions that are otherwise impossible for manned aircraft, while capturing atmospheric observations and relaying that data in real time to the Hurricane Center. [...] The second involves tools for storm surge, which is critically important as water is responsible for 90 percent of the deaths associated with storms. The storm surge watch and warning graphic, while still in the experimental phase, will provide watches and warnings to coastal residents similar to those issued for tropical storms or hurricanes, but will focus solely on the risks associated with high water. In response to these risks, it will issue guidance for evacuations in the areas impacted." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Richard Knabb.

This is the July 22, 2019 field hearing titled "Weathering the Storm: Improving Hurricane Resiliency Through Research," held before the House Subcommittee on Environment of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. From the opening statement of Lizzie Fletcher: "Here in Houston, we know the devastating effects that hurricanes can bring, and we know the importance of preparing. As a young girl, I was just a few blocks from where we're sitting today in the house I grew up in when Hurricane Alicia came through Houston and the eye of the storm passing right over our heads. In the years since, we have seen many storms here and across the Gulf Coast. We know them by name: Rita, Ike, Harvey. In fact, Texas is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. The Texas General Land Office has found that in the last 14 years every coastal county in Texas has received at least one hurricane disaster declaration. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey rewrote the continental U.S. record for rainfall from a tropical cyclone. It was the second-costliest hurricane in United States history behind only Hurricane Katrina. At least 68 people died, as we know all too well in this community, from the direct effects of the storm, and it left an estimated $125 billion worth of damage in its wake. We are still recovering." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Louis W. Uccellini, Hanadi Rifai, Emily Grover-Kopec, and Jim Blackburn.

From the Document: "This ASPR TRACIE [Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange] resource was developed to provide a short overview of the potential significant health and medical response and recovery needs facing hurricane- and severe storm-affected areas, based on past experience and lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Maria, and others. The list of considerations is not exhaustive but does reflect a thorough environmental scan of publications and resources available on past storm response and anecdotal information from first responders who were on scene. The intent of the document is to aid the 'ESF [Emergency Support Function]-8 Family' in thinking through the different potential problems that may present as Requests for Assistance and unmet needs. Our hope is that this document can aid readers in anticipating some of these potential issues to either avoid them or be ready to respond to them as needed. Those faced with leading the response and recovery from a hurricane may use this document as a reference, while simultaneously focusing on the actual assessments and issues specific to their communities and the unmet needs as they develop."

From the Introduction: "Following the severe and widespread impact of Hurricane Sandy, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reviewed the preparation, response, recovery, and restoration activities performed within its organization and by the Energy Sector. Understanding the wide range of challenges encountered by owners and operators of the energy infrastructure, States and localities, utility customers, and the Federal government will establish the basis for continuous improvement in preparedness and response activities. Hurricane Sandy was the second-largest Atlantic tropical cyclone on record. Making landfall on October 29, 2012, Sandy's impact stretched across 21 States--from North Carolina to Maine and as far west as Illinois -- bringing extreme winds, heavy rains, and flooding. At its peak, hurricane-force winds extended 175 miles from the center of the storm and tropical storm-force winds extended 500 miles. Sandy caused significant damage to the energy infrastructure. [...] This document provides an initial review of DOE's Sandy-Nor'easter preparation and response activities, highlights some of the observations made during the response, and recommends specific activities to help DOE move forward with its government colleagues and industry partners to increase the resilience of the nation's energy infrastructure."

From the Document: "The Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) assists landowners in restoring land used in agricultural production when damaged by a natural disaster. Congress appropriated $400 million to ECP to address damage caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria; wildfires occurring in 2017; and other natural disasters. We found that FSA needs to strengthen its internal controls within the ECP. First, producers are typically required to apply within the signup period to ensure eligibility and identify qualifying damage. However, we found that FSA issued more than $700,000 in ECP payments for 15 of 40 applications without properly documenting concurrence or when FSA should not have concurred with waiving the prior approval rule. Second, we found that, in all four counties we reviewed, district directors did not sufficiently document or timely review ECP applications. Additionally, in three counties, county executive directors did not perform spot checks to verify practice maintenance and cost documentation. As a result, the county committee may have been presented ineligible applications for approval. Additionally, because FSA did not complete spot checks, FSA could not ensure producers completed restoration practices on applications totaling more than $1.9 million. Third, FSA processed cost-share payments for 14 of 40 applications using insufficient documentation, included ineligible costs, or calculated cost-share reimbursements incorrectly. As a result, we identified more than $557,000 potential improper payments. FSA generally concurred with our findings and recommendations, and we accepted management decision for 9 of the 10 recommendations."

From the Document: "This report provides answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding [1] emergency and major disaster declarations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act; 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.), including legal authorities and information related to the declaration request process; [2] types of assistance that may be available to state, territorial, and tribal governments, private nonprofit organizations, private entities, and individuals and households pursuant to a Stafford Act emergency or major disaster declaration; [3] considerations related to concurrently responding to a hurricane during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic; [4] the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), the source of funding for the Stafford Act emergency and major disaster declarations; [5] other federal assistance that may be available through the Small Business Administration (SBA); and [6] additional references. The scope of this report is limited to assistance authorized under the Stafford Act. This report does not address other forms of federal assistance that may support response to and recovery from a hurricane."

From the Document: "Many in Congress have expressed interest in increasing scientific understanding of tropical cyclones and improving forecasts to help their constituents prepare for the yearly hurricane season and potentially decrease a storm's impact on an individual or community. The Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is responsible for issuing tropical cyclone forecasts, including track, intensity, storm surge, and rainfall. [...] In May 2022, NOAA issued its initial 2022 Atlantic hurricane outlook [hyperlink], indicating a 65% likelihood of an above-normal season rather than a near- (25%) or below-normal season (10%). The predicted number of named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes was similar to the number predicted in August 2021 for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. NOAA indicated that the higher level of activity is attributed to climate factors [hyperlink], such as the ongoing periodic cooling of sea surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific (La Niña phenomenon), warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds, and an enhanced West African monsoon system."

From the Document: "This Insight provides a short overview of issues Congress may consider in relation to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. It is 'not' intended to provide up-to-date information on unfolding events. For storm-related updates and the current status of response efforts, see official government sources (e.g., Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and National Weather Service), congressional advisories from government sources, and/or news media."

From the Document: "In recent weeks, multiple southern states and U.S. territories have experienced significant property damage and loss of life as a result of severe hurricanes, including Harvey, Irma, and Maria. This Insight will focus on the economic impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, as the impact of Hurricane Maria is still unfolding in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Harvey first made landfall in Texas on August 25 as a category 4 storm, before stalling for a number of days above south and southeast Texas delivering torrential downpours. Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 storm on September 10 after sweeping through the Caribbean, impacting multiple other countries and U.S. territories. A combination of strong winds and widespread flooding, resulting from strong rains and storm surges, have disrupted large communities in the South and South East and resulted in widespread property damage."

From the Introduction: "Disaster-damaged roads and public transportation systems are eligible for federal assistance under two U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) programs, the Emergency Relief (ER) Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Public Transportation ER Program administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The two programs have different histories and legal and regulatory authorities, but they share a similar intent and face some of the same issues. For example, there are concerns with both programs about the extent to which federally funded activities should go beyond restoring infrastructure to predisaster conditions, including so-called resilience projects. This report begins by discussing FHWA assistance for the repair and reconstruction of highways and bridges damaged by disasters (such as recent flood events, Western wildfires, and ongoing permanent repairs to damage from the 2017 Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria) or catastrophic failures (such as the I-5 overpass that was critically damaged in 2019 by an over-height truck near Chehalis, WA). The report includes information on the use of ER funds on disaster-damaged federally owned public-use roadways, such as National Park Service roads and U.S. Forest Service roads, under an affiliated program, the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program. This is followed by a discussion of FTA's assistance program, established in 2012, which has provided assistance to public transportation systems on three occasions, once after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, after the 2017 hurricanes, and in 2019 for major declared disasters in 2018."

From the Summary: "This report provides information on federal financial assistance provided to the Gulf States after major disasters were declared in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in response to the widespread destruction that resulted from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 2005 and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. Though the storms happened over a decade ago, Congress has remained interested in the types and amounts of federal assistance that were provided to the Gulf Coast for several reasons. This includes how the money has been spent, what resources have been provided to the region, and whether the money has reached the intended people and entities."

From the Document: "The National Hurricane Center (NHC), part of the National Weather Service (NWS) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is responsible for forecasting tropical cyclones, including hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. The NHC provides estimates of the path of a tropical cyclone (i.e., hurricane track), the intensity, and the size and structure of the storm, as well as predictions of storm surge, rainfall, and even associated tornadoes. Depending on the status of the tropical cyclone, this information may be used to create a hurricane watch or a hurricane warning and public advisories, which are issued on an increasingly frequent basis if a storm strengthens and approaches the U.S. coastline."

From the Document: "Timely tropical cyclone forecasts can provide early and accurate warnings to parts of the U.S. coastline vulnerable to tropical cyclone impacts. Recent hurricane seasons have included several major hurricanes--such as Dorian in 2019 and Florence, Lane, Michael, and Olivia in 2018--which resulted in multiple deaths and billions of dollars of damage in the southeastern United States and Hawaii, among other places. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the federal agency responsible for tropical cyclone forecasts, including track, intensity, storm surge, and rainfall forecasts. NOAA defines 'tropical cyclones' as tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes, and the agency makes tropical cyclone forecasts using data from multiple observational tools--satellites, reconnaissance aircraft, ships, radar, and buoys, among others."

From the Hurricane Preparedness Messages: "We never want to wait until an emergency to figure out our plan of action. With the arrival of the hurricane season, now is the time to ensure you have a plan for yourself and family when a hurricane threatens our area. Do you know if you live in an area prone to storm surge? Do you know your evacuation zone? Do you have an emergency preparedness kit? These are questions every coastal resident should ask themselves and answer while the weather is quiet. It only takes one storm to impact your location for it to be a bad year. For those new to the area or those longtime residents: we urge you to NOT be complacent, but be prepared! This Preparedness Guide is your resource to learn about threats associated with tropical storms and hurricanes and how you can prepare."

From the Document: "Three major hurricanes hit the United States between August and September of 2017. On September 8, 2017, the President signed the first Federal Disaster Assistance package of the 2017 hurricane season following Hurricane Harvey. On February 9, 2018, the President signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which provided disaster relief totaling approximately $89.3 billion. The Department of Health and Human Services received $5.97 billion ($1.07 billion for discretionary programs), of which the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) received $60 million. Our objectives were to identify HRSA's potential risks for preparing for and responding to hurricanes and other natural disasters and to determine whether HRSA has designed and implemented controls and strategies to mitigate these potential risks."

From the Introduction: "A hurricane can cause widespread devastation during and after it occurs. This guide from FEMA is designed to help you properly prepare for a hurricane and know how to protect yourself during and after one. Planning and preparing can make a big difference in safety and resiliency in the wake of a hurricane. The ability to quickly recover following a hurricane requires a focus on preparedness, advance planning, and knowing what to do in the event of a hurricane."

From the Document: "Our objective was to evaluate NRCS' [Natural Resources Conservation Service] controls over the EWP [Emergency Watershed Protection] Program relating to hurricane disaster assistance provided for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. [...] The Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program offers technical and financial assistance to help local communities mitigate imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms, and other natural occurrences that impair a watershed. In our review, we found that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) did not establish and maintain a database to accurately track EWP Program projects at the national level. Without a database, NRCS is unable to assess, improve, or report on program effectiveness."

From the Document: "This Insight discusses the measures undertaken by electric utilities to prevent or mitigate power outages resulting from severe weather events. Power lines and transformers used to provide electricity to customers are particularly susceptible to damage due to their exposure to the elements. The loss of life and extensive damage seen so far in the 2017 hurricane season has refocused the attention of Congress on the destructive potential of such storms. High winds, rain, and coastal surges can combine to create floods which exacerbate damage from hurricanes. Other severe weather events such as ice storms can be equally as destructive as hurricanes and tropical storms, and can also affect entire U.S. regions."

From the Document: "This ASPR TRACIE [Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange] resource was developed to provide a short overview of the potential significant health and medical response and recovery needs facing hurricane- and severe storm-affected areas, based on past experience and lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Maria, and others. The list of considerations is not exhaustive but does reflect a thorough environmental scan of publications and resources available on past storm response and anecdotal information from first responders who were on scene. The intent of the document is to aid the 'ESF [Emergency Support Function]-8 Family' in thinking through the different potential problems that may present as Requests for Assistance and unmet needs. Our hope is that this document can aid readers in anticipating some of these potential issues to either avoid them or be ready to respond to them as needed. Those faced with leading the response and recovery from a hurricane may use this document as a reference, while simultaneously focusing on the actual assessments and issues specific to their communities and the unmet needs as they develop."

From the Document: "This report examines (1) estimates of the costs of damages caused by hurricanes and hurricanes' effects on overall economic activity and employment in the areas they affected, and (2) actions subsequently taken in those areas to improve resilience to future natural disasters."

From the Document: "Some hazards (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires) may result in evacuations and the displacement of disaster survivors. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state, local, tribal, and territorial governments (SLTTs) are responsible [hyperlink] for conducting emergency sheltering operations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [hyperlink] and FEMA [hyperlink] have provided SLTTs with guidance and assistance to safely shelter disaster survivors during the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This Insight discusses emergency sheltering models used by FEMA, FEMA's pandemic-modified emergency sheltering policies [hyperlink], pandemic-related emergency sheltering challenges faced by SLTTs, and policy considerations for Congress."

From the Website: "The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) issues tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for all tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific from 140 Degrees West Longitude to the International Dateline. The season officially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30. However, tropical cyclones can occur at any time. The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Honolulu activates the CPHC when: (1) a tropical cyclone moves into the Central Pacific from the Eastern Pacific, (2) a tropical cyclone forms in the Central Pacific, or (3) a tropical cyclone moves into the Central Pacific from the West."

This Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) webpage provides general information about hurricanes as well as information about hurricane preparedness and response and the assistance provided by FEMA.

This is a webpage of the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) which provides the latest information (images and data) on hurricanes and tropical cyclones.

A service of the National Weather Service, this website provides up-to-date storm information and imagery, as well as hurricane preparedness information.

This is the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) website offering preparedness information covering a wide range of environmental issues and disasters, including earthquakes, landslides, extreme heat, lightning, wildfires, volcanoes, floods, tornadoes, winter weather, hurricanes, and tsunamis. The primary objective of this source is to provide comprehensive environmental information in order to boost emergency preparedness and response.