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Disaster Assistance: FEMA Should Take Additional Actions to Strengthen Fraud Risk Management for Public Assistance Emergency Work Grants, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "FEMA has obligated over $10 billion in PA [Public Assistance] grants for emergency work to applicants in the three states and two territories recovering from hurricanes and wildfires in 2017. FEMA faces challenges balancing the need to quickly deliver disaster funds while minimizing the risk of fraud-- challenges increased by the size and scope of the 2017 disasters and the complexity of the PA grant program. Fraud schemes have included false documentation for debris removal. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review a range of disaster response and recovery issues following the 2017 disaster season. This report addresses the extent to which (1) FEMA's efforts to assess fraud risks to PA emergency work grants align with leading practices, and (2) FEMA helps ensure PA applicants are able to meet their responsibilities for managing fraud risks. GAO assessed FEMA's procedures against leading practices in the Fraud Risk Framework."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-09
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Supplemental Material for GAO-20-503: Select Disaster Profiles for FEMA's Individuals and Households Program 2016-2018
From the Background: "This supplemental material presents our analysis of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program (IHP) applicant data for the following disasters that occurred during 2016 through 2018--the 2016 Louisiana floods; Hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, Irma, Maria, Florence, and Michael; and the 2017 and 2018 California wildfires. FEMA's IHP provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs as a result of a disaster. [...] For each selected disaster, we reviewed FEMA documentation to identify the states, territories, and tribes that received a major disaster declaration that included Individual Assistance, as well as the counties and municipalities designated for assistance. In addition, we analyzed the number of survivors who applied for IHP assistance and application methods, the number and rates of referred and approved applicants, the number of applicants that received assistance and the types and amounts of IHP assistance received, the most common reasons for ineligibility, the number of applicants who appealed a FEMA determination and appeal success rates, and the average and median time between key events in the IHP financial assistance process."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-09
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Incident Response Pocket Guide [January 2006]
This pocket guide is designed to provide guidance on responses to wildfires. These responses range from the operational level, the all risk level, the first aid level, aviation, various weather related and environmental references, and a short guide to communication in the field.
National Wildfire Coordinating Group (U.S.)
2006-01
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2020 Census: Key Areas for Attention Raised by Compressed Timeframes, Statement of J. Christopher Mihm, Managing Director, Strategic Issues, Testimony Before the Committee on Oversight and Reform, U.S. House of Representatives
From the Testimony: "I am pleased to be here today to discuss the U.S. Census Bureau's (Bureau) progress in preparing for the 2020 Decennial Census. The Census is mandated by the Constitution and provides vital data for the nation. Census data are used, among other purposes, to apportion the seats of the U.S. House of Representatives; redraw congressional districts in each state; and allocate billions of dollars each year in federal financial assistance. Like the rest of the country, the Bureau has been required to respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) national emergency. Resulting delays, compressed timeframes, implementation of untested procedures, and continuing challenges could undermine the overall quality of the count and escalate census costs. Further, compounding factors in some areas, including high rates of COVID-19 and weather events such as Hurricane Laura and wildfires, affect the Bureau's ability to use in-person methods for obtaining responses."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Mihm, J. Christopher
2020-09-10
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Ethical Decision-Making for Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "The thesis suggests that homeland security personnel lack a uniform method to make sound and defensible ethical decisions. Building on a foundation of classical ethical thought, it is established that ethics are essential to the work of homeland security. Philosophical underpinnings include virtue ethics, deontology, utilitarianism, decision-making practices, and values common to the homeland security enterprise. Real-world case studies were examined in an attempt to understand and demonstrate what can happen if ethics are neglected, considered incompletely or incorrectly, or thoughtfully applied. Case studies include the response to Hurricane Katrina, motivation and thought behind terrorism, and the discussion on torture. Examples of good ethics programs were analyzed, including the Canadian Defense Ethics Program and the Wildfire Fire Leadership Development Program. From this research, a conceptual framework for understanding was developed. The DRIVE framework (Duty, Respect, Integrity, Vision, Ends/Expected outcomes) is proposed to give homeland security personnel the tools necessary to evaluate a situation, make a decision, and review it retrospectively. The framework is easy to remember, flexible to allow for individual differences, yet comprehensive enough to encompass classical ethical thought, common values, and decision-making. The thesis recommends developing an ethics-training program for homeland security, using DRIVE as a foundation."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Nelson, Aaron G.
2013-09
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Smart Practices in Building Interorganizational Collaborative Capacity to Strengthen the Florida Comprehensive Disaster Management Enterprise
From the thesis abstract: "This research demonstrates how the building of Interorganizational Collaborative Capacity served as an enabler for effective change efforts in Florida and constructs a narrative describing smart practices that may be leveraged by other professionals to enhance their own interorganizational collaborative capacity and efficiency efforts. Florida is viewed by many professionals as one of the best-prepared states in the field of emergency management. It built a credible reputation over the past 20 years through increasingly effective responses to catastrophic hurricanes, floods, tornados, wildfires, tropical storms and environmental threats. In particular, the Florida State Emergency Response Team evolved during this time as a result of many change efforts following the initial response to Hurricane Andrew in 1992, an event viewed by many as the initial starting point for the creation of the modern Florida emergency management era. This research examines Florida's Comprehensive Disaster Management evolution from 1992 to 2004 using after-action reports for major emergency events utilizing Hocevar, Thomas and Jansen's model of Inter-organizational Collaborative Capacity and focuses on the factors that served as catalysts for increased interagency cooperation and efficiency."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Hall, Richard D.
2011-12
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Statewide Access Programs: A Key Component to Eliminating the Post-Disaster Access Challenge
From the Thesis Abstract; "Although the United States has a well-defined incident management doctrine, it fails to fully integrate private sector response capabilities into national and local incident management efforts. The lessons learned from the 2017 Hurricane and Wildfire Season underscored the need to improve coordination with the private sector to better assist communities in responding to and recovering from emergencies. This thesis examines how the implementation of statewide access programs can better integrate private sector response capabilities into state and local disaster management efforts. Furthermore, it explores the purpose of an access program, the importance of access management during emergencies, and common post-disaster access-related challenges. Comparative analysis was used to examine U.S. incident management policies and practices regarding the concept of access management and the benefits associated with using access programs. Although use of an access program offers many benefits, key findings attribute the lack of widespread adoption to multiple factors, ranging from inconsistent policy guidance to inadequate prioritization of private sector access needs during emergencies. Recommendations include enacting state statutes, expanding the business emergency operations center network, developing interoperable access programs, and using federal grant programs to help government at all levels to more effectively integrate the private sector into incident management efforts."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Renteria, George
2020-09
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Disaster Response: Agencies Should Assess Contracting Workforce Needs and Purchase Card Fraud Risk, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "The 2017 and 2018 hurricanes and California wildfires affected millions of people and caused billions of dollars in damages. Extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change. Federal contracts for goods and services play a key role in disaster response and recovery, and government purchase cards can be used by agency staff to buy needed items. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review federal response and recovery efforts related to recent disasters. This report examines the extent to which selected agencies planned for their disaster response contracting activities, assessed their contracting workforce needs, and assessed the fraud risk related to their use of purchase cards for disaster response."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-11
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Comparison of Climate Change Adaptation Provisions in S. 1733 and H.R. 2454 [November 12, 2009]
"This report summarizes and compares climate change adaptation-related provisions in the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) and the Clean Energy, Jobs, and Power Act (S. 1733). H.R. 2454 was introduced by Representatives Waxman and Markey and passed the House on June 26, 2009. S. 1733 was introduced to the Senate by Senators Boxer and Kerry and, after subsequent revisions made in the form of a manager's substitution amendment, was reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on November 5, 2009. Adaptation measures aim to improve an individual's or institution's ability to cope with or avoid harmful impacts of climate change, and to take advantage of potential beneficial ones. Both H.R. 2454 and S. 1733 include adaptation provisions that (1) seek to better assess the impacts of climate change and variability that are occurring now and in the future; and (2) support adaptation activities related to climate change, both domestically and internationally. Overall, while the two bills would authorize similar adaptation programs, they differ somewhat in scope and emphasis, and they also differ in the distribution of emission allowance allocations over time. Both bills contain provisions that address international climate change adaptation; domestic climate change adaptation programs, including the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), the National Climate Service, and state and tribal programs; public health; and natural resources adaptation. S. 1733 includes five additional provisions not provided for in the House bill that deal with drinking water utilities; water system mitigation and adaptation partnerships; flood control, protection, prevention, and response; wildfire; and coastal Great Lakes states' adaptation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Ho, Melissa
2009-11-12
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Disaster Relief and Response: FY2003 Supplemental Appropriations [July 17, 2003]
From the Document: "On July 7, 2003, President Bush submitted a second supplemental appropriations request to Congress for FY2003. The request seeks $1.889 billion for three disaster relief activities: wildfire suppression and rehabilitation carried out by the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior ($289 million), disaster relief administered by the Department of Homeland Security ($1.550 billion), and the investigation and recovery associated with the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster ($50 million). On July 9, 2003, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported the FY2004 legislative branch appropriations measure (S. 1383), which included the FY2003 supplemental in Title III, adding $100 million for AmeriCorps grants, among other provisions. The next day, July 10, the Senate incorporated S. 1383 into the legislative branch appropriations bill that had been passed by the House (H.R. 2657) on July 9. On July 11, 2003, the full Senate approved H.R. 2657, as amended, with additional provisions related to firefighting, flood control, AmeriCorps grants, education for the disadvantaged, and pest infestation management activities, among other provisions. The total cost of the Senate-passed-measure is $2.044 billion, 8.2% more than requested. The House has not yet acted on the supplemental funding request. Final funding awaits a pending conference on H.R. 2657."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith
2003-07-17
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Financing Recovery from Large-Scale Natural Disasters [November 18, 2008]
"Two important issues before Congress are (1) securing the nation's capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover/rebuild from natural catastrophe events, and (2) determining whether and how the federal government should intervene in catastrophe insurance markets. Since the devastating Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, and a sequence of tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, and the Midwestern floods in 2008, public attention has focused on: (1) the potential high cost of recovery and financing of natural disaster losses; (2) the supply and relatively narrow scope of private sector disaster insurance; (3) the extent to which Americans living in disaster-prone areas may be uninsured or underinsured; and (4) potential increases in federal outlays for disaster assistance. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the property insurance industry revisited catastrophe exposures with the help of recalibrated catastrophe models for Atlantic tropical storms. Based on this new analysis insurers arguably face greater potential losses in severe catastrophe events than was previously appreciated. This enhanced appreciation of risk has implications for property insurance capacity, underwriting, and pricing. Many insurers responded to recent hurricanes by requesting rate increases or refusing to renew hundreds of thousands of policies sold in areas along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Where insurance became either too expensive or unavailable, homeowners and small business owners who could not otherwise obtain property insurance in the private markets turned to state-operated 'residual market facilities' that serve as insurers of last resort in these areas. As a result, many of these facilities have expanded."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
King, Rawle O.
2008-11-18
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Texas Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized [May 27, 2004]
"The Texas Disaster Act of 1975 contains the key emergency management provisions for the state of Texas (Tex. Government 418.001 et seq.). The governor is authorized to establish an emergency management council to provide advice on emergency management issues. The coordinator of the Division of Emergency Management for the state also serves as the lead drought officer for state. Wildfire and drought are significant natural disaster concerns for the state and are addressed in specific statutes. Continuity of government provisions call upon former legislators to serve as emergency interim successors. This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith
2004-05-27
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Disaster Relief and Response: FY2003 Supplemental Appropriations [Updated October 1, 2003]
From the Document: "Federal departments and agencies are authorized to undertake a range of Emergency management activities, including disaster relief and response efforts. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has primary responsibility, but other departments and agencies provide grants and loans to disaster victims and reimburse state and local governments overwhelmed by costs associated with clearing debris and rebuilding facilities, among other forms of assistance. FY2003 supplemental funding for these activities has been the issue of debate. On September 30, 2003, President Bush signed into law H.R. 2657 (P.L. 108-83), the appropriations measure for the legislative branch for FY2004. Title III of the statute, titled the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003, appropriates $938 million for four departments, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the federal judiciary for FY2003. Roughly half of the funding is appropriated to DHS for disaster relief; the majority of the other funding would be appropriated for costs associated with wildfires, flood control, and other emergencies."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith
2003-10-01
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Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Legislation for Disaster Assistance: Summary Data [Updated October 31, 2008]
"This report provides summary information on emergency supplemental appropriations enacted after major disasters since 1989. During the 20-year span from FY1989 through the present, Congress appropriated almost $271 billion in constant 2008 dollars. Most of the appropriations were preceded by a presidential request for supplemental funding. In 2008 a number of major natural disasters took place including Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the California wildfires, and the Midwest floods. To date however, the most costly disasters occurred in the summer of 2005 when Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma made landfall in Gulf Coast states. […] Prior to FY2005 and the hurricanes, only the terrorist attacks of 2001 led to supplemental appropriations legislation that exceeded $20 billion. Congress appropriated a total of more than $26 billion for disaster assistance in response to the attacks. […] At times, the supplementals enacted by Congress have included only disaster funding. The supplementals enacted after Hurricane Hugo and the Loma Prieta earthquake, in addition to the first two enacted after Hurricane Katrina, serve as examples. On other occasions, however, disaster funding has been part of larger pieces of legislation that appropriated funds for purposes other than disaster assistance. The most recent supplemental disaster assistance appropriation occurred on September 30, 2008 when the President signed into law H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. The statute, P.L.110-329, provides $21.3 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for relief and recovery from hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Murray, Justin; Lindsay, Bruce R.
2008-10-31
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Geospatial Information and Geographic Information Systems (GIS): An Overview for Congress
"Geospatial information is data referenced to a place--a set of geographic coordinates--which can often be gathered, manipulated, and displayed in real time. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer data system capable of capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying geographically referenced information. The federal government and policy makers increasingly use geospatial information and tools like GIS for producing floodplain maps, conducting the census, mapping foreclosures, congressional redistricting, and responding to natural hazards such as wildfires, earthquakes, and tsunamis. For policy makers, this type of analysis can greatly assist in clarifying complex problems that may involve local, state, and federal government, and affect businesses, residential areas, and federal installations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Folger, Peter (Peter Franklin)
2011-05-18
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Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Legislation for Disaster Assistance: Summary Data [May 21, 2008]
"This report provides summary information on emergency supplemental appropriations enacted after major disasters since 1989. During the 20-year span from FY1989 through the present, Congress appropriated more than $213 billion for disaster assistance (almost $243 billion in constant 2008 dollars). Most of the appropriations were preceded by a presidential request for supplemental funding. Some appropriations have been offset by rescissions. The most recent and costly disasters occurred in the summer of 2005 when Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma made landfall in Gulf Coast states. Since Hurricane Katrina struck in August of 2005, as of the end of calendar year 2007, more than $123 billion has been appropriated for supplemental disaster funding, most of it needed for the recovery from the 2005 hurricanes. Portions of the appropriations were offset by rescinding more than $34 billion in previously appropriated funds, explained in the section titled 'Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.' […] On other occasions, however, disaster funding has been part of larger pieces of legislation that appropriated funds for purposes other than disaster assistance. In the latter category of statutes, disaster funding ranges from less than 1% (wildfires and Hurricane Isabel, FY2004) to almost 90% of the total appropriations (Oklahoma City bombing of 2005). The most recent congressional action providing supplemental disaster assistance occurred on November 13, 2007, when the President signed into law P.L. 110-116, the FY2008 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. Division B of the conference report (H.Rept. 110-434) contains supplemental appropriations providing a total of $6.355 billion in disaster related funding. This report will be updated as events warrant to reflect any additional supplemental disaster assistance appropriations enacted into public law in the 110th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Murray, Justin; Bea, Keith
2008-05-21
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Permanent Tax Relief Provisions for Disaster Victims as Presented in the Internal Revenue Code [Updated March 3, 2008]
"When natural or man-made disasters occur, there are several tax relief provisions that apply to affected taxpayers. This report focuses on permanent tax relief laws that are intended to benefit victims of both presidentially and nonpresidentially declared disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts, wildfires, wars, and terrorist attacks. The selected laws are summarized in table format and are arranged by different categories, including 'losses,' 'gains exempted from income,' and 'postponements.' For each law summarized, the table contains the corresponding Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section citation and a brief description of the provision. The descriptions are combinations of verbatim and summarized IRC text. Several bills introduced in the 110th Congress propose to create permanent tax relief provisions for disaster victims. The Catastrophe Savings Account Act of 2007 (H.R. 1787 and S. 927) would provide for tax-exempt catastrophe savings accounts (CSAs) and would allow tax-free distributions from these accounts to pay expenses resulting from presidentially declared disasters. The Hurricane and Tornado Mitigation Investment Act of 2007 (S. 930 and H.R. 913) would allow individual and business taxpayers a tax credit for 25%of their qualified hurricane and tornado mitigation property expenditures up to $5,000 for any taxable year. The Fallen Heroes Tax Fairness Act of 2007 (H.R. 116) would extend the provisions exempting deceased members of the Armed Forces who die from wounds, disease, or injury incurred while serving in a combat zone to the last taxable year ending before such wounds, disease, or injury were incurred."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Teefy, Jennifer
2008-03-03
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In Brief: Clarifying the Concept of 'Partnership' in National Security [May 4, 2012]
"Over the last few years, the term 'partnership' has spread like wildfire through official U.S. national security guidance documents and rhetoric. At the Department of Defense (DOD), which spearheaded the proliferation of the term, 'partnership' has been used to refer to a broad array of civilian as well as military activities in support of national security. At other U.S. government agencies, and at the White House, the use of the term "partnership" has been echoed and applied even more broadly-not only in the national security arena, but also to all facets of U.S. relationships with foreign partners. 'Partnership' is not new in either theory or practice. To illustrate, U.S. strategy during the Cold War called for working with formal allies, through combined planning and the development of interoperable capabilities, in order to deter and if necessary defeat a Soviet threat. And it called for working with partners in the developing world to cultivate the allegiance of states and societies to the West, and to bolster their resistance to Soviet influence. Congress provided oversight in the forms of policy direction; resources and authorities for programs ranging from weapons sales to combined military exercises to cultural exchanges; and accountability. New in recent years is both the profusion of the use of the term partnership and-in the aftermath of both the Cold War and the first post-9/11 decade-a much less singular focus for U.S. global engagement. Recent defense and national strategic guidance clearly conveys the view that partnership is good."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dale, Catherine
2012-05-04
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Summary Report: FY2014 Supplemental Appropriations [August 28, 2014]
"On July 8, 2014, the Administration requested $4,346 million in FY2014 supplemental appropriations to address two issues: the surge in both unaccompanied and escorted children illegally crossing the southwest border, and a shortfall in federal funding to pay the costs of wildfires. The appropriations were requested to be designated as emergency funding, meaning the requested funds would not count against the discretionary budget caps for FY2014. On July 23, 2014, the Senate introduced S. 2648, which includes $3,571 million in supplemental appropriations for the Administration's requested purposes as well as for defense assistance to Israel. S. 2648 would designate the appropriations as an emergency, meaning they would not count against the discretionary budget caps for FY2014. On July 29, 2014, the House introduced H.R. 5230, which included $659 million in supplemental appropriations to address the situation at the southwest border. The legislation also included $659 million in rescissions that would offset the budgetary impact of the bill. An amended version of H.R. 5230, which includes an additional $35 million to defray the cost to states of National Guard deployments to the southern border, $35 million more in offsets, and a different set of policy provisions, passed the House 223-189 on August 1, 2014. The primary focus of this report is the Administration's request for supplemental appropriations, and the appropriations legislation considered in response to that request. Other policy-related provisions of the legislation will be analyzed in other CRS [Congressional Research Service] materials."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Painter, William L.
2014-08-28
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Summary Report: FY2014 Supplemental Appropriations [July 30, 2014]
"On July 8, 2014, the Administration requested $4,346 million in FY2014 supplemental appropriations to address two issues: the surge in both unaccompanied and escorted children illegally crossing the southwest border, and a shortfall in federal funding to pay the costs of wildfires. The appropriations were requested to be designated as emergency funding, meaning the requested funds would not count against the discretionary budget caps for FY2014. On July 23, 2014, the Senate introduced S. 2648, which included $3,571 million in supplemental appropriations for the Administration's requested purposes as well as providing funding for defense assistance to Israel. S. 2648 would designate the appropriations as an emergency, meaning they would not count against the discretionary budget caps for FY2014. On July 29, 2014, the House introduced H.R. 5230, which included $659 million in supplemental appropriations to address the situation at the southwest border. The legislation included $659 million in rescissions that would offset the budgetary impact of the bill. The primary focus of this report is the Administration's request for supplemental appropriations, and the appropriations legislation considered in response to that request. Other policy-related provisions of the legislation will be analyzed in other CRS [Congressional Research Service] materials. This report will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Painter, William L.
2014-07-30
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Federal Lands and Natural Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 114th Congress [April 6, 2015]
"The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, §3, Clause 2) grants Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. The 114th Congress may consider multiple federal land and natural resources policy and management issues. These issues are complex and often interrelated, and include how much and which land the government should own, and how lands and resources should be used and managed. These issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation. There are approximately 640 million surface acres of federally owned land in the United States. Four agencies (referred to in this report as the federal land management agencies, or FLMAs) administer approximately 609 million surface acres (95%) of federal lands: the Forest Service (FS) in the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS), all in the Department of the Interior (DOI). […]This report introduces some of the broad themes and issues Congress considers when addressing federal land policy and resource management, including questions about the extent and location of the federal estate. For example, legislation may be introduced in the 114th Congress to continue funding laws that authorize the acquisition of additional lands, and other legislation may propose to convey some land out of federal ownership or management. Other issues for Congress may include whether certain lands or resources should have additional protections, for example, by designating certain lands as wilderness or national monuments, or protecting endangered species and their habitat. Congress also may address questions about wildfire management on both federal and nonfederal lands, such as questions about funding suppression efforts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2015-04-06
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DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE): A Primer, with Appropriations for FY2016 [February 9, 2016]
"The nation's energy infrastructure is undergoing a major transformation. New technologies and changes in electricity flows place increasing demands on the electric power grid. These changes include increased use of distributed (mostly renewable energy) resources, Internet-enabled demand response technologies, growing loads from electric vehicle use, continued expansion of natural gas use, and integration of energy storage devices. The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) is tasked with the lead role to address those infrastructure issues. OE is also responsible for the physical security and cybersecurity of energy infrastructure. As an illustration, OE reports that, during FY2014, its programs responded to 24 energy-related emergency events, including physical security events, wildfires, severe storms, fuel shortages, and national security events. […] For the OE portion of the FY2016 Energy and Water Development (E&W) bill (H.R. 2028), the House approved $160 million and the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $152 million; but the Administration issued a veto threat. Ultimately, E&W appropriations appeared as Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2029). The bill was enacted as P.L. 114-113. The law provided $206 million for OE. The proposed new grant program was not funded, but funding was provided for the new Transformer Resilience program. Both the Smart Grid and Cybersecurity programs received larger amounts than were requested."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sissine, Fred J.
2016-02-09
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Federal Lands and Natural Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 113th Congress [December 8, 2014]
"The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, § 3, Clause 2) grants Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. The 113th Congress is considering multiple federal land and natural resources policy and management issues. These issues are complex and often interrelated, and include how much and which land the government should own, and how lands and resources should be used and managed. These issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation. […]This report introduces some of the broad themes and issues Congress considers when addressing federal land policy and resource management. Federal land policy includes questions about the extent and location of the federal estate. For example, some legislation in the 113th Congress would continue funding laws that authorize the acquisition of additional lands, while other legislation proposes conveying some land out of federal ownership or management. Other issues for Congress include whether certain lands or resources should have additional protections, for example, by designating certain lands as wilderness or national monuments, or protecting endangered species and their habitat. Congress may also address questions about wildfire management on both federal and nonfederal lands, including questions of how to fund suppression efforts."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2014-12-08
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Disaster Debris Management: Requirements, Challenges, and Federal Agency Roles [September 06, 2017]
"Every year, disasters such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, and winter storms affect American communities. In the aftermath of a major disaster, a potential threat to safety and obstacle to recovery is the presence of significant amounts of disaster debris. Depending on the type of disaster, debris may include waste soils and sediments; trees, limbs, and shrubs; man-made structures (e.g., collapsed homes, buildings, or bridges); and personal property. Residents' ability to return to the area and live in a safe and healthy environment may depend on how quickly and effectively a community manages its debris. To avoid overburdening existing landfill space, many communities attempt to divert as much debris as possible from area landfills through recycling, burning, composting, or another method of volume reduction. The logistics of such diversion can prove complicated without proper predisaster planning."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Luther, Linda G.
2017-09-06
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FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program: Overview and Issues [Updated August 27, 2014]
From the Program Purposes: "The purpose of the original pre-disaster hazard mitigation pilot program, known as Project Impact, as well as the successor Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program, has been to implement hazard reduction measures prior to a disaster event. Those measures are similar to those actions taken following a disaster under the authority of the Section 404 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The range of eligible projects might include retrofitting public buildings against hurricane-force winds or seismic damage, acquiring and relocating properties out of a flood plain, elevating structures in a flood plain, flood-proofing public buildings, managing vegetation to mitigate against wildfires, or constructing or converting public spaces into 'safe rooms' in tornado-prone areas."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Jared T.; McCarthy, Francis X.
2014-08-27
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Supplemental Appropriations and the 2017 Hurricane Season [December 1, 2017]
"The 2017 hurricane season was the fifth-most active on record in the Atlantic Basin, in terms of accumulated storm strength. Four named storms made landfall on U.S. soil from mid-August to mid-October, causing extensive damage. Concurrently, a series of deadly wildfires struck California. [...] A supplemental appropriations package may be considered in parallel or in combination with a bill to extend funding for government operations past the expiration of the current continuing resolution (CR) on December 8, 2017. Supplemental (and annual) appropriations have been provided in consolidated appropriations measures with continuing resolutions in the past, including the initial FY2018 CR (P.L. 115-56) and the first two continuing resolutions for FY2017 (P.L. 114-223, P.L. 114-254)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Painter, William L.
2017-12-01
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Potential FEMA Emergency Sheltering Options During the COVID-19 Pandemic [June 24, 2020]
From the Document: "Some hazards (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires) may result in evacuations and displacement of survivors. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state, local, tribal, and territorial governments (SLTTs) are responsible for coordinating emergency sheltering support after a declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act; 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.). The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may complicate efforts to provide sheltering in typical congregate settings. This Insight discusses potential emergency sheltering models previously used by FEMA and challenges posed by COVID-19, as well as policy considerations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Webster, Elizabeth M.; Lee, Erica A.
2020-06-24
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How Do Bank Regulators Treat Climate Change Risks? [November 25, 2020]
From the Document: "Potential risks to the financial system from climate change have attracted growing attention in government, academia, and media, raising questions about the roles of central banks and bank regulators in addressing such risks. The U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve (Fed), has responsibilities involving financial stability, monetary policy, and banking supervision. Climate change--defined in a November 9, 2020, Fed report as 'the trend toward higher average global temperatures and accompanying environmental shifts such as rising sea levels and more severe weather events'--may impact each of these. This could occur either through physical risks, such as greater storms and wildfires, or through 'transition risk,' meaning the risk that changed government policies or market perceptions might lead to sudden asset price drops, such as for carbon-emitting industries. The Fed report on financial stability warned that sudden hazards can bring about direct losses that could negatively impact banks' investments. It asserted that even slowly developing hazards such as rising sea levels could lead to sudden price drops for bank investments if abrupt changes in public perceptions about such risks emerges. This Insight focuses on the central bank's role in banking supervision and climate change risks and on what the Fed and other banking regulators have done to address such risks."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Miller, Rena S.
2020-11-25
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Emergency Relief for Disaster-Damaged Roads and Public Transportation Systems [Updated October 9, 2020]
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."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kirk, Robert S.; Mallett, William
2020-10-09
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Potential FEMA Emergency Sheltering Options During the COVID-19 Pandemic [Updated October 5, 2020]
From the Document: "Some hazards (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires) may result in evacuations and displacement of survivors. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state, local, tribal, and territorial governments (SLTTs) are responsible for coordinating emergency sheltering after a declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act; 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.). However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and FEMA acknowledge that the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may complicate efforts to provide emergency sheltering. This Insight discusses emergency sheltering models used by FEMA, COVID-19-related emergency sheltering policies, and challenges faced by SLTTs supporting emergency sheltering during the COVID-19 pandemic, and policy considerations for Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Webster, Elizabeth M.; Lee, Erica A.
2020-10-05
