National Mitigation Framework

National Mitigation Framework
Name	National Mitigation Framework
Established	2013
Jurisdiction	United States
Agency	Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Related	Presidential Policy Directive 8, Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act

Contents

National Mitigation Framework The National Mitigation Framework is a United States strategic planning document that guides actions to reduce risks from natural and human-caused hazards. It aligns mitigation priorities with preparedness cycles articulated by Department of Homeland Security, integrates roles for Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Defense, and Environmental Protection Agency, and connects to statutory authorities such as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and directives like Presidential Policy Directive 8. The Framework informs partnerships among federal entities, state executives including Governors of the United States, tribal governments such as the Navajo Nation, local jurisdictions like New York City, and nonfederal stakeholders including American Red Cross.

Overview

Development of the Framework followed shifts in federal disaster policy after major events including Hurricane Katrina, 2010 Haiti earthquake, and Superstorm Sandy. Influences include legislation like the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and organizational reforms within Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Framework was shaped by input from stakeholder consultations with state offices such as the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, tribal entities like Cherokee Nation, municipal governments exemplified by New York City Office of Emergency Management, and research from institutions including National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and Brookings Institution.

Core components mirror whole-community resilience concepts found in documents from Federal Emergency Management Agency and stress integration with scientific bodies such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Geological Survey, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Principles include risk-informed decision making as practiced in Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments, sustainability approaches promoted by United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and equity considerations connected to civil rights frameworks like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The Framework emphasizes hazard mitigation planning used in state efforts such as California Earthquake Authority programs, floodplain management guided by Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps, and infrastructure resilience priorities seen in Department of Transportation initiatives.

Implementation assigns responsibilities across agencies including Federal Emergency Management Agency for program coordination, Department of Defense for technical support, Environmental Protection Agency for environmental safeguards, and Department of Housing and Urban Development for resilient rebuilding. States and territories—led by offices such as Florida Division of Emergency Management and Texas Division of Emergency Management—are tasked with adopting mitigation plans consistent with the Framework, while tribal governments like the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium implement culturally specific practices. Local governments such as Los Angeles and New York City integrate Framework principles into zoning and permitting overseen by entities like American Planning Association. Private-sector partners including National Association of Home Builders and insurers such as National Association of Insurance Commissioners collaborate on risk reduction investments.

Critiques of the Framework note funding constraints under statutes like the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and the variable capacity across states such as Louisiana and Puerto Rico. Scholars from Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley have highlighted gaps between policy and implementation, while nonprofit watchdogs such as ProPublica and advocacy groups like Natural Resources Defense Council call for stronger climate adaptation linkage to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change science. Additional criticisms focus on coordination difficulties among large entities including Department of Defense and interagency processes involving Department of Homeland Security, and on equity issues raised by civil rights organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union.

Applications of the Framework appear in mitigation investments following events such as Hurricane Sandy recovery in New York City and New Jersey Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force initiatives, floodplain elevation programs after 2011 Mississippi River floods, and wildfire resilience projects in California informed by California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Internationally informed approaches draw on models from United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and lessons from 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Local applications include resilient infrastructure upgrades in Miami Beach, coastal adaptation in Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, and seismic retrofitting programs managed by institutions like California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and universities such as Stanford University.

Category:United States disaster policy