Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program
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| Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program |
| Type | Hazard mitigation grant program |
| Established | 1997 |
| Administrator | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| Country | United States |
| Legal authority | Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act |
Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program provides competitive grants for hazard mitigation planning and projects intended to reduce risk from natural hazards. The program sits within the broader federal framework of disaster risk reduction administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and interacts with state, tribal, local, and territorial partners to prioritize resilience investments before major disasters occur.
Overview
The program operates under the auspices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and implements provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, coordinating with entities such as the Department of Homeland Security, United States Department of Agriculture, United States Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency. It supports a range of projects across jurisdictions including states like California, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and New York as well as tribal nations and territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The program aligns with national strategies including the National Mitigation Framework, the National Response Framework, and initiatives from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the United States Geological Survey.
History and Legislative Authority
The program traces statutory roots to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act amendments enacted in the 1990s and early 2000s, with administrative evolution involving the Federal Emergency Management Agency following the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. Congressional authorizations and appropriations from the United States Congress have shaped the program alongside oversight from committees such as the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Major legislative and policy influences include the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, directives from the White House and presidential administrations, and guidance from federal agencies like the Office of Management and Budget and the Government Accountability Office.
Program Structure and Funding
Funding is allocated through annual appropriations by the United States Congress and administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters with implementation through regional offices in collaboration with state emergency management agencies such as the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Grants leverage partnerships with engineering and research institutions including the National Academy of Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and Colorado State University. Eligible applicants include state governments, local governments, Indian tribal governments, and certain nonprofit organizations; projects often coordinate with the Civil Air Patrol, National Guard, and local utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company in project execution. Funding streams have intersected with programs from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Economic Development Administration, and the Small Business Administration.
Eligible Activities and Projects
Typical eligible activities include structural mitigation such as retrofitting critical facilities like hospitals affiliated with Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Johns Hopkins Hospital; infrastructure projects interacting with Amtrak corridors and Federal Aviation Administration assets; non-structural measures including land-use planning aligned with municipal plans of cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami, and Seattle; and natural resource projects involving restoration with agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. Projects address hazards cataloged by the United States Geological Survey (earthquakes, landslides), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (floods, hurricanes), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (public health emergencies). Cross-sector activities have involved partnerships with private sector firms like Bechtel, AECOM, and Tetra Tech and non-governmental organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Nature Conservancy.
Application and Selection Process
Applicants prepare subapplications that include hazard mitigation plans consistent with guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and standards from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Planning Association. Selection criteria incorporate benefit-cost analysis methodology recommended by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and peer review from academic partners including University of Colorado Boulder and University of Washington. Reviews involve coordination with regional entities such as the FEMA Region IX office and oversight from federal offices including the Office of Management and Budget and audits by the Government Accountability Office. Award recipients enter into grant agreements specifying performance measures aligned with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Community Resilience Planning Guide.
Impact, Outcomes, and Evaluation
Program-funded projects have reduced exposures in municipalities including New Orleans, Tulsa, Anchorage, Omaha, and Philadelphia by supporting floodplain buyouts, seismic retrofits, and critical infrastructure hardening. Evaluations have been conducted by institutions such as the RAND Corporation, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Urban Institute, while monitoring and metrics draw on datasets from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Geological Survey. Outcomes include quantified avoided loss estimates, improvements to community resilience highlighted in case studies from Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and the Northridge earthquake, and integration of mitigation into planning processes used by municipalities like Boston and San Francisco.
Criticism and Challenges
Critiques have been raised by watchdogs including the Government Accountability Office and commentators in outlets such as the New York Times and The Washington Post concerning funding adequacy, distributional equity between urban and rural jurisdictions, and the rigor of benefit-cost analyses. Challenges include coordination across multiple agencies such as the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency, competing priorities of state governors, capacity constraints in smaller counties like those in Appalachia, and complexities tied to climate change assessments from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and adaptation guidance from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Legal and policy debates reference statutes like the Administrative Procedure Act and involve oversight by bodies such as the Congressional Budget Office.