Table of Contents 

Table of Contents 
Section 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................... 1-1

Section 2.0 Standard Operating Procedures .................................................. 2-1

2.1 Readiness Phase .............................................................................................................. 2-1
2.2 Predeployment Phase ...................................................................................................... 2-3
2.3 Deployment ..................................................................................................................... 2-4
2.4 Transition and Standdown ........................................................................................... 2-11
Section 3.0 Focus on the Community .............................................................. 3-1

3.1 Focus on the Community ............................................................................................... 3-1
3.1.1 Community Motivation ....................................................................................... 3-1
3.1.2 Public Participation ............................................................................................. 3-2
3.1.3 Community Long-Term Recovery Plan ............................................................. 3-3
3.1.4 Local Government Powers .................................................................................. 3-4
3.2 Elements of Sustainability .............................................................................................. 3-6
3.2.1 Land Use Planning .............................................................................................. 3-6
3.2.2 Housing ............................................................................................................. 3-11
3.2.3 Public Infrastructure ......................................................................................... 3-14
3.3 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 3-16
Section 4.0 Sustainability by Hazard Type ...................................................... 4-1

4.1 All Hazards ..................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.2 Floods .............................................................................................................................. 4-3
4.3 Earthquakes .................................................................................................................... 4-6
4.4 Coastal Storms .............................................................................................................. 4-10
4.5 Tornadoes ...................................................................................................................... 4-17
4.6 Wildfires ........................................................................................................................ 4-20
4.7 Landslides ...................................................................................................................... 4-24
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Section 5.0 Eighteen Tools and Programs for Sustainability ........................ 5-1

Tool #1 Planning for a Sustainable Future:
The Link between Hazard Mitigation and Livability .................................................. 5-2
Tool #2 Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction ............................................ 5-2
Tool #3 Toward a Sustainable Community ................................................................................ 5-3
Tool #4 Mitigation Planning How-To Guides ........................................................................ 5-4
Tool #5 Project Impact Toolkit .................................................................................................... 5-5
Tool #6 Building Performance Assessment Team (BPAT) ......................................................... 5-5
Tool #7 Hazards United States (HAZUS) .................................................................................. 5-6
Tool #8 Community Rating System (CRS) ................................................................................. 5-7
Tool #9 Economic Impact Assessments ....................................................................................... 5-8
Tool #10 Coastal Construction Manual ........................................................................................ 5-9
Tool #11 Sustainable Redevelopment PowerPoint Presentation ................................................ 5-10
Tool #12 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Desk Reference ................................................... 5-22
Tool #13 Unified National Program for Floodplain Management ............................................ 5-22
Tool #14 Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains  Report to Congress .................... 5-23
Tool #15 Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA) ............................................................. 5-23
Tool #16 Capability Assessment for Readiness (CAR) ............................................................... 5-23
Tool #17 HAZMAT Response/Capability Assessment Program ................................................ 5-26
Tool #18 Community and Family Preparedness Program ......................................................... 5-27

List of Appendices 

Appendix A Glossary .......................................................................................................................... A-1
Appendix B Acronyms ....................................................................................................................... B-1
Appendix C Websites .......................................................................................................................... C-1
Appendix D Recommended Readings in Sustainable Development ................................................ D-1
Appendix E Federal Technical Assistance and Funding ................................................................... E-1
Appendix F DFO Organizational Chart ........................................................................................... F-1
Appendix G ERT-Mitigation Branch Organizational Chart ........................................................... G-1
Appendix H Position Description ...................................................................................................... H-1
Appendix I Associate Director Memorandum:
Sustainable Redevelopment Function in
Disaster Field Offices, November 1998 ........................................................................... I-1
Appendix J Associate Director Memorandum:
Continuing the FEMA/State Dialog in Mitigation, January 2000 ................................ J-1
Appendix K Quotable Materials on Sustainability ............................................................................ K-1

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Section 1.0 
Introduction 

1 
Section 1.0 

Introduction 

This document provides guidance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) Sustainability Planner in the post-disaster response and recovery process. 

State emergency management officials, local jurisdictions, and other FEMA staff may 

also use it as a reference during nondisaster time. 

What is the role of the Sustainability Planner? 

The Sustainability Planner acts as a catalyst for sustainability and promotes a 

sustainable redevelopment component into the overall reconstruction effort. The 

Sustainability Planner evaluates opportunities for implementing sustainable 

redevelopment, presents these findings, and helps to build consensus on the 

appropriate level of effort to be pursued by FEMA, other Federal agencies (OFAs), state 

and local agencies, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). 

The clients of Sustainability Planners are the affected local jurisdictions in the 

disaster declaration area. The client may be an incorporated village, town, or city; in 

some disasters, a sustainability initiative may involve townships, counties, or even 

regional or multijurisdictional levels of government. In essence, the Sustainability 

Planner is an advocate for these communities and helps them identify opportunities for 

building a disaster-resistant and sustainable future. 

The Sustainability Planner facilitates and supports community-based planning 

initiatives; he or she does not dictate solutions. Like hazard mitigation, sustainability is 

ultimately a local responsibility and prerogative. The Sustainability Planner presents 

information on opportunities, resources, and 

potential technical assistance; the community 

Post-Disaster Sustainability Mission Statement: To promote and determines what will work best. 

facilitate sustainable redevelopment at the local level by As the sustainability mission statement 

integrating the principles and practices of sustainable implies, the effectiveness of a Sustainability 

development into the broader goals of the post-disaster recovery Planner has as much to do with people skills 

process. This is accomplished in partnership with the state and as with technical planning knowledge. 

in coordination with OFAs, local agencies, and NGOs. Section 2 provides valuable suggestions on 

networking with the Disaster Field Office 
(DFO) staff, government officials, and the 

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Introduction 

general public. Communities will be more willing to accept the concepts of sustainable 
redevelopment if they receive a well thought-out message and are made to feel part of 
the process. The Sustainability Planner should be perceived as an advocate for the 
communitys long-term recovery needs, not as someone who is promoting a Federal 
initiative. The Sustainability Planner must be able to place issues within the citizens 
reach  move issues out of the abstract, and present them as tangible and practical 
alternatives. Understanding community needs and future vision is central to creating 
an opportunity for sustainability. 

The goal of the sustainability initiative is to reduce the potential for disaster losses 

and to help communities realize opportunities to implement sustainable redevelopment 

during the recovery process. Although the goals and responsibilities of the 

Sustainability Planner are in many ways similar to FEMAs overall hazard mitigation 

goal, it is necessary to draw some distinctions. The Sustainability Planner focuses on 

developing comprehensive, long-term planning solutions and identifying opportunities 

to incorporate sustainable and livable community objectives. The mitigation specialist 

focuses on specific structural or nonstructural mitigation measures, such as buy-out or 

elevation of structures, National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) compliance, 

building code enforcement, flood protection measures, and seismic and wind retrofit. 

The Sustainability Planner is more involved with comprehensive plans, zoning and 

subdivision regulations, and watershed and basin planning initiatives. The 

Sustainability Planner and the mitigation specialist are partners in building more 

disaster-resistant and sustainable communities, and their respective areas of emphasis 

complement each other. 

FEMAs sustainability initiative began formally in November 1998 when the 

Associate Director for Mitigation encouraged Regional Directors to set up a sustainable 

redevelopment function in DFOs (see Appendix I). The Associate Director proposed 

the establishment of a sustainability desk as part of the mitigation function in DFOs 

and/or Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). Two pilot efforts were undertaken in Ohio 

To achieve the goals of the sustainability mission statement, the primary 
responsibilities of the Sustainability Planner are to: 

 Provide the disaster-affected community with information, contacts, 
resources, and technical assistance on the principles and practices of 
sustainable redevelopment through DFO operations. 
 Publicize sustainable redevelopment during the critical window of
opportunity to introduce new approaches to disaster recovery.
 Challenge the disaster recovery team to identify new opportunities to 
implement sustainable redevelopment during the early recovery phase of 
operations. 
 Obtain useful information and lessons learned that will contribute to the 
development of policy and procedures for sustainable redevelopment during 
disaster recovery. 
 Follow through from the Regional Office on sustainability efforts
undertaken at the DFO.
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Introduction 

and West Virginia flood declarations (FEMA-DR-1227-OH and FEMA-DR-1229-WV). 
This guide reflects some of the lessons learned from these and other early efforts and 
serves to launch this initiative on a nationwide basis. 

What is sustainability and sustainable redevelopment? 

Sustainability means many things to many people. What will you say when 
someone asks, What is sustainability? You might reply that it is the melding of 
environmental, economic, and societal values to ensure that the needs of the present are 
met without compromising the needs of future generations. When you associate this 
terminology with your responsibilities related to disaster operations and recovery 
activities, you may focus on building and rebuilding smarterreducing the potential 
for future disaster impacts and the associated economic and societal effects of such 
losses. To someone else, sustainability may relate to improving the energy efficiency of a 
transportation network or improving crop yield while reducing water and pesticide 
usage. You will find a number of definitions of sustainability in this guide; this is to 
illustrate the broad scope of the concept and stimulate your own thinking on the 
subject. The theme common to all the definitions is the goal of balancing 
environmental, economic, and social values. 

In its broadest context, sustainable development meets the needs of the present 
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This 
definition was established by the World Commission on Environment and 
Development (the Brundtland Commission) in 1987. Essentially, sustainability means 
that decisions made today should not reduce the options of future generations, but pass 
on to them a natural, economic, and social environment that provides a high quality of 
life. 

Sustainable communities make more efficient use of their land. They emphasize 
open space planning where appropriate by promoting greenways, parks, and 
landscaping. The effective use of open space can prevent development from 
encroaching upon floodplains, active fault zones, and other hazard areas. Sustainable 
communities also take advantage of underutilized urban areas and encourage infill and 
brownfield development. Energy and resource conservation are high priorities. 
Emphasis is placed on public transit and creating mixed-use environments that are less 
dependent on automobiles. 

An essential characteristic of a sustainable community is its resilience to natural 
disasters. The term sustainable redevelopment refers to applying the concepts and 
practices of sustainable development to the disaster recovery process. The post-disaster 
environment presents a unique opportunity to implement sustainability initiatives and 
to increase the quality of the built environment. If reconstruction is a major element of 
the recovery process, affected communities are presented with an opportunity to 
address such issues as the compatibility of development with the environment and 
natural hazards, the use of renewable resources, and improved community planning 
and physical design. 

This guidance is designed to provide you with the basic tools to focus sustainable 
efforts following a major disaster. It is the second in a series of guides to help 
implement sustainability. The first documentPlanning for a Sustainable Future: 
The Link Between Hazard Mitigation and Livabilityis primarily intended to show 

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Section 1.0 
Introduction 

communities how the goal of disaster resilience can be a catalyst, both in planning for 
disasters and recovering from them, to help achieve a sustainable future. It is one of 
your most important tools in promoting sustainability. This companion guide develops 
these themes into detailed practical guidance for the Sustainability Planner. 

Why is FEMA involved with sustainability issues? 
nThe Federal Government allocates significant resources to help 
communities recover from natural disasters. 
nRecovery from natural disasters (FEMAs primary mission) 
presents a unique opportunity to consider alternatives to the 
damage-rebuild-damage cycle. 
nRepetitive disaster losses diminish our countrys quality of life 
and divert resources that could be better used to address other 
national economic and social objectives. 
nBy partnering with other public agencies, businesses, and private 
citizens, we can save lives, lessen vulnerability to disasters, and 
help make communities more livable. 
nBy identifying potential sustainability resources, we can promote 
actions that will enable communities to move toward a 
sustainable future. 
How can this guide help implement 
sustainability? 

The extent to which a sustainability 

initiative can be integrated into the 

recovery effort is dependent on the nature 

and scope of the disaster and, more 

importantly, on the willingness and 

capabilities of local communities to 

undertake such an initiative. Providing 

leadership and appropriate, timely 

information to communities in the midst 

of a recovery effort is vital to 

implementing sustainability. Although 

this guidance is specifically directed to the 

Sustainability Planner, it contains 

information of value to state and local 

officials who may be involved in 

implementing sustainability initiatives. 

Many of the sustainability tools, programs, and resources described in Section 5 and the 

Appendices are directly applicable to local jurisdictions (e.g., the PowerPoint 

presentation, key references, and information on websites). 
The guide is organized as follows: 

 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) (Section 2)  The SOP is likely to be 
familiar to FEMA disaster staff. It delineates the responsibilities of the 
Sustainability Planner. Section 2 is organized around the four major phases of 
the disaster recovery processreadiness, predeployment, deployment, and 
transition/standdown. It includes checklists of activities, identifies key players in 
implementing sustainable initiatives, and lays out a plan of action within the 
DFO environment. 
 Focus on the Community (Section 3)  This section provides information on 
what motivates communities to take action and outlines techniques for 
maximizing public involvement in the sustainability initiative. This section also 
includes a discussion on the elements of sustainability that may be applicable in 
a disaster recovery setting. 
 Sustainability by Hazard Type (Section 4)  This section provides suggestions 
for implementing sustainability by each of the major types of natural hazards. 
 Eighteen Sustainability Tools and Programs (Section 5)  This section describes 
a broad range of FEMA programs, key reference documents, and other tools 
that can be used to implement sustainable redevelopment initiatives. 
 The appendices include a glossary, commonly used acronyms, a listing of 
sustainable development websites, and a recommended reading list. Appendix E 
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Section 1.0 
Introduction 

 Federal Technical Assistance and Funding Matrix  provides a concise guide
to Federal resources that can be applied to sustainable redevelopment initiatives.
Appendix K  Quotable Material on Sustainability includes vision statements,
principles, and quotes that can be woven into targeted community outreach
materials.
Succeeding in Sustainability 

To make the most of this guide, it is important to keep in mind that the 
sustainability initiative is a key element of FEMAs strategy to change the way America 
thinks about disasters. Its success depends on the proactive leadership of an 
interdisciplinary recovery team rather than traditional program management. The 
Sustainability Planner must seek innovative approaches to matching Federal programs 
with community needs and objectives. 

Making sustainability a reality is best achieved through a collaborative effort of 
public agencies, the private sector, and key community leaders. The full range of 
benefits to the environment, cultural resources, and economic prosperity must be 
understood and the information shared with decision-makers and the public. As the 
Sustainability Planner, you must be flexible and adaptable in recommending 
approaches. The affected communities then determine how best to integrate 
sustainable development concepts into their overall reconstruction effort. By helping a 
community reduce its vulnerability to disasters, you assist it in taking one of the most 
significant steps toward sustainability. 

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Introduction 

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Section 2.0 
Standard Operating Procedures 

2 
Section 2.0 

Standard Operating 
Procedures 

FEMAs Mitigation Directorate has developed SOPs and operational checklists to 
improve the delivery of disaster recovery services. The Emergency Response Team 
(ERT)-Mitigation Field Operations Manual (March 2000) describes Mitigation disaster 
operations. The Community Planner position description and operational checklist in 
the manual are most closely related to the newly created Sustainability Planner position 
and are included in this guidance as Appendix H. 

This section includes a description of the duties assigned to the Sustainability 
Planner at a DFO. It is structured to provide sustainability staff with guidance at each 
phase of emergency management  readiness, predeployment, deployment, and 
transition/standdown. 

 The readiness phase offers the opportunity to create a sustainability network by 
building partnerships and identifying potential participants in reconstruction. 
 The predeployment phase includes preparations to implement sustainability in 
the field, including formulating and reviewing sustainability initiatives, 
coordinating with Project Impact (PI) program staff to identify local contacts, 
and reviewing past mitigation implementation strategies. 
 Deployment begins upon arrival at the DFO, and includes collection and review 
of background data on local planning issues, and evaluation of opportunities for 
sustainability. 
 Transition and standdown requires coordination between Federal, state, and 
local agencies to facilitate implementation of the sustainability initiatives. 
2.1 Readiness Phase 
The readiness phase provides the opportunity to: 

 Increase awareness and understanding of the basic principles of sustainability 
among local, state, regional, and other Federal agencies that play a role in 
disaster recovery. 
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Standard Operating Procedures 

Readiness Phase 
Activities Checklist 
Conduct regional 
training, workshops, and 
presentations to increase 
awareness of the 
sustainability initiative. 
Create and organize 
targeted sustainability 
marketing materials. 
Review local mitigation 
plans. 
Review State 409 Plans 
and meet with SHMOs. 
Review State Profiles to 
identify potential 
partners for 
sustainability and to 
understand state 
priorities and 
organization. 
Keep up with 
sustainability literature 
and resources. 
Meet with regional PI 
Coordinator. 
Network with other 
Sustainability Planners, 
the Mitigation 
Directorate Program 
Planning Branch, and 
others in Mitigation. 
 Establish relationships, build partnerships, and outline procedures to assist 
communities in implementing sustainable concepts when disasters strike. 
 Conduct training, workshops, presentations, or staff meetings to improve staff 
awareness of sustainability among other FEMA Directorates and regional 
divisions. 
The following sustainability activities are recommended during the readiness 
phase: 

 Identify the key individuals or departments in other Federal, regional, and state 
agencies that may have an important role in future sustainable redevelopment 
recovery efforts. These key agencies include: 
-U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
-Economic Development Administration (EDA)
-Small Business Administration (SBA)
-U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
-State Emergency Management Agencies
-State Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Agencies
-State Economic Development Agencies
-State Chamber of Commerce
-State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
-Sustainable Development Advocacy Groups
-Regional Planning Organizations.

 Promote Federal and state partnerships for incorporating sustainable practices 
into disaster recovery, which is likely to yield significant dividends in the post-
disaster recovery environment. The Sustainability Planner should encourage the 
participation of the regional PI Coordinator in this dialog. They should focus 
on the creation of a network of state agencies, regional planning or economic 
development commissions, and NGOs interested in increasing the sustainability 
of communities. 
 Develop and maintain a regional reference library (see Appendix D). The 
Sustainability Planner can then expeditiously distribute documents or data to 
DFO sustainability staff. 
 Develop marketing material for each region and state, to include brochures, 
flyers, posters, and presentations. Consider compiling marketing support 
material in a loose-leaf format to facilitate updating and easy access. Place a 
copy in the regional go-kits. Marketing material should also be made digitally 
available and can be included in the National Emergency Management 
Information System (NEMIS) library. 
 Review State 409 Plans to identify sustainability initiatives. 
 Review local mitigation plans. 
The Sustainability Planner should meet individually with regional State Hazard 
Mitigation Officers (SHMOs). Developing a strong working relationship with SHMOs 
is vital to implementing a sustainability initiative. The Sustainability Planner and the 
SHMO should work jointly on creating and updating a statewide network of personnel 
who can be contacted in post-disaster situations to support sustainability initiatives. 
state networks should include private, nonprofit, and volunteer organizations, along 

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Standard Operating Procedures 

with appropriate state agency representatives who are interested in developing a long-
term partnership with FEMA. 

Although each region must have the autonomy to develop a sustainability initiative 
that reflects regional characteristics, it is also necessary to maintain consistency and 
continuity among regions in such basic areas as policy, terminology, and current 
technology. The Program Planning Branch within FEMAs Mitigation Directorate will 
assist in developing a national network to share successful sustainability initiatives and 
lessons learned. 

2.2 Predeployment Phase 
The predeployment phase occurs 
during the initial alert or warning period, 
such as when a hurricane threatens 
landfall or a river approaches flood stage. 
It may be necessary to prepare for 
deployment during this time. 

If this is your first deployment as a 
Sustainability Planner, use the limited 
time available during this phase to 
compile necessary materials for the DFO. 

 Review Section 3.0 to become
more familiar with the various
categories of natural disasters.
 Read some of the key sustainability
references recommended in
Appendix D.
 Make sure that a supply of the
FEMA sustainability booklet,
Planning for a Sustainable Future 

(FEMA 364), is available at the 

DFO. 

 Review the Community Planner
position description included in
Appendix H.
Predeployment Checklist 
Review state profile for updated information. 
Contact potential partners regarding their interest in participating in 
sustainability initiatives. 
Review sustainability presentation and other regional marketing 
materials for possible revision and enhancement. 
Contact the PI Coordinator to obtain updated information on 
affected communities. 
Coordinate with the Technical Services Branch Chief to see if 
Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) teams can collect data in 
support of future sustainable redevelopment initiatives. 
Review past early implementation strategies, Interagency Hazard 
Mitigation Team (IHMT) reports (see Section 2.3 for discussion on 
IHMT), the disaster history of the area, and the current State 
Hazard Mitigation Plan. 
Review the Community Information System (CIS) for affected 
communities. Note: Reviews of CIS can be completed by FEMA 
employees only and may be applicable only for flood disasters. 
Coordinate with the Technical Services Branch Chief to ensure that 
the best available information on natural hazards for the affected area 
is available. 
 If you have not been in contact with the regional staff responsible for 
sustainability, discuss your assignment with them prior to deployment. The 
Mitigation Directorate Program Planning Branch staff is available to provide 
additional suggestions on sustainability initiatives and on networking 
individuals or institutions during the delivery phase. 
The regional staff charged with coordinating the sustainability initiative must also 
make the most of time available during the predeployment phase to: 

 Brief sustainability staff that may be deployed under a disaster declaration. 
Ensure that marketing materials and equipment are appropriate to the hazard, 
the anticipated intensity of the event, and the targeted community(ies). 
 If another regional or National Emergency Response Team (ERT-N) is
identified as the initial response team, brief these counterparts on past
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Standard Operating Procedures 

sustainability initiatives in your region, potential points-of-contact, and overall 
receptivity to sustainability initiatives at the state and local level. 

 Consider deploying a Sustainability Planner as part of the PDA team to make 
an initial assessment of the potential for incorporating a sustainability initiative 
into the disaster recovery process. 
2.3 Deployment 
Deployment begins upon arrival at the DFO. The position description for the 

Community Planner (Appendix H) lists some of the initial processing, logistical, and 

administrative tasks necessary for deployment. This guide recommends that the 

Sustainability Planner report directly to the DFO Community Education Branch Chief 

(see DFO organizational charts in Appendix F). Depending on staffing requirements, 

the Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer for Mitigation (DFCO-M) may decide to 

locate the Sustainability Planner in another mitigation branch. In any case, the 

Sustainability Planner should meet with the DFCO-M and the Branch Chief to 

establish initial FEMA priorities, goals, and objectives for the Mitigation Branch and to 

establish protocols, meeting times, and reporting requirements for the sustainability 

desk. 

Evaluation of Opportunities 

FEMAs ERT-Mitigation Field Operations Manual (2000) and the 

Federal Response Plan (1999) provide essential information for The initial period of deployment 

understanding the DFO organization and operations: provides the Sustainability Planner with 

1. The Mitigation Field Operations Manual describes standardized time to compile background information, 
procedures for mitigation program activities at the DFO. It evaluate the nature and extent of 
discusses mitigation authorities under the Stafford Act and damages, and assess the geographic and 
explains how mitigation fits into the range of Federal response political landscape of the disaster area. 
activities. The operations manual summarizes long-term This is an excellent time to begin 
recovery planning and sustainability initiatives, mitigation contacting representatives of regional and 
programs, and technical resources. Job responsibilities are state agencies, such as OFAs and NGOs 
outlined for all mitigation positions. It also discusses general not directly involved in response activities. 
DFO operations, including administrative and logistical This opportunity should be used to 
responsibilities. initiate discussion about potentially 

2. The Federal Response Plan is applicable to any disaster declared applicable sustainability initiatives. 
under the Stafford Act. It provides the broader context for the An evaluation of opportunities 
delivery of Federal assistance to state and local governments present in a specific disaster recovery 
following a natural disaster. The plan defines the primary and effort needs to consider all elements of 
secondary responsibilities of Federal agencies according to 11 sustainability, including economic, 
essential emergency support functions (ESFs). FEMA acts as environmental, historic preservation, and 
the lead agency, coordinating recovery efforts and organizing social issues. Did the disaster affect a 
field operations, including setup of the DFO. major industry that is vital to the regional 
economy or place a number of small 

family-owned businesses in jeopardy of 
bankruptcy? Did the disaster have a significant effect on natural resources in parks, 
wildlife reserves, or local forests? Did the disaster impact a central business district or 
large residential areas? Will the disaster recovery effort require reconstruction of low-

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Standard Operating Procedures 

income or minority housing? 
Consideration of these issues will 
begin to shape a sustainable 
redevelopment initiative and target 
potential communities. 

As you begin to identify potential 
communities for a sustainability 
initiative, some background research is 
necessary. Determine if the building 
code is up to date or whether a 
different version would better address 
the hazards present. Code 
enforcement is as important as the 
building code itself, so you should 
consider the local capability in this 
area. In some cases, FEMA can 
arrange and fund an assessment of 
code processing and enforcement 
capacity. Extensive damage (a high 
percentage of destroyed and 
substantially damaged structures) and 
a history of repetitive damages are 
strong arguments for a relocation 
initiative. In other situations, a high 
percentage of damaged but repairable 
structures would suggest an 
educational outreach effort to 
incorporate sustainable redevelopment 
concepts in reconstruction. Such a program might encourage the use of the NFIP 
Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) provisions (whereby homeowners can receive up 
to $15,000 above the flood damage claim to pay for mitigation measures). It is also 
critical to become familiar with existing local mitigation plans and to take the 
opportunity to promote a multi-hazard approach to mitigation and sustainability. 

Background Data Compilation Checklist 
Obtain and review state legislation that affects local planning, including 
any provisions for post-disaster reconstruction and mitigation. 
Work closely with the information and planning team to gain a 
geographic and political understanding of the extent of the disaster (e.g., 
declared counties, affected communities, and nature of disaster-related 
damages). Depending on demand and other priorities placed on the 
Emergency Support Function (ESF)-5 Geographic Information System 
(GIS), coordinate technical support, including map generation and 
briefing documents. 
Get a briefing from the regional mitigation liaison on the political 
landscape, potential networking contacts, and ongoing state mitigation 
or sustainability initiatives. 
Coordinate with the Technical Services Branch Chief to determine if the 
available hazard data is adequate or if it will be updated to aid the 
recovery process. 
Identify Federal, state, and local sustainable development initiatives or 
nongovernmental sustainable development advocacy groups operating in 
the disaster area or surrounding region. 
If a disaster is flood-related, obtain and review NFIP information for the 
affected area and jurisdictions. (Do not duplicate efforts. Coordinate 
with hazard mitigation planners; review community standing, policies 
in force, the Community Rating System (CRS) report, repetitive loss list, 
state and local mitigation plans, and potential substantial damage 
estimates.) 
Some criteria to consider for targeting communities are motivated community 
leaders and citizens, local champions, extent of repetitive damages, NFIP participation, 
and the necessity for substantial reconstruction. 

Preliminary Damage Assessment 

Immediately following a disaster event, FEMA and state emergency management 
staff jointly conduct a PDA to verify actual damages and to estimate the amount of 
assistance needed. Just as the PDA is a crucial step in the declaration process, it is also a 
crucial step in formulating a sustainable redevelopment strategy. 

If practicable, a Sustainability Planner should participate in the initial PDA 
process to assess the potential for incorporating a sustainability initiative into disaster 
recovery. If a more detailed Level II PDA is contemplated, it is strongly recommended 
that a Sustainability Planner be part of the mitigation support team. The Sustainability 

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Planner should participate in the more intensive assessment, draft sections of any Level 
II report or memorandum, and initiate discussions with state counterparts on potential 
sustainable redevelopment initiatives. 

Early Coordination 

The question as to the most appropriate time to introduce the concept of 
sustainability to local governments is dependent on the specific recovery effort. 
Obviously, the ideal time to consider sustainability is prior to any disaster; however, the 
concept of sustainable redevelopment is often first addressed after a disaster occurs. The 
Sustainability Planner must be sensitive to the pressures confronting local officials, as 
many issues demand their attention during disaster response. Critical life and safety 
issues come first  search and rescue operations, treating the injured, re-establishing 
vital public services, and providing emergency shelter and temporary housing. Long-
term recovery and sustainable redevelopment opportunities are likely to be 
overshadowed by the immediate response needs of the community. However, you 
should inform local officials of potential sustainability opportunities, so those ideas can 
percolate until the time is right for them to focus attention on sustainable 
redevelopment. If sustainability is introduced too late in the recovery process, it may be 
ignored because of the community interest in rapidly rebuilding. 

Critical policy issues emerge following disasters that require communities to make 
difficult decisions about how best to rebuild. There is often a fleeting opportunity to 
influence these local recovery decisions. Disaster victims and their political 
representatives have an inherent desire to rebuild rapidly and return to normal  to the 
predisaster condition. Pressure to restore normalcy can be so strong that safety, hazard 
mitigation, and community improvement objectives are compromised or abandoned. 
You can help communities balance these conflicts by providing input to reconstruction 
alternatives. 

The Governors Authorized Representative (GAR) schedules applicant briefings 
soon after the declaration. These briefings inform communities of state and Federal 
assistance programs and the procedures that must be followed to ensure effective 
delivery of services. Although the role of Federal and state emergency management staff 
in the briefings may vary significantly among the states and FEMA regions, the 
Sustainability Planner should discuss with the branch chief or the DFCO-M the 
feasibility of introducing the concept of sustainability during these briefings. 

There is a point in the disaster recovery process where local officials and residents 
begin to shift their attention from immediate response to recovery. Generally speaking, 
it occurs after critical lifelines have been re-established, shelters and temporary housing 
are in place, and debris clearance/disposal is underway. This shift generally occurs 
between two and four weeks after the event. The community relations staff  which 
interacts directly with disaster victims, concerned citizens, and local officials  can be 
helpful in providing insight on the pulse of the community. 

First Contact 

The following suggestions and action items apply to initial meetings with targeted 
communities: 

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 Ensure that the initial meeting with local jurisdictions is brief. The objective is 
to introduce the concept of sustainability and to promote the value of long-term 
recovery planning. Provide attendees with copies of the booklet, Planning for a 
Sustainable Future (FEMA 364). Initial meetings can be held with the 
planning director, mayor, city council member, or president of the local 
Chamber of Commerce. Small, informal meetings in their offices or one-on-one 
meetings are advised. People that may not initially be receptive to the idea of 
sustainable redevelopment often come to understand its benefits; consequently, 
patience must be exercised. 
 Follow up on the initial meetings with prospective communities to see if there is 
interest in a more formal public presentation on sustainability (Section 5.0  
PowerPoint Slide Presentation). Many communities create a disaster recovery 
task force or committee to assist local officials in directing the recovery effort. 
These ad hoc groups may provide a good forum for the presentation. The 
presentation should be customized to include specific disaster-related 
information. The presentation is most effective if presented to a small group of 
influential officials and residents rather than to a large public meeting. A larger 
public meeting may be the next logical step, if these early approaches are 
successful. 
Networking 

The effectiveness of a Sustainability Planner has as much to do with people skills 
as with technical planning knowledge. Although you are expected to understand the 
broad range of potential sustainability elements (described in Sections 3.0 and 4.0) of 
reconstruction, you are not expected to be a technical expert in all of these disciplines. 
Your time is best spent matching a core group of local decision-makers with the 
technical assistance necessary to implement a sustainability initiative. 

The DFO is not the place to get sidetracked with background research. Your role is 
to coordinate and facilitate a sustainable long-term recovery initiative. Hence, you need 
to effectively network with different levels of government representatives, the general 
public, and a variety of technical experts. 

Both the DFO staff and individuals outside of the DFO organization can be 
effective in promoting sustainability. You have a much broader planning role than 
many individual members of the DFO staff. As such, you need to be part investigative 
reporter  to find out what the key DFO staff is thinking, planning, and doing. 
Although participating in key meetings is important and the daily and weekly Situation 
Reports (SitReps) provide updates on the response and recovery effort, networking with 
your coworkers is critical. Seek out some of the old hands in the DFO organization 
to get their opinions and advice on tracking the flow of the recovery process. In 
addition to getting information, it is equally important to brief branch chiefs and staff 
from the Mitigation, Infrastructure, Human Services, Community Relations, 
Congressional Liaison, and Public Information Branches on sustainable redevelopment 
initiatives. They all have roles and responsibilities that can influence and support 
sustainability; it is essential to work with them to identify specific actions they can take 
to further this initiative. 

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Early Coordination Checklist 
With members of the PDA team, review results of damage assessments to 
determine affected areas and the extent of damage in specific 
communities. 
Coordinate with the SHMO and state emergency management staff to 
create a partnership on sustainability initiatives. Identify joint priorities 
and ongoing programs, review the 409 Plan, and propose shared 
management. 
With mitigation planners (Program Delivery Branch), participate in the 
early implementation strategy and IHMT process to ensure the inclusion 
of sustainability concepts. 
With the regional mitigation liaison, obtain information on state 
procedures and political sensitivities. 
With the environmental liaison, determine whether major environmental 
issues could be partially addressed through a sustainability initiative. 
Have hazardous waste or material releases put public health and safety at 
risk? Are historic preservation issues presented by this disaster? 
With the congressional liaison, determine if any House or Senate 
representatives are proponents of sustainable development or if there are 
any political sensitivities that the Sustainability Planner should be aware 
of. 
With community relations staff, gain an understanding of the concerns 
and issues facing residents in affected communities. 
Meet with Public Affairs, specifically, the Public Information Officer 
(PIO) to determine protocols for working with community leaders and 
officials, and developing and distributing sustainability marketing 
materials. 
With SBA representatives operating out of the DFO or DRCs, obtain 
information on the recovery issues facing small- and medium-sized 
businesses. 
With the infrastructure support liaison and human services liaison, 
coordinate FEMA assistance to incorporate sustainability into the 
communitys long-term recovery and comprehensive reconstruction 
strategy. 
With the floodplain management specialist, discuss possible trouble areas, 
such as community compliance and hot issues that predate the disaster. 
Consider whether there are opportunities to undertake comprehensive 
watershed management planning or to strengthen floodplain 
management objectives. 
Through the DFCO-M, set up a briefing with the Federal Coordinating 
Officer (FCO) to discuss strategies to implement sustainable 
redevelopment in the recovery effort. 
With the DFCO-M, set up a meeting with the SHMO to secure buy-in 
from the state. Identify and prioritize prospective communities, and 
schedule a meeting with state and local officials to determine objectives 
and level of involvement. 
The checklist to the left on early 
coordination within the DFO 
describes a number of networking 
tasks to consider in the initial phase 
of the recovery effort. Some 
additional discussion is warranted, 
however, to describe the ideal 
working relationship between the 
Sustainability Planner and the 
hazard mitigation specialists within 
the Mitigation organization. The 
Sustainability Planner is focused on 
comprehensive, long-term planning 
solutions and identifying 
opportunities to incorporate 
sustainable and livable community 
objectives, while the hazard 
mitigation specialist is focused on 
specific structural or nonstructural 
mitigation measures. These key 
personnel must work closely as 
partners in assisting communities to 
become more disaster-resistant and 
sustainable. 

You may consider creating a core 
group on sustainability. Both Region 
V and Region IX proposed the 
concept of such a group in their 
regional guidance developed during 
the pilot phase of FEMAs 
sustainability initiative (see 
Appendix I). These regions proposed 
a small steering committee of four to 
eight members, to include FEMA 
DFO staff, a state representative, and 
representatives of interested OFAs or 
NGOs. If you pursue this approach, 
remember to stress to core team 
members that  though they outline 
opportunities and potential 
assistance  the affected 
communities themselves determine 
the overall direction of the 
sustainability initiative. 

The core group will vary in each 
situation as to disaster type, staff 

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availability, and potential sustainability initiatives. If possible, the group should 
include a hazard mitigation specialist, and DFCO-M should periodically attend 
some of the meetings to support the initiative and remain informed. To facilitate 
key agency buy-in to the initiative, the core group can assist in developing the 
strategy for incorporating sustainability into the recovery effort. 

Early Coordination Beyond the DFO 

The list of public agencies, professional associations, nonprofit agencies and 
other NGOs, and academic institutions that could potentially support a 
sustainability initiative is almost endless. Many potential partners are discussed in 
Section 5.0. Appendix C provides links to many agencies that may offer 
partnerships or assistance. The list in the sidebar to the right includes some of the 
more important types of institutions and agencies that the Sustainability Planner 
should consider networking with early in the recovery process. 

A very basic approach to networking beyond the DFO is to initially contact a 
variety of potential teaming partners and then narrow the list to those that have 
the interest, capability, and resources to make a difference. Targeted sustainability 
initiatives that are well thought out and have local support are far more effective 
than scattered approaches with inadequate resources. 

The following helpful hints should be considered when networking with 
outside agencies and NGOs: 

 Before advocating sustainability or promoting a particular sustainability 
initiative, ask questions and listen. Be aware of political sensitivities, 
individual interests, and agendas. Understand the motivation of each 
speaker. 
 Even if you feel that a particular agency or institution is worth pursuing, 
remember that not all individuals will be receptive to your message. Know 
when to move on to other avenues for securing technical or financial 
assistance. 
 In pursuing potential partners, look for local assets first, then consider the 
surrounding region and move outward to identify particular agencies or 
individuals. The sustainability initiative works only when it is locally 
driven. Although national or regional technical expertise may be useful, 
local participation is essential to success. 
 Identify local champions who have respect within the community to build 
grassroots support for the initiative. Ideally, local champions have little 
damage to their homes or businesses that would otherwise absorb their 
energies during the recovery process. 
 Do not hesitate to ask questions such as, What specific resources can you 
bring to the table to support this initiative? or Have you considered this 
alternative? 
 Although you may have a personal vision for the community, understand 
that a sustainability initiative can move forward only by local consensus. 
 Use existing institutions and organizations to the greatest extent in 
launching a sustainability initiative before proposing new organizational 
Potential Partners 
nLocal champions 
nLocal civic associations and 
nonprofit organizations 
nChamber of Commerce 
nArea academic institutions, 
including colleges and 
universities 
nLocal or regional foundations 
nMajor businesses or industries 
in the community or 
surrounding area 
nRegional planning agencies, 
councils, or commissions 
nRegional economic 
development agencies and 
commissions 
nWater management districts 
and river basin commissions 
nHistoric preservation 
organizations 
nState agencies 
nHUD 
nDOE 
nEDA 
nU.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE) 
nU.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) 
nU.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) Rural 
Development Agency 
nU.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) Natural 
Resource Conservation Agency 
(NRCS) 
nAssociation of State Floodplain 
Managers (ASFPM) 
nAmerican Institute of 
Architects (AIA) 
nAmerican Planning 
Association (APA) 
nAmerican Society of Landscape 
Architects (ASLA) 
nAmerican Society of Civil 
Engineers (ASCE) 
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structures. Build on existing local initiatives or programs that could provide a 
good fit to proposed sustainability initiatives. 

Early Implementation Strategy 

The Early Implementation Strategy is prepared by the Mitigation Branch and the 
SHMO to guide the mitigation effort for 90days following the declaration. The 
strategy establishes an agreed-upon set of hazard mitigation priorities for recovery; as 
such, it has a significant effect on the short- and long-term recovery process. Therefore, 
it is essential that the Sustainability Planner include sustainable redevelopment 
concepts as part of the Early Implementation Strategy. 

The Early Implementation Strategy is a collaborative effort between FEMAs 
Mitigation Branches and SHMO staff. One suggestion for the Sustainability Planners 
participation in this effort would be to develop a brief sustainable redevelopment 
strategy for consideration by the mitigation staff. The sustainable redevelopment 
strategy evaluates disaster damages, targets potential communities or areas within the 
community, and outlines the basic elements of the proposed sustainability initiative. If 
favorably received, it should be incorporated into the early implementation strategy, and 
a more detailed action plan should be prepared that lists specific objectives, incorporates 
a 3-month timeline, and identifies required resources. 

Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team Report 

The IHMT report is not prepared in all disaster declarations. Some regions have 
moved away from activating the IHMT and place more emphasis on the early 
implementation strategy. The IHMT, when activated, normally consists of Federal 
(ESFs and OFAs), state, and local agencies, and includes a range of disciplines/areas of 
expertise according to type of disaster. 

The IHMT identifies opportunities for reducing or eliminating the long-term 
hazard risk to people and property. The IHMT report normally includes an analysis of 
the disaster incident, a historical perspective regarding disasters in the impacted area, 
and recommendations to bring various governmental agencies together to reduce the 
potential for future losses. 

The Sustainability Planner should coordinate with DFCO-M and the mitigation 
staff to be included on the IHMT, which provides an opportunity to network and 
coordinate sustainability initiatives with OFAs. It is one of the few formal mechanisms 
for bringing OFAs into the post-disaster recovery process. 

Staffing Requirements 

There are a number of different approaches to staffing a sustainability initiative. 
How you decide to proceed depends on the level of technical expertise needed, the 
resources available, the commitment level of various participants and agencies, specific 
components of the initiative, and time. Considering that the average operational life 
span of a DFO is 4 months  time is your greatest adversary. The good news is that 
many sustainability initiatives need only a firm foundation and a strong initial 
implementation to succeed. 

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The following six options for staffing are not mutually exclusive. Particular 
initiatives may call for combining several approaches. 

 Additional resources not required -Some initiatives may not require 
additional staffing beyond a single sustainability planner. If a community is 
struck by a flash flood or tornado, the Sustainability Planner might work 
directly with the local government and a disaster recovery task force to 
develop a long-term recovery plan that emphasizes hazard mitigation and 
sustainable development. In other circumstances, affected jurisdictions may 
have adequate resources to undertake an initiative on their own. (In many 
situations, however, the Sustainability Planner may have insufficient time to 
effectively implement initiatives.) 
 Augment DFO resources -Disaster Assistance Employees (DAEs) and local 
hires could be brought into the DFO organization to provide additional 
staff support to implement a sustainability initiative. 
 Mission assignment -FEMA may task another Federal agency to provide 
resources that are beyond its usual authorities. Mission assignments may be 
appropriate in situations where the required resource or expertise is critical 
or time sensitive and can be best met by an OFA. 
 Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Program (HMTAP) -FEMA has 
a nationwide contractor in place to provide technical assistance in post-
disaster recovery. The HMTAP contract may be used to support post-
disaster program needs in cases of large, unusual, or complex projects or in 
other situations where appropriate resources are not available. Over the past 
several years, the national hazard mitigation contractor has provided 
technical assistance to communities in developing long-term recovery plans 
and implementing sustainable redevelopment projects. 
 OFA resources -The Sustainability Planner can facilitate and encourage 
the use of OFA technical assistance or funding programs to implement a 
sustainability initiative. These OFA resources are not necessarily disaster 
related. 
 NGOs -The Sustainability Planner may be able to harness nontraditional 
funding sources and technical assistance to implement a sustainability 
initiative. Foundations, nonprofit organizations, universities, professional 
associations, or other civic organizations offer partnership potential. 
2.4 Transition and Standdown 
Many steps can be taken to ensure a smooth transition when responsibility for 
disaster relief is handed from a DFO or ERT-N to the home region and from the 
region, in turn, to the state. Introducing affected communities to the Project Impact 
approach at this time ensures a more sustainable recovery effort. It is important to 
identify someone at the regional office who has the time, authority, and capability to 
track standdown, transition, and post-DFO activities. During this phase, it is also 
necessary to take a long-term view on institutionalizing sustainability within the 
Headquarters and regional organizational framework. 

Part of FEMAs role in the transition phase is to support and help coordinate 
continuing local and state efforts. There is a critical need for continued communication 

Close Out/Transition 
Checklist 
Develop a closeout plan 
that includes operational 
timelines, staff 
downsizing, and project 
transition to the home 
regional office. 
Conduct required action 
steps, including staff 
performance reviews. 
Restock and update all 
source material and 
contact lists in go-kits and 
verify their return to the 
regional office. 
Arrange for shipment of 
multimedia, paper files, 
and backup computer 
files to the regional 
Mitigation Division. 
Return all equipment to 
the Logistics Branch. 
Provide after-action input 
to designated personnel. 
If feasible, participate in 
any DFO or regional 
hot-wash of debriefing 
activities. 
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between the state and communities. All transition participants must operate within a 
clearly defined sustainability initiative framework. Although FEMAs leadership role 
ends during the transition and standdown phase, regional staff should be assigned an 
ongoing responsibility to support the sustainability initiatives undertaken during DFO 
operations. 

It is important to assess the success of sustainability initiatives and identify lessons 
learned. Although the host region determines the necessary level of post-disaster 
followup with communities, the Sustainability Planner should  at a minimum  
consider periodic phone interviews or conference calls to evaluate post-disaster 
accomplishments. Followup letters to the communities or surveys are other techniques 
to evaluate sustainability initiatives. Be sure to document success stories for application 
to other disasters and share lessons learned with other regions. 

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Sustainable Redevelopment Activities Menu 
What are specific activities that the Sustainability Planner might be involved with during the initial 
implementation phase? The following menu of activities presents some possibilities. Your choices depend on the 
nature of the disaster, an objective evaluation of the potential for successful implementation, and successful 
partnerships. 
Review local, general, or comprehensive plans; associated maps or reports; zoning; subdivision building codes; 
and other land development regulations or ordinances. Obtain and review any existing plans related to post-
disaster recovery and reconstruction. 
Identify, encourage, and support local champions for sustainable recovery. 
Identify and prioritize target audiences for special educational projects and community outreach. These may 
include disaster victims; the general public; business and industry; the Chamber of Commerce; special groups 
such as the elderly, disabled, and low income, multilingual, or minority populations; the finance industry and 
lending institutions; and the building and construction industry. 
Identify and order relevant FEMA and non-FEMA educational and sustainability materials. 
Identify potential mentoring communities that have experienced a similar hazard and completed a successful 
recovery effort. Suggest the concept of a mentor community to affected jurisdictions and determine interest. 
Peer-to-peer dialogue is an excellent technique for conveying a hazard mitigation and sustainability message. 
Work with the Community Education Branch to customize or create sustainability marketing materials 
relevant to the disaster event, such as posters, brochures, and newsletters. Emergency Information and Public 
Affairs can also help in the development of print, video, and television media releases. 
Identify available distribution channels and methods, including traditional and non-traditional media, DFO 
program outreach, and local organizations. 
Discuss opportunities with fire, police, and local emergency management officials. 
Set up meetings with officials and the public in targeted communities (e.g., mayor, local planning officials, 
disaster recovery committee, and regional planning commissions). 
Give brief presentations to educate stakeholders on sustainability. Pair communities with local and regional 
resource groups (e.g., regional planning districts, university staff, and nonprofit organizations) to guide them 
into a long-term community planning process. 
Bring diverse groups together to develop innovative strategies for recovery, distinctive to their community. 
Empower citizens to compare their future visions for the community through workshops. 
Support activities of DFO operational outreach programs, including community relations, public affairs, 
congressional affairs, human services, SBA, and volunteer agencies (VOLAGs). 
If the recovery effort requires substantial new residential construction, seek innovative ways to get the message 
out to rebuild green, use indigenous materials, and incorporate energy conservation. Partner with local 
suppliers of these products to accomplish this. DOE and EPA have programs geared to residential elements of 
sustainable development. 
Support local officials in determining short- and long-term reconstruction and recovery objectives. Assist the 
community with the following activities: 
-Suggest short-term planning/operational strategies that incorporate sustainability into long-term recovery 
goals. 
-Identify multiobjective sustainability opportunities for long-term consideration within locally developed 
reconstruction plans or strategies. 
-Coordinate the delivery of appropriate DFO technical expertise to assist in evaluating alternative 
reconstruction strategies. 
-Support preliminary decisions regarding alternate reconstruction strategies by providing general program 
and administrative information on mitigation, planning, and reconstruction. 
-Function as a liaison to the community by identifying potential sustainability funding sources and 
networking with OFAs. 
-If local capabilities are lacking, bring in FEMA contractors or OFAs under mission assignments to support 
the development of long-term recovery plans. Other potential partners include regional planning agencies 
or economic development commissions. 
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Section 3.0 
Focus on the Community 

3 
Section 3.0 

Focus on the Community 

Now that the Sustainability Planners role and responsibilities within the DFO 
organization have been presented, the focus of this guide shifts to communities. 
Section 3.1 discusses what motivates communities to embrace the concept of 
sustainable development, describes different approaches to public involvement, and 
identifies local jurisdictional powers and authorities that can be tapped to implement 
sustainability. Section 3.2  Elements of Sustainability  describes a range of recent 
initiatives that communities have used to create a more sustainable future for 
themselves. 

3.1 Focus on the Community 
Communities do not exist in a vacuum; a historical settlement pattern links them 
with the surrounding area, and the entire jurisdiction should be viewed in the political 
context of the region and the state. Conducting sustainability planning for towns and 
cities in the interior West, for example, is far different than working with communities 
in the Mid-Atlantic. The West places a greater emphasis on private property rights than 
on planning and land use regulatory approaches. In these situations, voluntary 
programs may work best. In other parts of the country, there may be more acceptance of 
land use planning and regulatory approaches; a precedent may already be set for state 
mandates for local comprehensive planning and zoning. 

3.1.1 Community Motivation 
What motivates communities to consider sustainable development or 
redevelopment initiatives? One strong desire in the aftermath of a disaster is to avoid a 
repeat occurrence of the same situation. The Sustainability Planner can use disaster 
resistance as a key element in gaining the publics support of a long-term recovery plan 
that incorporates sustainable initiatives. 

Consider the following three elements in motivating the public toward a 
sustainability initiative: 

 Improving awareness  Residents are much more willing to accept the concepts 
and changes associated with sustainable redevelopment if they have been 
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Community Benefits of 
Sustainable 
Redevelopment 
nFewer damages incurred in 
the event of another 
disaster 
nEconomic gains through 
energy efficiency 
nImproved environment 
nImproved safety 
nPreservation and 
restoration of natural 
resources 
nMore open space, parks, 
and recreational amenities 
nImproved quality of life for 
the entire community 
educated about them and made to feel a part of the process. Scheduling small 
meetings with key citizens is an effective tool to gain public support. Such 
meetings provide an opportunity to define sustainability and how it applies to 
the community. Local champions can sponsor or lead meetings to improve 
awareness of sustainability issues. Once in motion, the support of the public can 
provide powerful leverage for change. The goal of the Sustainability Planner is 
to place issues within the citizens reach  move issues out of the abstract, and 
present them as tangible and practical alternatives. 

 Building partnerships  The Sustainability Planner builds public trust by 
helping the community draw upon experiences, resources, and policies already 
in place. Consider establishing a broad-based task force with representatives 
from all key sectors of the community (e.g., business leaders, civic associations, 
health care professionals, and representatives of the construction and housing 
sectors). 
 Defining benefits  To encourage public participation, the Sustainability 
Planner should clearly define the benefits of both sustainable redevelopment 
and the retrofitting of existing development. Explaining sustainability in terms 
of economic gains is a strong motivational message. For example, informing 
citizens of the long-term economic benefits of redeveloping with energy 
efficiency in mind can inspire them to look beyond immediate recovery needs. A 
sustainability initiative provides environmental protection, improves quality of 
life, and builds community goodwill. 
3.1.2 Public Participation 
The Sustainability Planner may be called upon to assist local officials in developing 
a comprehensive recovery strategy. Public participation in the recovery planning effort 
is essential. How a community structures community participation depends on its size, 
the capabilities of local officials to support a planning initiative, and the extent of 
involvement of citizen review boards and associations in setting community goals and 
policies. 

Creating a task force of community leaders, representatives of local government 
agencies, and interested citizens is a common approach for structuring long-term 
recovery planning. Build on existing organizations or boards wherever possible, but do 
not be overly cautious in recommending a new task force or committee if you think it 
necessary. You might suggest standing committees to address specific recovery issues, 
such as housing, economic development, infrastructure, and hazard mitigation. 
Suggest a local champion to chair a task force or recovery committee. He or she should 
be prepared to make decisions, defuse controversial issues, and maintain momentum 
and enthusiasm. 

Consider a large open community conference or workshop format, broken into 
smaller task groups, to quickly identify community needs, generate a future vision, or 
prioritize hazard mitigation approaches. Although public hearings and meetings are 
useful for disseminating information, they are not as useful for developing an overall 
recovery strategy. Far greater success can be achieved with small committees that reflect 
the wide range of community views and interests. Public meetings can then be held to 

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Focus on the Community 

review the findings of these working groups and gain acceptance from the broader 
community. 

Larger cities might want to consider building on capabilities that exist within their 
agencies and departments. A team of representatives from the planning, permitting, 
public works, and emergency management departments, among others, can be brought 
together to forge a recovery strategy. The coordinator should have access to the citys 
chief executive and establish a public forum to provide community feedback on the 
direction of the recovery strategy. 

3.1.3 Community Long-Term Recovery Plan 
An important decision facing the Sustainability Planner is whether to recommend 
a community-driven, long-term recovery planning process. A well-designed local 
planning effort can build a firm foundation for sustainable recovery. However, in 

situations where damages are not 
extensive, where political cohesiveness is 
absent, or where damages are dispersed 
over large areas, it may not be appropriate 
to implement a recovery planning process. 
It may be more effective for the 
Sustainability Planner to work with others 
in the DFO organization on a public 
education and outreach program targeted 
directly to affected residents. 

The goal of recovery planning is to 
take advantage of the immediate 
opportunity to become more disaster 
resistant and to embark on a long-term 
path toward sustainability. The 
community, with technical assistance as 
necessary, should create a concise 
framework for long-term recovery. Given 
that the recovery plan is crafted during 
the disaster recovery process, it should 
briefly lay out the overall recovery strategy 
and identify immediate, short-term, and 
long-term action items. More detailed 
design and engineering plans for program 
implementation can follow. The sidebar 
outlines some important lessons learned 
from pilot recovery planning efforts 
undertaken over the past few years. 

The Sustainability Planner should be 
aware that Federal environmental and 
historic preservation requirements must 
be considered if Federal funding is used to 
implement elements of the recovery plan. 

Steps for Successful Recovery Planning 

1. Take advantage of the window of opportunity to develop an 
overall recovery strategy  Capitalize on the outside funding and 
technical assistance that become available after a disaster. 
2. Establish community goals and objectives  Unite the 
community behind agreed-upon goals and objectives. 
3. Consider the planning process as well as the plan itself  
Structure the planning process so that it is open and participatory, 
but also quickly leads to agreement on a broad framework for 
recovery. 
4. Employ multi-objective planning  Look for opportunities to 
reap multiple benefits when incorporating hazard mitigation and 
sustainable redevelopment concepts into recovery efforts. 
5. Be flexible  Keep your options open and take advantage of 
unexpected opportunities. 
6. Realize that all sources of funding are fair game  Do not 
overlook nondisaster-related grant programs. If expertise is not 
locally available, seek experienced grant writing assistance from 
other sources, such as regional or state agencies and the private 
sector. 
7. Maximize community stakeholder involvement  Recruit local 
corporations, foundations, and nonprofit or civic organizations to 
participate in the planning process. 
8. Maximize the use of nontraditional partners  Solicit local 
nonprofit groups and organizations to supplement Federal and 
state agency support. 
9. Stay out of the weeds  Make sure that the recovery plan is brief. 
Prioritize immediate, short-term, and long-term recovery actions; 
allow detailed design, architectural, and engineering plans to 
follow. 
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Coordinate with the DFO environmental liaison or the regional environmental officer 
on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance issues. The Federal entity 
responsible for coordinating NEPA among agencies, the Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ), is receptive to long-term recovery issues, and FEMA headquarters can 
work with you to bring them into the sustainability process on major disasters, if 
appropriate. Cultural resource issues are often addressed in NEPA compliance studies. 
However, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) applies outside of the NEPA 
compliance process, and may require coordination with cultural resource specialists 
within the DFO and the SHPO. 

3.1.4 Local Government Powers 
It is the local jurisdiction that has the legal responsibility for planning and 
regulating land use. Five broad powers of local governments are highlighted in the 
sidebar. 

To implement a sustainability initiative, local jurisdictions may consider 
comprehensive plans, zoning and subdivision ordinances, building standards, 
floodplain ordinances, capital improvement programs, property acquisition, or taxation 
and fiscal policies. 

 Comprehensive plans  Many states mandate that local jurisdictions 
periodically undertake a comprehensive planning process. A comprehensive 
plan is a general planning document that sets the overall pattern of future 
development. Normally, it does not prohibit particular development activities, 
but rather provides the justification for specific zoning districts. Land use 
planning is an ongoing process; comprehensive plans are prepared, adopted, 
and revised on a 5- to 10-year 
cycle. Community boards work 
with professionals on the 
planning staff to prepare draft 
plans, facilitate a public 
participation process, and 
present final recommendations 
to elected officials. Given the 
long lead times required for 
comprehensive planning, it is 
unreasonable to expect that this 
process can be effectively used 
in the immediate post-disaster 
recovery phase. However, the 
Sustainability Planner can 
recommend that an affected 
community consider 
incorporating a hazard 
mitigation component during 
its next cycle of the 
comprehensive plan update or  

Local Government Powers 
nPlanning  Although the degree of planning authority of a local jurisdiction is 
determined in part by state legislation, all local governments can use a planning 
process to educate, encourage participation, and reach consensus on promoting 
disaster resistance, livability, and sustainability. 
nRegulatory power  Local jurisdictions have the authority to regulate land use 
development and construction through zoning, subdivision regulations, 
building codes, design standards, and floodplain regulations. 
nSpending authority  The manner in which local jurisdictions use public funds 
can influence development in hazardous areas. One fiscal management tool that 
many communities embrace is the capital improvement program, generally a 5-
year plan for funding improvements to public facilities. 
nTaxing power  If the private sector encourages development in hazardous 
areas, special taxing districts can be created to more equitably balance public 
investments. Preferential assessments can be used as incentives to retain 
agricultural and open-space uses in high hazard areas. 
nAcquisition  Local governments can acquire lands in high hazard areas 
through conservation easements, purchase of development rights, or the right of 
eminent domain. 
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if disaster damages are extensive  advise acceleration of the next update. 

 Zoning and subdivision ordinances  These ordinances are the traditional site 
development tools that regulate the location, type, and intensity of new 
development. Various zoning techniques have been used across the nation to 
restrict development in high hazard areas. Some examples include floodplain 
regulations; setbacks from fault-lines, coastlines, and shorelines; hillside 
development regulations to reduce the risk of damage from landslides; and 
zoning overlay zones that apply additional development standards for sensitive 
lands. Great progress can be realized in moving toward a sustainable future by 
changing zoning and subdivision ordinances to encourage future development 
in areas of low hazard risk. 
 Building codes and standards Building codes and associated construction 
standards are important tools in implementing hazard mitigation. These 
regulations dictate the details of building construction and set structural 
standards for structures ranging from single-family dwellings to high rise office 
towers. There are several different building codes in use by local jurisdictions 
and the specific code adopted generally varies by region throughout the country. 
Many states have minimum building code standards that allow communities to 
adopt more stringent code requirements, although some states have passed 
legislation requiring the use of a specific building code. Following a disaster 
declaration, it is important to evaluate whether affected jurisdictions are using 
the most current version of the building code. A simple amendment to local 
regulations could require the most current mitigation construction standards for 
the reconstruction effort. 
Small communities may be overwhelmed by requests for building permits and 
construction inspection, FEMA should encouraged them to ask for technical 
support and advice. 
 Floodplain regulations  It is very important to note that the model NFIP 
floodplain ordinance is a minimum standard. Most of the communities that 
participate in NFIP simply adopt the model ordinance. The Sustainability 
Planner should encourage affected communities to strengthen their floodplain 
standards. Many jurisdictions have gone so far as to prohibit residential 
development within the 100-year floodplain. Many states have enacted more 
stringent floodplain management requirements than the NFIP criteria, so it is 
essential to coordinate with state floodplain management officials. 
 Capital improvement programs  Although a local governments spending 
authority can be a powerful tool to implement sustainability, it is often 
overlooked. Local public policies that support sustainability should be 
incorporated into the communitys capital improvement program. Locating 
schools, fire stations, and other public buildings, streets, and utilities outside of 
high hazard areas is an obvious worthwhile policy. When siting public facilities 
in hazardous locations is necessary, communities can incorporate hazard 
reduction measures into the design or require retrofits where economically 
feasible. Public facility siting is a key determinant for future privately financed 
growth, so a sustainable redevelopment policy would be that roads and public 
water/sewer lines should not be sited where they have the potential to encourage 
intensive growth in high hazard zones. 
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 Property acquisition  Another approach to sustainability is public acquisition 
of property in high hazard areas and restriction of development to uses that are 
less vulnerable to disaster-related damages. The purchase of development rights 
involves paying the difference between agricultural or open space value and the 
value of the land under its current zoning designation. FEMA is a strong 
supporter of voluntary acquisition programs that remove homes and businesses 
from harms way. Outright acquisition of property, through the process of 
eminent domain, is the most expensive approach and may also have adverse 
political ramifications. Encouraging the use of conservation easements, which 
are often held by nonprofit organizations, is an inexpensive method of 
restricting development. 
 Taxation and fiscal policies  Taxation can be used to more equitably distribute 
the public costs of private development in high hazard areas by shifting more of 
the cost burden directly to owners. One incentive option is to provide tax breaks 
for reducing land use intensities in hazardous areas. 
3.2 Elements of Sustainability 
Establishing a sustainable community requires the integration of sustainable 
practices into the day-to-day decision-making of community institutions (e.g., planning 
commissions, public works and transportation departments). In many communities, 
the mechanisms to bring about change are in place, but the strategies  their 
applicability and the tools for their successful implementation  are not understood. 
This subsection builds upon the preceding discussion on local authorities by describing 
a range of innovative approaches that have been used by communities to implement 
sustainable development. 

This subsection is devoted to three major elements of sustainability that are most 
applicable to sustainable redevelopment. The sustainability literature includes 
discussion of other elements, such as waste reduction and recycling, alternative energy 
sources, and climatic change. However, because it is unlikely that the Sustainability 
Planner, operating in a post-disaster scenario, would have the opportunity to influence 
these more national and global aspects of sustainability, this guide focuses on land use 
planning, housing, and infrastructure  which have the potential to yield discrete 
results. 

During disaster recovery, the opportunity to initiate repairs, relocations, and 
redevelopment with sustainability as the focus is often overlooked. Sustainable 
redevelopment within the realm of emergency management is a valuable planning tool 
to avoid future damages due to natural disasters. The concepts described apply to the 
repair or restoration of damaged homes and public facilities, in addition to the major 
redevelopment that occurs in long-term disaster recovery. 

3.2.1 Land Use Planning 
Careful, comprehensive land use planning is essential for communities embarking 
on a sustainable development initiative. Comprehensive land use planning provides a 
firm foundation for this effort by considering the opportunities and constraints 

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inherent in the natural and physical environment. When promoting land use planning 
as part of a sustainable redevelopment initiative, the Sustainability Planner should 
advocate that communities incorporate a hazard mitigation element into the 
comprehensive plan. Simply put, if communities restrict future development in areas of 
high individual or multihazard risk and encourage more intensive development in 
areas of lower risk, they will have taken a significant step toward becoming sustainable. 
Although there is considerably more precedent for addressing flooding in natural 
hazards planning, a number of recent efforts have incorporated fire, landslide, 
earthquake, and high wind hazards into comprehensive planning. 

What does a sustainable community look like? Areas of high hazard risk and 
important natural habitat are used for open space and the preservation of natural 
resources. Residents have nearby access to trails, greenways, and parks. From the 
Sustainability Planners perspective, the effective use of open space prevents 
development from encroaching on floodplains, active fault zones, and other hazard 
areas. Housing that can support a diversity of life styles and differing income levels is 
integrated with appropriate commercial development and employment centers to 
reduce commuting time. Higher density, mixed-use environments support the 
sustainable development objective of energy and resource conservation. Multimodal 
transportation systems favor pedestrian and public transit service. Reclamation and the 
reuse of energy are integrated into community infrastructure. While all of these 
characteristics may not be possible or appropriate for many communities, they can serve 
to stimulate creative thinking. 

Incremental improvements in the sustainability of a community are achieved 
through sound land use planning and eventually lead to markedly improved settings for 
living, working, and recreation. Land use planning that promotes sustainability 
reverses urban sprawl, low-density growth, traffic congestion, the loss of open space, 
and high levels of energy consumption. Without question, promoting land use policies 
that avoid intensive development in the areas most vulnerable to natural hazards is at 
the top of any sustainability planning techniques list. 

Characteristics of a Sustainable Land Use Plan 

A land use plan for a disaster-resistant and sustainable community integrates the 
three fundamental elements of sustainability  economy, society, and environment. 

 It promotes effective use of the communitys financial resources. The plan 
should be based on a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) of land use alternatives. For 
example, single-family residential developments on large lots typically create 
demands for services (schools, roads, utilities, police and fire protection, etc.) 
that exceed tax revenues. 
 It provides for diversity. A sustainable development/redevelopment plan 
promotes the creation of places to live and work that meet the needs of a broad 
range of community residents. In many cities and municipalities, the people 
that provide basic and vital services  police, firefighters, schoolteachers, etc.  
cannot afford to live in the communities where they work. 
 It incorporates sensitivity to the communitys natural and physical resources. 
Preserving the integrity of ecological systems is the most important 
environmental indicator of sustainability. Limiting degradation of the 
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environment and preserving key natural systems  such as wetlands, 
floodplains, dunes, and active fault or landslide zones  also increase a 
communitys resilience to natural hazards. Cultural and historical resources of a 
community are other important aspects of the environment and should be 
included in sustainable land use planning. 

Recent Initiatives in Land Use Planning 

Summarized below are several sustainability initiatives that may be applicable to 
land use planning in jurisdictions either recovering from or facing the high probability 
of a natural disaster. 

Smart Growth 

Smart growth refers to a development approach in which growth or economic 
progress is in balance with the environment and an improved quality of life. It is about 
building on existing assets, becoming less reliant on the automobile, and using land 
more wisely. Smart growth directs expansion to limited areas, while renovating older 
areas and preserving natural lands by modifying the designs of new development. 

The smart growth concept encourages mixed-use development. It encompasses 
traditional neighborhood patterns where people walk or take public transit to shops and 
to work. Streets in such an area are narrow, laid-out in a grid, and in scale with 
neighborhood buildings  in contrast to a low-density, suburban sprawl pattern. Smart 
growth incorporates green space with commercial, retail, recreation, education, and 
housing interests. In suburban areas, smart growth development involves housing 
projects are that are designed to conserve open space and farmland. In cities, smart 
growth projects redevelop underutilized or vacant property. This type of development 
can generate profits for developers while maintaining higher density in older urban 
areas  with overall savings on infrastructure costs. Smart growth fosters a higher 
quality of life for residents and decreases operating costs for local governments. 

Currently, local, state, and Federal governments are responding to growing 
dissatisfaction with sprawl by enacting policies and laws to encourage smart growth. 
These laws direct the investment of tax dollars to areas of existing development, change 
zoning and building codes, and revise tax laws. Smart growth is a means of achieving 
economic, community, and environmental goals. The Sustainability Planner should 
consider the smart growth initiative as having many parallels with FEMAs sustainable 
redevelopment initiative. Information tools such as the smart growth website 
(www.smartgrowth.org) are a valuable resource for post-disaster sustainable 
development initiatives. State agencies spearheading the smart growth initiative are 
strong potential partners for a sustainable redevelopment initiative. For example, the 
State of Maryland has embarked on a major smart growth initiative that ties in with 
long-term efforts to preserve the quality of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. 

Urban Growth Boundaries 

An urban growth boundary is a land use-planning tool that demarcates urban and 
rural land uses to avoid a lower density sprawl development pattern. The most notable 
use of urban growth boundaries is a program developed in Oregon in the 1970s (see 
sidebar). 

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Urban growth boundaries 
are intended to encompass an 
adequate amount of 
developable land to efficiently 
meet projected growth 
requirements for 20 to 30 years, 
while protecting rural lands. 
Urban growth boundaries 
encourage: 

 Development at higher 
densities 
 Mixed-use development 
 Infill development and 
redevelopment in urban 
areas 
 Land use patterns that 
Oregon, Urban Growth Boundaries -Adopted in 1979, the Metro urban growth 
boundary in Oregon is a 364-square-mile area that includes 24 cities (Oregons 
Metro Website). Other areas such as Santa Clara, California, and King County, 
Washington, have followed Oregons example and established urban growth 
boundaries in their jurisdictions. 

Oregons Metro has an official responsibility for managing the regions urban 
growth boundary. With such accountability, the Metro must: 

 Coordinate between regional and local comprehensive plans and adopt a 
regional urban growth boundary. 
 Require consistency of local comprehensive plans with statewide and regional 
planning goals. 
 Plan for activities including transportation, water quality, air quality, and 
solid waste. 
reduce the need for automobile travel. 

The objectives of urban growth boundaries are to plan and promote the efficient 
use of urban land, to improve the efficiency of public facilities and services, and to 
preserve farm and natural lands outside the boundary. Over time, additional 
undeveloped land can be added to the boundary. 

The Sustainability Planner should be aware of this planning technique, whether it 
has been applied in local communities, and whether local jurisdictions and residents 
consider urban sprawl to be a major development issue. Even if the concept of urban 
growth boundaries is not applicable to smaller, rural communities, the broader 
principle of concentrating development and proximity to services is valid. Temporary 
housing sites and larger redevelopment projects that are a part of an overall recovery 
effort should be proximate to existing development and important public facilities and 
services. 

Infill Development 

Infill development promotes the development of vacant or underdeveloped parcels 
or the reuse of abandoned structures. It is best applied in older urban centers where 
there has been a slow exodus of residents, businesses, and industries. Promoting infill 
development generally requires that local governments adopt regulations and policies to 
encourage redevelopment in areas of urban decay. 

Infill development is a sound planning approach that has beneficial implications 
for sustainability. It encourages compact dense development, reduces the need for 
continued sprawl, and provides economic development and quality of life 
improvements that are desperately needed in many urban areas. In recovery situations 
where a community might be evaluating new locations for housing for flood or other 
hazard victims, for example, the Sustainability Planner should be sure to encourage the 
consideration of infill development. 

Minimum Density Zoning 

Minimum density zoning (MDZ) is a land use planning tool that requires 
development densities to stay above a certain level by mandating average or maximum 

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lot sizes. Traditional zoning requirements normally stipulate a minimum lot size, but 
do not regulate the upper limits of residential lots. MDZ is useful in residential areas 
dominated by single-family detached homes or multifamily developments. It is not 
likely to be appropriate in rural areas. 

Because residential development often occurs at densities lower than those called 
for in a comprehensive plan, MDZ seeks to use land more efficiently by requiring 
development to be at or near planned densities in both residential and commercial 
areas. The Sustainability Planner should use caution in recommending MDZ. 
Although it addresses some of the environmental, social, and aesthetic problems 
associated with suburban sprawl, widespread misconceptions about increased density 
often prevent communities from adopting compact land use strategies. MDZ may be 
perceived as too intrusive and, perhaps, be considered only in those states with a strong 
precedent of community planning and land use regulation. 

Transportation 

Land use and transportation are intrinsically related. Land use patterns and 
population density dictate the nature and orientation of the transportation network. As 
transportation improvements are made, they can alter the land use pattern by attracting 
new residents and businesses. Land use plans that focus on sustainable development 
encourage compact and mixed-use strategies, along with policies to foster alternative 
transportation modes that help reduce reliance on the automobile. Advances in 
alternative transportation gradually reduce the high public cost of building, 
maintaining, and repairing roads, overpasses, and bridges  infrastructure that is often 
damaged in a natural disaster. 

Communities should review transportation plans and policies before undertaking 
sustainable development or redevelopment plans. Transportation efficiency in land use 
planning is achieved by: 

 Revising road standards and development to give people more transportation 
options, such as walking, riding the bus, or bicycling. 
 Encouraging changes in development patterns, so that jobs, schools, housing, 
and shopping are closer together. 
 Providing higher quality public transit in both urban and rural settings. 
 Identifying opportunities to encourage more sustainable transportation 
planning. For example: 
-A flooding disaster might provide the opportunity for adaptive reuse of an old 
railway right-of-way for a foot or bicycle path (National Park Service Rails-

to-Trails Program). 

-A floodplain acquisition program might incorporate a stream corridor park 

with walking paths that link recreational parks with the downtown business 

district. 

- Incorporating alternative transportation modes into redevelopment as part of 
a long-term disaster recovery plan. 

Brownfields Development 

Brownfields are vacant, abandoned, or underutilized industrial and commercial 
facilities where the redevelopment potential is adversely affected by environmental 

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contamination. These sites are usually found in urban areas and were previously 
industrial or commercial use facilities that generated or handled hazardous wastes. 

Brownfields can be reclaimed if cost-effective hazardous waste remediation 
measures are available to address potential public health issues. Many businesses have 
taken advantage of local incentives for redeveloping brownfields, which in turn brings 
new revenue and jobs to the local community. This type of redevelopment requires a 
strong partnership between the public and private sectors. Successful brownfields 
redevelopment has provided a foundation for revitalizing neighborhoods, creating jobs, 
and restoring green space in urban areas. EPA administers the Brownfields Economic 
Redevelopment Initiative. 

The Sustainability Planner should be aware of potential problems that may arise 
with brownfields. Recovery redevelopment projects must be able to move quickly from 
the design concept through detailed engineering to construction. If hazardous waste 
remediation is under discussion or incomplete, the site should not be considered for 
potential relocation projects because of time constraints. Even with the fast track 
procedures available for brownfields, negotiations over cleanup levels and remediation 
techniques can be extensive. 

3.2.2 Housing 
After a disaster, the temporary or permanent relocation of families can affect the 
social and economic foundation of the community. The cost of replacement housing to 
individuals and to society can be staggering. Relationships with neighbors, coworkers, 
and classmates may be strained or severed, and the business community may lose access 
to significant human and economic resources. To provide for a sustainable community, 
municipalities must seek innovative ways to ensure that new housing developments  
as well as replacements for homes lost to natural disasters  are planned and built in a 
sustainable manner. 

Ideally, housing developments in a sustainable community should do more than 
just provide shelter. Sustainable structures should use a minimum of nonrenewable 
energy, produce a minimum of pollution, and cost a minimum of energy dollars, while 
increasing the comfort, health, and safety of the people who live and work in them. 
Implicit in this definition is the concept that sustainable housing should be resistant to 
the risk of damages from natural disasters. 

Sustainable housing is important to the long-term viability and prosperity of 
communities. On a basic level, sustainable housing provides the community with: 

 A source of reliable, cost-effective shelter for residents with minimal
environmental impacts
 A diverse and consistently available workforce to help drive regional economies 
 A predictable consumer base for local businesses 
Sustainable housing can take many forms, but a few basic characteristics are 
universal: 

 Durability, energy efficiency, and cost effectiveness 
 Environmental sensitivity in siting 
 Diverse opportunities for residents. 
The design and construction of sustainable housing must strike a balance between 
incrementally higher costs for initial construction and anticipated reductions in long-
term maintenance, energy and utility costs, and the likelihood of damage due to natural 

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disasters. The long term costs of physical or environmental reparations or the loss of 
environmentally sensitive areas far outweigh the initial costs of well-sited housing 
development. In keeping with the strategies of sustainable development and the 
opportunities presented by disaster recovery, housing alternatives should consider the 
ages, income levels, family sizes, and transportation requirements of all residents. If 
available, the Sustainability Planner should review any recent housing surveys or 
recommend that a housing survey be conducted to understand market trends and 
future needs. 

Initiatives in Sustainable Housing 

Affordable Housing 

Natural disasters can strike communities and neighborhoods of any socioeconomic 
status. However, it is frequently those at the lowest end of the economy that suffer the 
most. Their loss is often more traumatic because they do not have the resources to 
recover (e.g., insurance, savings, and investments). 

Communities must consider lower income housing needs when evaluating long-
term recovery alternatives. Many families may not be able to afford market rate houses, 
even with substantial financial support from recovery agencies. 

Affordable housing may be realized through new uses of property previously set 
aside for standard single-family homes or institutional, commercial, or industrial 
purposes. In a society with a growing population of elderly and single-parent headed 
households, single-family homes may not necessarily be the best use for a property. 
New land use principles suggest that communities with greater density thrive, given 
the proper planning and design considerations. 

Redevelopment 

The adaptive reuse of buildings that have outgrown their original purposes is 
another housing initiative that moves a community closer to the goals of sustainability. 
Creative redevelopment of abandoned warehouses, for example, can spark further 
reinvestment in low-income areas. A recent trend in real estate development is to 
convert old warehouses into interesting loft-style apartments and condominiums. 
Redevelopment to create new housing options represents the ultimate in recycling. 

Smart Building 

What does it mean to build smart? Sustainable development and redevelopment 
are also known as green building or building smart. Homes that incorporate 
energy-efficient technologies are typically more comfortable, have lower utility bills, 
and have minimal impact on the environment. In a typical U.S. home, heating and air 
conditioning account for about 44 percent of energy use - the largest energy expense in 
most homes. Home heating is also one of the largest contributors to residential 
pollution. Homes that are built using smart fundamentals incorporate technologies 
known to save and conserve energy, while reducing pollutant emissions. Following a 
disaster, communities should make every effort to incorporate smart development 
concepts into their housing recovery plans. 

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Special Considerations Following a Disaster 

Disaster Resistant Housing 

Unfortunately, the United States faces a number of potential natural disasters that 
can adversely affect housing  earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods are the 
most common. Following any natural disaster in which housing is damaged or 
destroyed, a community is faced with difficult decisions on how to recover. There is 
often a push, especially by homeowners, to quickly repair, rebuild, and move on with 
their lives. However, a disaster in which many residential structures are damaged or 
destroyed presents unique sustainable redevelopment opportunities that can be 
addressed through the recovery process. 

The community must thoroughly assess housing needs based on the unique 
characteristics of its population. In addition, it must consider relocating or retrofitting 
structures located in high hazard areas. 

Retrofitting 

Homes in the 100-year floodplain that are not substantially damaged can be 
repaired. (Substantial damage, as defined by NFIP, means that the cost of the 
improvements or repairs is more than 50 percent of the market value.) When 
homeowners start to make plans for repairing and replacing damaged structures, all 
efforts should be made to incorporate energy efficiency into the process. The 
homeowner faces fewer damages the next time a disaster occurs and also benefits from 
lower utility bills. The community as a whole is enhanced by the reduction in 
pollutants, as well as by improved, healthier housing stock and homes that are repaired 
and brought up to the newest building codes may help to increase the value of other 
residential property. 

Replacement Housing 

In situations where homeowners must totally replace their homes, sustainable 
redevelopment or smart building should be a crucial consideration. Replacement 
housing offers an opportunity to redevelop an area with a comprehensive sustainable 
concept from the very start. Communities should make a concerted effort to educate 
their citizens on how to build smart. FEMA and DOE officials can often provide 
technical assistance to area planners and residents. State emergency management staff 
may also provide information on sustainability or identify other state agencies with 
responsibility for energy conservation. DOE is an excellent resource for smart or 
green building initiatives (see Appendix C). In the aftermath of several recent 
disasters, DOE specialists on sustainable development provided direct technical 
assistance to affected communities. 

Acquisition 

Acquisition is often a key element of FEMAs hazard mitigation strategy for large 
flood disasters. It is one of the many options a community might explore in dealing 
with repetitive flooding damages. Through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program 
(HMGP), FEMA provides mitigation funds for the state to acquire properties in the 
floodplain. In most cases, damaged structures are demolished, though some may be 
relocated. The acquisition program allows homeowners to escape the dangers of the 
flood zone by providing preflood fair market value for their damaged homes. It is 

Valmeyer, Illinois 
Relocation 
After the flood of 1993, 
over 90 percent of the 
buildings in Valmeyer, Illinois, 
were damaged beyond repair. 
Over 2,500 people in Valmeyer 
and the surrounding 
countryside were left without 
homes, and many moved into 
a trailer village set up by 
FEMA. The county took 
immediate action and 
developed several options for 
recovery. The citizens of 
Valmeyer chose to relocate 
their community to a nearby 
500-acre parcel on a bluff 
overlooking the river. 
Valmeyer was the first 
community to benefit from 
the Working Group on 
Sustainable Redevelopment, a 
group that came together in 
the aftermath of the flood. 
Using funds from DOEs 
Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy, a team 
of national experts helped 
incorporate sustainable 
technologies into the design 
and construction of a new 
town. The team organized 
several community planning 
sessions and offered 
workshops on passive solar 
design and ground-source 
heat pumps. These initiatives 
paid off through energy-
efficient home construction, 
resource-efficient institutions, 
and future renewable energy 
development. The new homes 
offered better insulation, 
energy-efficient windows, 
low-flow showerheads, water 
conserving toilets, and 
efficient heating and cooling 
systems. 
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beneficial to the community because it permanently removes structures from the 
floodplain and allows the area to return to a natural state. Many communities have 
experienced considerable savings in disaster damages following an acquisition project 
simply because fewer structures are vulnerable. 

Relocation 

Relocation may refer to the physical relocation of a home to a property outside of 
the floodplain or to the removal of citizens from a disaster-prone area. If a home is not 
substantially damaged and is structurally sound enough to withstand relocation, the 
property owner is typically offered fair-market value for the property. The homeowner 
is then given financial assistance for the actual costs of moving the home to a new site, 
including site preparation (foundation, water, sewer, and utilities). Alternatively, a 
community may chose to relocate all or part of its citizens to a completely new site; 
such was the case with Valmeyer, Illinois (see sidebar, p. 3-13). 

Relocation cannot be undertaken without substantial help from outside sources. 
Although it provides a golden opportunity to implement sustainability strategies, it 
requires substantial funding, comprehensive planning, and technical assistance from 
Federal and state resources. 

3.2.3 Public Infrastructure 
Public infrastructure includes potable water supplies, 

Shelby County, Tennessee, is located within sanitary sewer services, power distribution, cable and telephone, 
the New Madrid fault system. Memphis Light, and transportation systems  in addition to public services such 
Gas, and Water owns and operates the supply as hospitals, schools, and communications. Immediately 
system that provides water to the area. The following a disaster, emergency management professionals and 
company has initiated a seismic retrofit project community leaders think first of health and safety issues. Is there 
to protect its pumping station and enhance the electricity? Are the roads passable? Can medical assistance be 
survivability of connections between the water reached? Is the water safe to drink? The answers to these 
distribution lines. At a total project cost of questions greatly influence emergency management strategies 

$968,800, retrofit plans include: and community response. 

 Reinforcement and anchorage of masonry How is sustainable public infrastructure incorporated into 
an immediate disaster recovery process? Outlined below are
walls. 

 Strengthening of steel frames. some options for water, sewer, and energy systems. 
 Improved connection of a concrete wall 
and roof. Water 
 Secured anchorage of pipes and valves. 
The United States is abundant in lakes and rivers, yet in 

 Bracing of pipeline. 
many regions water resources are in critical supply. Even the 
 Bracing of sewer treatment and control 
Pacific Northwest has begun to feel the pinch as drier seasonsequipment. coupled with urban growth strain water supply and distribution 
 Protection of an overhead crane. 
systems. To protect valuable water supplies, communities need to

The estimated cost to replace the pumping make an effort before disaster strikes to prevent them from being 
station in the event of a large earthquake is damaged or contaminated. Shelby County, Tennessee has 
over $17 million. Each day the station is not in instituted a plan to protect water distribution systems (see 

service costs an additional $1.4 million. The sidebar). 

total estimated savings from this retrofit project At the very least, communities in known disaster-prone 
are estimated at $112 million. areas should make prior arrangements to have emergency water 

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available for schools, hospitals, and fire departments. Emergency managers can help 
plan for a sustainable water supply by designating emergency water storage facilities 
and developing mutual assistance agreements with neighboring communities. 

Wastewater Collection and Treatment 

Conventional wastewater treatment technologies can be major environmental 
polluters because of effluent discharges or sludge byproducts. A disaster situation can 
further exacerbate the environmental damage from poorly designed sewage 
infrastructure and inadequate wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). 

In most U.S. cities, gravity sewers rely on the force of gravity to guide sewage down 
gently graded conduit systems until reaching a pumping station or WWTP. Treatment 
facilities are located at low elevations within the watershed, most often in or near 
designated floodplains. WWTPs are, therefore, often subject to flooding, which can 
damage facilities and discharge untreated waste into surface waters. Many smaller rural 
communities rely on lagoons for sewage treatment. Lagoons are often overtopped by 
flood waters, which creates severe water quality problems downstream. In older 
metropolitan areas and in smaller rural systems, stormwater and sewage may flow into 
a combined conduit system. During heavy rains, these systems can overflow, sending 
raw sewage directly into rivers and streams. WWTPs are overburdened with the sheer 
volume of waste to process during storms, and deluged facilities often sustain pump 
submersion and failure. 

Several promising new technologies for sewage treatment have been implemented 
in WWTPs across the nation. Created wetlands have been used to assist in the storage 
and purification of wastewater. In communities where sewer and storm sewers are 
combined, substantial investments have been made to separate these systems. Another 
sustainable strategy is the repair or replacement of older sewer drains that allow 
infiltration of water, thereby reducing the overall capacity of the system. A sound 
hazard mitigation approach for pumping stations and WWTPs involves floodproofing 
and retrofitting. Levees or berms can be placed around WWTPs to provide protection 
from the 100-year storm event. Retrofitting pumping stations includes the elevation of 
pumps above 100-year flood levels. These improvements offer the opportunity to 
implement energy-efficient technologies. 

Energy 

Energy production is big business. The consumption of energy fuels our economy 
just as it fuels cars, heats and cools homes, and lights office buildings. Yet, consider the 
price of energy consumption on a local, regional, national, and global scale. 
Environmental impacts include depletion of the ozone layer, acid rain, smog, climate 
changes (which can result in rising sea levels and changes in weather patterns related to 
drought or flooding), and other forms of global degradation. Our addiction to energy is 
manifested in congested roads, urban sprawl, and excessive expenditures for heating, 
cooling, lighting, and ventilation. 

Two major sustainable development approaches in the field of energy are 
conservation and the use of clean, renewable energy sources. Reducing consumption is 
more cost-effective and practicable than increasing supply. By increasing efficiency, the 
same amount of electricity can serve more users without expanding power plant 
capacity. Efficiency is applicable to each of the critical elements of sustainability  land 

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Focus on the Community 

use, housing, and infrastructure. Approximately 35 percent of all U.S.

In Portland, Oregon, energy energy needs are supplied by electrical power. About two-thirds of thisplanning became an integral part of electricity is used in residential and commercial buildings, and one-
comprehensive urban improvements. third is used in industrial processes.
The benefits include cost savings, Alternative and renewable energy includes those forms of energy 
reduction in air pollution and traffic that cannot be depleted or that are quick to regenerate  such as solar, 
congestion, enhancement of quality of wind, hydro, geothermal, biofuels, ocean energy, and hydrogen power. 
life, and stimulation of the local Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas are depleted 100,000 times 
economy. Under Portlands energy faster than their rate of development. Oil currently provides more than 
policy, the city is improving energy 40 percent of the nations primary energy and 97 percent of its 

efficiency in municipal buildings, transportation energy. 
residential buildings, commercial and What sustainable redevelopment issues regarding energy might 
industrial facilities, and transportation. arise in a post-disaster scenario? What should a community consider 
The program also requires increased about energy efficiency? Disasters provide a unique opportunity to 
recycling, decreased waste, and 
reflect on how things have been done in the past and how they could 
be improved to move toward the goal of sustainability. Smart buildingdevelopment of telecommunications as guidelines are a good place to start.
an energy-efficiency strategy (DOE/ Communities should encourage their citizens to build or rebuildEREN website). homes to a higher energy-efficiency status. If building materials and 
contents must be replaced, why not replace them with components 
that will reduce overall energy consumption and expense? A few 
examples of sustainability redevelopment in terms of energy conservation are: 

 High R-value insulation in walls and ceilings for major home repair or 
replacement. 
 Underground power lines, which are not as susceptible to damage from winds, 
rain, or ice storms. 
 Historical architectural designs that take advantage of naturally occurring shade 
areas and cross-ventilation. 
 Keeping a structures size in scale with its use to ensure that there is no excess 
space to heat and cool. 
 Retrofitting heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. 
 Double- or triple-paned windows. 
 Development and use of alternative fuels to gasoline, such as biodiesel, electric 
fuel, ethanol, hydrogen, methanol, natural gas, propane, P-series, and solar fuel. 
 Energy-efficient water heaters, refrigerators, dishwashers, showerheads, and 
fluorescent lighting. EPAs Energy Star program rates new appliances for their 
energy efficiency. 
3.3 Summary 
The implementation of sustainability concepts in conjunction with disaster 
recovery is still in its infancy. For sustainability to be institutionalized within the 
overall recovery process, there must be ongoing communication between local, state, 
and Federal planning and emergency management professionals  particularly in terms 
of sharing success stories of disaster recovery and sustainable redevelopment. As disaster 
recovery plans are developed, each component or step along the way is an opportunity 
to choose a more  rather than a less  sustainable direction for the future. The tools, 
programs, and references included in this guide provide the information and examples 
to achieve a sustainable recovery. 

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4 
Section 4.0 

Sustainability by 
Hazard Type 

This section suggests specific approaches to incorporating sustainable practices 
into recovery and mitigation planning for the following types of hazards: 

 Flooding 
 Earthquakes 
 Coastal storms 
 Tornadoes 
 Wildfires 
 Landslides. 
The hazard-specific discussions are followed by a relevant case study that provides 
one or more examples of sustainable mitigation processes. The Sustainability Planner 
new to emergency management should obtain background information on the 
particular hazards relevant to the disaster deployment. The FEMA document, Multi-
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment: The Cornerstone of the National Mitigation 
Strategy, provides an excellent overview on a broad range of natural hazards (see 
annotated reference in Appendix D). Understanding the anticipated intensity of a 
future disaster and the probable reoccurrence of the next threshold event that could 
trigger a disaster declaration is critical in identifying appropriate mitigation and 
sustainability approaches. 

The discussions below outline different approaches to incorporating sustainable 
practices into the disaster recovery and mitigation planning processes. The 
recommended approaches are not intended to be all-inclusive. The relevance of each 
approach varies depending on disaster damages, the history of past natural disasters in 
the area, the statistical probability of future disasters, and community interest and 
political realities. 

4.1 All Hazards 
Hazard mitigation specialists working out of a DFO are understandably focused 
on evaluating mitigation opportunities relevant to the natural hazard event that led to 
the disaster declaration. However, it is important that the mitigation staff and 

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Sustainability Planner step back at this point and evaluate mitigation and sustainable 
redevelopment opportunities from a multi-hazard perspective. Are there other hazards 
present that would leave reconstruction vulnerable to disaster? Some excellent examples 
of a multi-hazard approach come from recent hurricane disaster declarations in the 

U.S. Virgin Islands and in Puerto Rico. Mitigation activities following these 
declarations focused on repair and reconstruction of structures damaged or destroyed 
by high winds. Where feasible from a cost and engineering perspective, mitigation 
specialists also considered incorporating seismic strengthening of the structures in 
reconstruction because of the high seismic risk present in this part of the Caribbean. 
Many aspects of mitigation and sustainable redevelopment are common to all 
hazards. Therefore, if major reconstruction is part of the overall recovery effort, the 
following factors should be considered in addressing all hazard types: 

Extent of Damage 

Obviously, the more extensive the damage to a community, the greater the 
opportunity for incorporating sustainable redevelopment into the recovery effort. 
Following a major disaster, many communities may find it advantageous to reexamine 
how land uses can be rearranged and how the basic configuration of streets and utilities 
might even be altered to improve access and services. The first question for the 
Sustainability Planner is, How can the community avoid repetitive losses through the 
reconstruction process? If damage is extensive and the continued risk high in a 
particular area, alternative land uses such as open space or recreation may be 
appropriate. However, changing land use to avoid repetitive damages may not be a 
sound planning option nor politically feasible. 

Where the extent of damage is limited and replacement of previous uses is 
desirable, significant measures may be employed on a structure-by-structure basis to 
provide for increased disaster resistance, energy efficiency, and environmental 
sensitivity. 

Type and Age of Affected Facilities and Structures 

As a general rule, recently developed areas are more likely to consist of homes and 
businesses where the owners have adequate insurance or other financial means to 
restore their properties. In addition, recent developments should more closely reflect 
community needs and current planning standards. Unless these developments are 
located in an area that is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, it is probable that the 
development will be returned to predisaster conditions. In these situations, there are 
opportunities to promote sustainability by recommending the use of building materials 
and replacement equipment that are energy efficient and disaster resistant. 

In older disaster-damaged areas, other questions may be asked before the 
community embarks on reconstruction. Older residential or community areas were 
designed and built to meet community needs at that time. Does the community want 
things put back the way they were, or would another land use pattern better meet 
current needs? Housing needs today have shifted dramatically from the prevalent 
three-bedroom, single-family detached subdivisions built during the 1950s and 1960s. 
Based on an assessment of the communitys needs, it may be appropriate to provide a 
greater diversity of housing types in a typical reconstruction project. In these situations, 

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it may be appropriate for the community to consider initiating a long-term recovery 
planning effort to evaluate alternative reconstruction strategies. 

Environmental and Social Considerations 

The Sustainability Planner should help to ensure that community recovery plans 
and proposed mitigation measures are environmentally sensitive, respect cultural and 
historic resources, and contribute to the sustainability of the residential and commercial 
elements of the community. When Federal funds are used in the reconstruction effort, 
Federal environmental and historic preservation requirements such as NEPA, NHPA, 
CoBRA, and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) may become an issue in the overall 
recovery effort. The Sustainability Planner can help local communities by facilitating 
an expedited review process and helping to resolve review and permitting issues as they 
arise. 

Regulatory Controls 

Because there is typically pressure to rebuild as soon as possible, it is important to 
assess current regulatory controls to determine whether they promote commonly 
accepted sustainable building techniques and rational land use patterns. A 
Sustainability Planner might provide recommendations to modify or amend zoning 
regulations to allow a greater diversity of housing types or promote flexibility in the 
review process to expedite approvals for reconstruction activities. If regulatory controls 
are lacking and there is hesitancy on the part of property owners to voluntarily 
incorporate sustainable development measures, the community may consider a building 
permit moratorium. In this case, no building permits are issued for a specified time (30 
to 60 days) to allow time to identify and implement changes to relevant ordinances. 
Moratoriums are often controversial and may not be politically feasible; however, they 
can be crafted to apply only to substantially damaged structures. Another word of 
caution: moratoriums must be clearly justified and have the support of key local 
officials. 

Public Education and Outreach 

Community outreach is an effective sustainable redevelopment measure in almost 
all disaster declarations. Regardless of whether homes and businesses are only partially 
damaged or a substantial reconstruction effort is necessary, public outreach is crucial to 
provide timely information to the community. The Sustainability Planner needs to 
enroll people to help get the message out. Many people within the DFO organization 
and working at DRCs throughout the declaration area play important roles in bringing 
information to disaster victims. Prepare appropriate materials, hold briefings or training 
at the DFO or DRC, and enroll interested volunteers. Local officials  especially the 
building permit administrator, zoning inspectors, and planners  should be strong 
advocates in any outreach program. 

4.2 Floods 
Most disaster declarations are flood related. Hundreds of floods occur each year, 
making it one of the most common hazards in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. 

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Floods kill an average of 150 people a year in the United States. Property and flood 
damage losses amount to approximately $4 billion annually. Flood losses today are often 
the result of inappropriate development within the floodplain, filled wetlands, and 
extensive impervious surfaces. Together, these factors affect the functions and capacity 
of the watershed and drastically increase the risk of flooding. 

Mitigation and Sustainability Approaches 

Planning 

 Where appropriate, consider recommending development of a stormwater 
management plan. Extensive shallow flooding may indicate that stormwater 
facilities and storm drains or drainage ditches are inadequate. 
 Be cautious in recommending that a community develop a comprehensive 
watershed management plan, which requires considerable time and effort, 
during the initial stages of recovery. This is a long-term initiative that has 
particular relevance when the watershed draining to the affected community is 
not too large and falls within a limited number of political jurisdictions. 
 Coordinate with NFIP experts at the DFO or at the regional level to determine 
if the available flood hazard data is adequate to guide redevelopment. It may be 
necessary to develop additional flood hazard data quickly. Because flood hazards 
may change over time, it is critical to ensure that hazard data is current. 
Extent of Damage/Type and Age of Affected Facilities and Structures 

 Elevate older, nonconforming structures above the base flood elevation (BFE). 
 For older residential areas, repetitive damages are an excellent clue that hazard 
mitigation and sustainable redevelopment measures should be considered in the 
reconstruction effort. 
 Encourage use of the ICC coverage provision under the NFIP. ICC coverage 
provides additional funding for the cost to comply with state or community 
floodplain management ordinance for structures have been declared 
substantially or repetitively damaged. 
Regulatory Controls 

 Use zoning regulations to keep future development away from flood hazard 
areas, encourage cluster development, and require underground utilities (where 
feasible). 
 Amend subdivision regulations to minimize residential encroachments into the 
floodplain. 
 Strengthen floodplain regulations and enforcement. The CRS provides 
recommendations for measures beyond the model NFIP flood ordinances 
minimum requirements that local jurisdictions can adopt. An effective 
additional measure would be to require at least 1 foot of freeboard above the 
BFE. 
 Consider adopting a stormwater management ordinance for future development 
to minimize the potential for repetitive flood damages. Many states do not 
mandate minimum stormwater management requirements for local 
jurisdictions. 
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Land Management and Construction Practices 

 Consider a full range of structural and nonstructural measures, such as 
elevation, wet or dry floodproofing techniques, and acquisition. Provide 
technical or financial assistance to property owners to implement hazard 
mitigation measures. 
 Move all valuables and appliances out of the basement. Place main breakers/fuse 
boxes and utility meters above the anticipated flood level, and secure hot water 
heaters to walls instead of floors, with steel straps; in new construction, locate 
these components on upper levels. Consider elevation for residential properties 
located in minimal flood zone areas. 
 Consider elevation as a means of protection against future damage. The 
building permit administrator must consider the necessary level of flood 
protection required based on the potential velocity, level, frequency, and 
duration of future floodwaters. 
 A home must be elevated or relocated out of the floodplain if it has received 
substantial damage (50 percent of preflood market value). 
 Institute a maintenance program for stormwater detention basins, culverts, and 
storm drains to minimize future flooding events. 
 Use structural mitigation measures such as levees, floodwalls, and shoreline 
protection techniques as appropriate to minimize future flood damages. 
 Purchase or relocate flood-prone properties and utilize the most vulnerable part 
of the floodplain as a greenway, park, wildlife habitat, or other use not so 
vulnerable to flood damages. 
Public Education and Outreach 

 Create a public awareness campaign on the many benefits of floodplain 
preservation and restoration. 
 Develop an outreach program to increase property owner participation in NFIP. 
Flood Case Study: Hazard Mitigation Planning in Massachusetts 
Watershed Initiatives in the Upper Mystic Basin 
A Unified Initiative 
Nine municipalities in the Upper Mystic Watershed Basin (UMWB), northwest of Boston, Massachusetts, are 
working together to address hazard mitigation planning. Following significant flood events in 1996 and 1998, both 
resulting in Federal disaster declarations, the UMWB communities formed an alliance based on their watershed 
boundaries and informed by their recognition that flood mitigation planning cannot succeed if implemented only at 
the local level. 
By joining the alliance, these communities are participating in a unique statewide watershed initiative. This 
program was designed to collect and share resources and information, target present and potential impacts to natural 
resources, assess impacts to natural resources, and develop and implement activities to protect and improve the 
Commonwealths natural resources. The communities have organized flood hazard mitigation planning on the basis 
of this principle. UMWB has implemented three hazard mitigation grant projects, a drainage improvement project in 
Arlington, the Wrights Pond Dam upgrade in Medford, and a culvert/ drainage project in Winchester. Earlier this year 
FEMA designated UMWB as a Project Impact community. This recognition provides funding and resources to 
continue flood mitigation planning. 
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Watershed Initiative/Environmental Joint Powers Agreement 

The fact that flood mitigation planning must transcend political boundaries has long been recognized. However, 
the Massachusetts watershed initiative and the legal and institutional mechanisms that support it are far from 
commonplace. Following an October 1996 flood event triggered by 2 days of precipitation combining to exceed the 
100-year event, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Department of 
Environmental Management hosted a workshop to facilitate development of a coordinated watershed approach to 
flood hazard mitigation. Since that workshop, the original communities  Arlington, Medford, Winchester, and 
Woburn  expanded their defined boundaries to include the communities of Burlington, Lexington, Reading, 
Stoneham, and Wilmington. 

The mechanism that allowed the UMWB communities to receive Federal funding as a distinct, geographically 
delineated unit defined by watershed boundaries (drainage area) was twofold: 

 The statewide watershed initiative, a program of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. 
 The statewide legislation that set up an Environmental Joint Powers Agreement (EJPA). 
The Watershed Initiative has continued to evolve since its inception in 1993. It originally was designed to address 
water quality within the state and particularly to reorganize the procedures for issuance of wastewater permits; 
however, use of the initiative to address water quantity issues through flood mitigation planning represents a unique 
application. The creation of the Upper Mystic River Watershed Agency through the adoption of an EJPA is the first 
application of enabling legislation adopted by a state legislature. 

The legislation is intended to facilitate intergovernmental action on natural resource and environmental issues, 
though the originally defined objective is more narrow. The EJPA allows the communities to work jointly and 
cooperatively to reduce or eliminate the devastating effects of flooding and other hazards in the Upper Mystic River 
Watershed. It authorized the creation of the Upper Mystic River Watershed Agency, which consists of one voting 
representative and one nonvoting alternate from each participating community. The agency is entitled to receive and 
expend public and private funds to defray the operational, administrative, and contractual costs of this agreement, 
including, but not limited to salaries, wages, transportation, and administrative overhead. 
Summary 

Massachusetts has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to the initiative from the outset. Twenty full-time 
state employees were reassigned to the UMWB team. Community councils bring together a diverse array of 
stakeholders to assess watershed needs and establish consensus on proposed solutions. Furthermore, the state has 
developed watershed teams whose members represent seven state agencies and four Federal agencies (EPA, NRCS, 
USFWS, USACE). 

Statewide environmental regulations, including the Rivers Protection Act, serve as the foundation for the 
watershed initiative. The EJPA enabling legislation empowers regional coalitions to pursue public and private funding 
to support those environmental objectives that are valuable within the boundaries established by their encompassing 
watershed. Massachusetts has taken great strides in only a few years to radically alter the governmental approach to 
addressing environmental challenges. 

4.3 Earthquakes 
Earthquakes are abrupt movement of the Earths crust caused by the sudden 
release of accumulated tension between or within tectonic plates, which then causes 
violent ground motion or trembling. Tectonic plates are rigid, 50- to 60-mile-thick 
sections of the Earths crust that can move either slowly and continuously or suddenly, 
with resultant collisions or separations. Most earthquakes occur in areas where large 
plates collide or slide against one another, but others occur along fault lines on the 

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interior of a plate. The variables that characterize earthquakes are ground motion, 
surface faulting, ground failure, and seismic activity. Magnitude refers to the seismic 
energy released during an earthquake, which is measured on the Richter Scale. 
Intensity is a subjective measure of the strength of the ground shaking; it is based on 
observed damage and varies according to proximity to the epicenter of an earthquake 
(the point on the earths surface directly above the location of the rupture). Intensity is 
measured by the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) Scale, which consists of 12 levels of 
intensity. 

Liquefaction is an earthquake phenomenon that occurs when ground shaking 
causes hydric or sandy soils to lose stability and behave as viscous fluids. This 
characteristic is one of the most damaging; it is prevalent in areas that were developed 
on filled wetlands or in hydric soils that have been drained to accommodate growth. 
The Sustainability Planner should consider alternative land use strategies in areas 
where liquefaction occurs and in other areas of severe seismic risk such as active fault 
lines. 

Damage from earthquakes includes settlement, impairment, or collapse of 
buildings, bridges, and dams. Underground infrastructure  such as tunnels, storm 
drains, water wells, water lines, sewer lines, gas lines, phone lines, and electric lines,  
is often damaged or destroyed. Transit systems, power, water, gas, telecommunications, 
and other basic services are disrupted. Deaths and injuries usually occur due to falling 
objects or the collapse of structures. 

Secondary earthquake hazards are common and result from a variety of sources. 
These hazards include landslides; fires from ruptured gas lines; flash or localized 
flooding from damaged water mains, broken dams, and seiches; tsunamis or tidal waves 
(from earthquakes originating at sea); and hazardous materials incidents that may 
release poisonous chemicals, radioactive materials, or biological waste. 

Mitigation and Sustainability Approaches 

Extent of Damage 

The first step for the community is to determine if damaged areas can be safely 
restored using earthquake-resistant building techniques and land development policies; 
if the area should assume a different development and land use pattern to address 
economic or social needs; or, perhaps, if the area should be redeveloped at all. 

By taking a broad view of geologic and topographic circumstances, communities 
can mitigate the factors that exacerbate the effects of earthquakes, such as liquefaction 
and attendant secondary hazards such as landslides and flooding. For example, 
communities might designate severe hazard risk areas  such as those with steep 
slopes, those that are highly susceptible to liquefaction, and those adjacent to active 
faults  and restrict future development. Sustainable development is further enhanced 
by proposing alternative land uses, such as open space designations, wetlands 
reclamation, or recreation. Outside of these areas of severe seismic risk, the adoption 
and enforcement of up-to-date building codes is critical to achieving a more sustainable 
future. 

Type and Age of Affected Facilities and Structures 

Following an earthquake disaster, communities should examine remaining older 
buildings, especially those that do not satisfy current code requirements or have not 

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been upgraded for earthquake resistance. Communities should be cognizant of the 
historical value of structures and neighborhoods, and the possible hazard effects on 
special populations such as the elderly or handicapped, they must recover with an eye 
to the future  the choices made today may greatly influence the extent of damages 
from a future seismic event. 

Land Management and Construction 

 Designate areas of high seismic hazard for open spaces, such as parks or 
greenways. This is especially relevant for developed areas that have sandy soils 
or have been built on infill and are more vulnerable to the effects of liquefaction 
or areas vulnerable to landslides. 
 Prohibit construction of critical facilities in areas of high seismic risk. 
 Create guidelines for evaluating proposed projects in seismic hazard areas to 
minimize damage from earthquakes and landslides. 
 Implement programs such as density bonuses, transfer of development rights, 
and tax credits to encourage land developers to practice earthquake mitigation 
and sustainability. 
 Develop programs and financial incentives for seismic upgrade of buildings. 
 Consider local development standards for installation and construction of utility 
services and roads. 
Regulatory Controls 

 Update building codes to include the most current National Earthquake 
Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) recommended provisions. 
 The Sustainability Planner and local building officials should become familiar 
with and encourage the use of FEMAs Yellow Book series of publications 
dealing with the seismic safety of both new construction and existing buildings. 
 Some key manuals in this series include: 
-Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for Potential Seismic Hazards: A 
Handbook (FEMA 154) and Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for 
Potential Seismic Hazards: Supporting Documentation (FEMA 155) 

The Handbook presents a method for quickly identifying buildings 
posing risk of death, injury, or severe curtailment in use following an 
earthquake. Building inspectors are the most likely group to implement a 
Rapid Screening Procedure (RSP), although this report is also intended 
for building officials, engineers, architects, building owners, emergency 
managers, and interested citizens. The Supporting Documentation 

reviews the literature and existing procedures for rapid visual screening. 

-Establishing Programs and Priorities for the Seismic Rehabilitation of 
Buildings: Handbook (FEMA 174) and Establishing Programs and 
Priorities for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings: Supporting Report 
(FEMA 173). 

These two volumes provide the information needed to develop a seismic 
rehabilitation program, with particular reference to establishing priorities. 
The Handbook is intended to assist local jurisdictions in making 
informed decisions on rehabilitating seismically hazardous existing 
buildings by providing nationally applicable guidelines. It discusses the 
pertinent issues that merit consideration, both technical and societal, and 
suggests a procedure whereby these issues can be resolved. The 
Supporting Report includes additional information and supporting 

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Earthquake Case Study: California Seismic Hazard Mapping 
Seismic hazards can cause huge economic and physical impacts and force communities into a cycle of repetitive 
rebuilding. When compared to other hazards, seismic events are generally more difficult to predict, and their potential 
impacts more difficult to quantify. However, technology is available to help communities make the right decisions in 
building and adapting land uses to make their environment more sustainable. 
As a result of the October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the California legislature passed the Seismic Hazards Act 
of 1990 to identify and map the states most prominent earthquake hazards. The State Department of Conservation 
established the seismic hazard zone mapping program to chart areas prone to liquefaction (failure of water-saturated 
soil) and earthquake-induced landslides throughout Californias principal urban and major growth areas. The 
mapping program was originally funded by the Earthquake Insurance Fund and a portion of construction building 
permit fees. However, it is now supported by FEMA hazard mitigation funds. 
To produce the maps, Department of Conservation scientists and GIS specialists examine the latest information on 
surface and subsurface geology, historic groundwater levels and damage, and geologic effects of recent earthquakes. 
State-of-the-art GIS technology is used to integrate the information into a three-dimensional view of the ground. 
Each map covers an area of approximately 60 square miles. 
Californias seismic hazard maps offer: 
nA standardized method of hazard assessment to evaluate hazard potential. 
nIntegration of the latest geotechnical data with state-of-the-art computer technology. 
nA large scale (1:24,000) to provide a detailed look at a broad area. 
The first maps produced by the program were issued in fall 1996. As of spring 2000, 43 maps of 107 cities and 
unincorporated areas in Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, and Ventura counties have been published. 
A seismic hazard zone map does not show areas that should be excluded from development. Instead, it shows areas 
where the potential for damage is great enough so as to make it prudent to conduct geologic investigations to identify 
and mitigate the hazard prior to development. Mapping seismic hazards promotes the incorporation of hazard 
mitigation elements into structural design. 
Potential seismic hazards are unique to each site, and 
the multiplicity of structural configurations makes it 
impossible to predict mitigation costs. However, in 
some cases, it may be possible to adequately mitigate 
liquefaction hazard  for example-by strengthening 
the foundation to withstand displacements of 1.5 feet, 
at a typical cost of $3,000 to $4,000. Engineers indicate 
that in many locations this simple measure could 
reduce the repair expenses of liquefaction damage 
from an average of $70,000 to about $15,000  a 
substantial savings. 
In the past, land use planners have often assumed 
that only lower density developments are suitable in 
geologic hazard areas. However, planners may find 
that the high cost of mitigating liquefaction hazards 
along streams, bays, canals, and coastal zones requires 
a higher density of development. In situations such as 
this, for example, the seismic hazard zone maps 
provide another sustainability tool to guide decision 
making with regard to retrofitting existing buildings, 
building new structures, or rebuilding after a disaster. 
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documentation, annotated bibliographies, and reproductions of selected 
laws and ordinances that are presented in summary form in the 
Handbook. 

Public Education and Outreach 

The Sustainability Planner should encourage homeowners and businesses to use 
nonstructural earthquake mitigation techniques, such as anchoring bookcases to walls, 
applying safety film to windows, and securing masonry chimneys to roof framing. 

Some examples of education and outreach messages in seismic hazard areas: take 
such basic safety steps as bolting or strapping cupboards and bookcases to the wall, and 
keep heavy objects on lower shelves. To prevent gas line fires, secure water heaters with 
straps to a nearby wall using bands of perforated steel (commonly known as plumbers 
tape. Install anchor bolts every 6 feet around the perimeter of a home to prevent costly 
damage. 

4.4 Coastal Storms 
The coastal zone is a highly dynamic and ecologically rich environment that 
continuously changes under the influence of natural forces. Historically, people 
migrated toward the coasts because of trade, transportation, and economic 
opportunities. Today, as people continue to move to coastal areas for aesthetic and 
recreational reasons, the density of development increases  along with the risk to lives 
and property from tsunamis, hurricanes, tropical storms, noreasters, and storm surge 
flooding. 

A tsunami (harbor wave) is triggered by underwater earthquakes or landslides 
that push a fast-moving series of waves across the open ocean at speeds that can reach 
450 miles per hour (mph). The waves are barely noticeable as they travel across deep 
water, but can build up to significant heights as they near land. Tsunami heights over 
100 feet have been recorded. They are most common along the Pacific Coast due to 
seismic activity around the Pacific rim, but they can occur in the Atlantic as well. A 
noreaster is a coastal low-pressure system occurring along the Atlantic seaboard during 
winter months that can produce heavy amounts of precipitation, inland snow and ice, 
high surf, and coastal erosion. Another storm of great concern to coastal communities is 
the hurricane because of its severity, frequency, and the tremendous area that can 
sustain damage. A hurricane is a cyclonic tropical storm with winds that reach or 
exceed a constant speed of 74 mph. These storms bring torrential rains, high winds, 
and storm surges to the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and the western 
Pacific islands. Hurricane season extends from June 1 through November 30; on 
average, five hurricanes strike the United States every 3 years. 

Mitigation and Sustainability Approaches 

Planning 

In developing mitigation and sustainability development plans, local governments 
gather and analyze information about the suitability of land for development. A plan 
that effectively incorporates sustainable development concepts guides future 
development by balancing environmental protection, societal needs, and economic 
growth. The key tenet for sustainability planning in coastal communities is to avoid 
intensive development in areas of high vulnerability to natural hazards. 

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Land Management and Construction 

 Infrastructure  Government policies may seek to locate
infrastructure such as roads and sewer lines so that
development is steered away from hazardous areas. The
CoBRA is a Federal program that employs this unique, free
market approach to resource protection and hazard
avoidance (see sidebar).
 Engineering  Seawalls, groins, jetties, and other
engineering solutions are used to control the effects of
erosion and wave action. However, these types of
construction have the potential to increase erosion
downshore of the structures, so their impacts must be
carefully evaluated before they are recommended.
 Hurricane straps  Metal fasteners or hurricane clips
attach the roof to the walls of a building to reinforce its
ability to sustain severe winds. When adequately sized and
property installed, the straps enhance the structural integrity
of a building by providing a continuous load transfer path
from roof to foundation. Building codes may determine the
use of hurricane straps and require that they meet both
material and installation standards.
 Shutters  Storm shutters are one of the most basic methods 
for high wind protection. They are placed over windows and 
other glass areas on the exterior of a building to protect 
against flying debris. They are made of plywood, corrugated 
metal, or polycarbonates. Building codes may determine the use of shutters and 
require that they meet both material and installation standards. 
Coastal Zone Management Act 
CZMA, passed in 1972, is also designed to 
protect coastal resources, but it applies to the 
entire coastal zone, defined as coastal waters 
(including land under the water) and adjacent 
shorelands (including water under or on the 
land). The coastal zone includes islands, 
transitional and intertidal areas, salt marshes, 
wetlands, and beaches. CZMA provides grants to 
be used in maintaining coastal zone areas. It 
requires that Federal agencies comply with the 
enforceable polices of state coastal zone 
management programs when conducting or 
supporting activities that affect a coastal zone. 
For the past 27 years, CZMA has provided 
coastal states and territories with incentives to 
properly plan and manage coastal resources 
through the development of coastal management 
plans. More than 99 percent of the nations 
shoreline is currently covered under CZMA. The 
program is administered by the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 
 Elevation  Elevated buildings allow floodwaters to flow underneath and also 
make the buildings less susceptible to storm surge during a hurricane. Elevating 
utilities, such as hot water heaters, normally located on the ground floor or 
basement of a home to above expected flood or storm surge levels can prevent 
costly replacement after a flood. Roads, bridges, utility infrastructure, and transit 
facilities can also be elevated above expected flood heights. 
 Relocation  Structures that have suffered repetitive losses are favored
candidates for FEMA relocation
programs to move residents and
buildings out of the hazard zone. The
remaining property is typically acquired
and maintained as open space.
 Other measures  Other damage
prevention measures available to
property owners in coastal areas include
wind-resistant windows, wind- and
hail-resistant shingles, and hurricane-
resistant doors.
Coastal Barrier Resources Act 
In an effort to protect valuable coastal natural resources, to 
minimize loss of life and property, and to control the costs of 
Federal disaster relief efforts, Congress passed CoBRA in 1982. This 
Act prohibits most types of Federal assistance for development on 
designated barrier islands. Congress recognized that coastal barriers 
are unique ecosystems possessing great ecological value and subject 
to severe hazards  which make these locations inappropriate for 
development and Federal investment. The Act designated various 
undeveloped barriers for inclusion in a Coastal Barrier Resources 
System (CBRS). These areas are ineligible for most federal 
financial assistance that might support additional development. 
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Regulatory Controls 

 Zoning codes  These codes are a form of land use regulations that set specific 
controls on where and how development can take place. In coastal areas, these 
often take the form of required set-back from high hazard and 
environmentally sensitive areas such as dunes, wetlands, or actively eroding 
shorelines. 
 Building codes  These codes set construction standards for withstanding the 
unusual forces exerted in a hazard event, such as high winds in a hurricane. 
Post-disaster assessments have proven that, in most cases, the use and 
enforcement of stricter building codes produce buildings that are more resistant 
to disasters. FEMA supports strong state and local building codes and can 
provide technical assistance to evaluate building codes and practices. FEMA also 
encourages the adoption and use of the new International Building Code (IBC), 
which incorporates multihazard disaster-resistant standards for construction. 
Public Education and Outreach 

 Evacuation strategy  In recent years, hurricane warning systems have 
provided adequate time for people on barrier islands and the immediate 
coastline region to move inland. Devising and using an evacuation plan for 
communities in areas at risk is a necessary and vital exercise to safeguard lives. 
Due to rapid population growth, however, it is becoming more difficult to 
evacuate people from coastal areas because road improvements have not kept 
pace with development. Evacuation plans must be updated as needed and 
consider the capacity of the transportation infrastructure to move people away 
from the coast. 
 Warnings  Warning systems seek to reduce losses prior to the onset of a hazard 
event. An example is a system that automatically rings home phones to sound 
the alarm when floodwaters begin to rise. 
 Mapping  Maps that clearly delineate hazard zones are critical tools not only 
for local planners but also for residents, contractors, and engineers. For example, 
maps can identify high-risk areas that are prone to flooding or vulnerable to 
storm surge during a hurricane. 
 Disclosure  In real estate transfers, a standard notice can be placed in the 
written contract to warn all parties that a property is subject to natural hazards. 
 Education  Many people do not realize or understand the threat presented by 
hurricanes and other severe storms. The problem is further compounded by the 
fact that 80 to 90 percent of the population now living in hurricane-prone areas 
has never experienced a major hurricane. Many of these people have been 
through weaker storms. The result is a false impression of a hurricanes damage 
potential, which often leads to complacency and delayed actions that can result 
in the loss of lives in a more serious storm. Campaigns to inform citizens about 
areas that face the greatest risks from hazards, how to prepare for storms, and 
how to respond in a disaster can save lives and property. 
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Hurricane Case Study: River Communities in Recovery 
Hurricane Floyd and Livability 
The aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 devastated the eastern third of North Carolina. As is typical 
for most hurricanes, it was not high winds or swelled seas that brought most of the damage, but flooding. Within just 
three of the states 17 watersheds, flooding resulted in 52 deaths, the loss of millions of livestock, and the loss of 17,000 
homes. Two-thirds of North Carolina counties were declared Federal disaster areas. An economic impact report 
prepared by FEMA and the EDA concluded that business and agricultural damage alone totaled $6 billion. 
Eastern North Carolina posed unique opportunities for creating a more livable environment in the aftermath of 
enormous destruction. Watersheds clearly defined the disaster area. Because of this geographic characteristic, hazard 
mitigation and livability planning had to focus on the entire watershed, not individual communities. This approach 
fostered consensus and collaboration among people with diverse interests. 
River Communities in Recovery 
Three months after the disaster, FEMA committed its support to the River Communities in Recovery project and 
began bringing together other agency representatives from Washington and the region. In addition to FEMA, the 
EDA immediately stepped forward as an equal partner in the project. 
The Governors advisor on long-term planning issues, an executive with the North Carolina Rural Development 
Center (the institution responsible for the recovery process), and a representative of the Conservation Fund with close 
ties to the foundation community formed the team that would outline local needs. FEMA, EDA, and USDA officials 
met with the team to plan the River Communities in Recovery project. 
Working with these state partners, FEMA established guiding principles for the project: 
1. Federal agencies should provide long-term support, in the form of funds and technical assistance, in addition 
to immediate disaster relief. The focus is on matching Federal programs with community needs. 
2. Federal agencies should be creative in finding ways to support local community needs. Community requests 
should not be rejected because they do not match Federal programs. 
3. River Communities in Recovery should build local capacity for both short- and long-term watershed planning. 
4. Federal support programs should focus on each river basin individually in accordance with jurisdictional 
boundaries to promote collaborative decision making. 
FEMA, working with North Carolina Emergency Management, developed a job description for a Recovery 
Manager. This individual is to be actively engaged in the redevelopment efforts for the county and surrounding areas, 
and direct the recovery work of rebuilding the communities In addition, he or she serves as a mentor to other 
communities in terms of technical assistance. 
Lessons Learned 
At this time, the River Communities in Recovery project is where it should be: in the hands of local and state 
officials who will return to the Federal government with a prioritized list of projects that require financial or technical 
support. 
There are many lessons to glean from the experience of launching River Communities in Recovery, including: 
nThe requirement for a broad community-based approach to include long-term recovery planning. 
nThe location of key Federal participants in the state or region, not in Washington, to facilitate the coordination 
of schedules and to improve long-term effectiveness. 
nThe need to build support for the initiative at all levels including Federal agencies, the state, and local leaders. 
This is especially important at the local level, where consensus must be built to establish and implement 
mitigation priorities and smart growth practices. 
nThe need to invite existing Project Impact communities to serve as mentors for other communities. 
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 Political subdivisions matter in disasters and sustainability if they get in the way of effective long-term 
sustainable redevelopment. Watersheds can break down these artificial boundaries, and Sustainability Planners 
should take a broad, inclusive approach to working with state and local officials both before and after disasters. 
(This same principle holds true for hazards other than flooding, e.g., consider forest ecosystem areas in wildfire 
mitigation planning and recovery.) 
Coastal Storms Case Study: Project Impact Success Stories 
Deerfield Beach, Florida, Wilmington, North Carolina, and Sanibel Island, Florida 
The damage caused by coastal storms such as hurricanes has increased dramatically over time. Because this trend 
is expected to continue, it is important for those in harms way to follow the lead of pioneering coastal communities 
that have already adopted risk reduction measures. 
Two of these communities  Deerfield Beach, Florida, and Wilmington, North Carolina  are active 
participants in FEMAs Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities. Project Impact is a nationwide 
initiative that challenges communities to take proactive steps to reduce future disaster damages. It focuses on taking 
action in anticipation of disasters rather than just responding to disasters. The third community  Sanibel Island, 
Florida  illustrates the benefits of sustainable land use planning. 
Deerfield Beach, Florida 
Deerfield Beach is located on the southeast coast of Florida, in Broward County, 16 miles north of Fort 
Lauderdale. It is home to approximately 50,000 year-round residents. As one of Floridas low-lying oceanfront 
communities, the Deerfield Beach area is always susceptible to hurricanes, tropical storms, and flooding. Within the 
last 75 years, it has been hit by at least seven major hurricanes, including a 1928 hurricane that killed more than 2,000 
people in the Lake Ockeechobee area. 
In August 1997, FEMA and the State of Florida selected Deerfield Beach as a pilot community for the Project 
Impact campaign. As a pilot community, Deerfield Beach received technical and financial support to encourage efforts 
to create a disaster-resistant community. FEMA gave the city a grant of $1,000,000, and the local government 
committed $125,000 as a match. 
Local and national businesses have pledged to join the city and FEMA in building a disaster-resistant community. 
The city organized a business alliance that invites businesses to meet monthly to discuss public/private partnerships in 
long-term mitigation strategies. Corporate partners including Home Depot, State Farm Insurance, Florida Power and 
Light, the Promous Hotel Corporation, and the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel are participating in the citys Project 
Impact initiative. In its Deerfield Beach store, for example, Home Depot created a display on disaster resistance and 
offers short courses for local homeowners on steps to protect against future storm damage. 
Specific accomplishments and projects include the following: 
nState Farm Insurance funded and designed the Good Neighbor House which was constructed to withstand a 
Category 5 hurricane with 156 mile-per-hour (MPH) winds. The model house demonstrates how commonsense 
building materials and techniques can protect a structure from hurricanes. Before Hurricane Floyd hit 
North Carolina in 1999, between 40 and 50 people toured the Good Neighbor House in Deerfield Beach every 
week. After Floyd, more than 100 people arrived on a single Saturday to view the 100-plus safety features. State 
Farm estimates that many hurricane-proofing measures, such as impact-resistant windows and properly nailed 
shingles, can be added to a house for an extra 5 percent of the total cost of the structure. The model house 
builds awareness in the community of materials and techniques that can be used to build stronger homes and 
demonstrates that hurricane-resistant construction is not as difficult or expensive as many believe. 
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 Marina One, a developer, broke ground in 1999 on the Marina One Yacht Club, which can house more than 
200 boats in a steel and concrete structure designed to withstand winds of up to 125 mph. The new facility is 
the first of its kind in the marine industry, offering 2,600,000 cubic feet of hurricane-resistant marine storage. 
 The Deerfield Beach Chamber of Commerce building was retrofitted with hurricane-resistant windows 
provided by Solutia, Inc., which became a Project Impact corporate partner in 1999. As part of Solutias 
partnership, the company made a commitment of $200,000 in materials and labor toward the retrofitting of 
commercial and residential structures in hurricane-prone communities nationwide. Solutia is providing its 
hurricane-resistant KeepSafe Maximum glass along with technical support. The special glass is an impact-
resistant laminated glass that meets the most stringent building code requirements, including those mandated 
by the State of Florida. It is formed by bonding two pieces of glass to a hardy polyvinyl butyrol (PVB) plastic 
interlayer, which is produced by Solutia. This product will not shatter and fall out upon impact. 
 Deerfield Beach is a partner with Broward County in the development of a Broward County Community 
Emergency Response Team (CERT). To date, 75 residents have completed the CERT Training Program. 
 Deerfield Beach is taking an active role in public outreach and education. Project Impact funds ($150,000) were 
used to put hurricane straps on the auditorium and cafeteria of the local high school, which also serves as a 
shelter during disasters. Wind shutters are to be installed on all the windows in the high school as well as those 
in the Deerfield Beach City Hall. 
 The City of Deerfield Beach, Broward County, and the State of Florida are each hosting a Preparedness 
Week in late spring just before the hurricane season begins. The three-week program includes technical 
conferences as well as public events designed to raise awareness of mitigation strategies. The Corporation for 
National Service is helping to organize a Spring Break  a week for volunteer participation in Project Impact 
activities. The community designated a full-time staff member as a hazard mitigation coordinator for Project 
Impact. 
 Construction in Deerfield Beach is already regulated by the states building codes which are among the most 
stringent in the country. Deerfield Beach is also in the process of developing a citywide storm drain system to 
provide protection from the damage associated with hurricane flooding. 
Deerfield Beach has outlined several major goals still to be accomplished as part of its Project Impact program. 
These include: 

-Retrofit of all public buildings and critical facilities against hurricane and flood hazards. 
-Development and implementation of a home retrofit program. 
-Identification of incentives for residents to pursue mitigation measures. 
-Improvement of the efficiency of building and land development regulatory systems. 
-Development of a comprehensive all-hazard education and outreach program. 
-Creation of a marketing strategy to showcase disaster resistance. 
This area boasts a history of strong building codes and engineering and enjoys the support of community 
residents and businesses in promoting sustainability. City, county, and state officials continue to create and implement 
effective mitigation strategies that will benefit the entire Deerfield Beach community. 

Wilmington, North Carolina 

Wilmington is located approximately 30 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, at the junction of the northeast and 
northwest branches of the Cape Fear River. It is the largest city in New Hanover County and home to approximately 
148,000 people. Many of its residents are retired. 

Wilmington is frequently hit by severe coastal storms. Hurricane Bertha, which struck in 1996, caused an 
estimated $17 million in damage to homes, businesses, and utilities in New Hanover County. Eight weeks later, 
Hurricane Fran, which also ravaged counties far inland with its destructive winds and rain, caused an estimated $240 
million in damage. 

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FEMA also selected Wilmington and New Hanover County as a pilot community for the Project Impact 
campaign. Partners in the Project Impact program include FEMA, the North Carolina Division of Emergency 
Management, New Hanover County Emergency Management, the City of Wilmington, and private-sector entities 
such as General Electric, Lowes Hardware, Barnes and Noble, and WGNI-FM Radio. 

The devastation from Hurricane Hugo in 1989 created a push in North Carolina for more stringent building 
codes. In 1996, the state promulgated and began enforcement of a new set of regulations that require stronger and 
safer construction. In 1997, Wilmington launched its Project Impact campaign to reduce the effects of natural disasters. 
The campaign included an ordinance that required propane tanks to be anchored to prevent them from floating free 
in floodwaters, beach stabilization, and dune renourishment to protect against storm surge. 

Among Wilmingtons accomplishments are the following: 

 Hurricane Bonnie hit Wilmington in 1998. Officials believe that efforts to make the community more disaster 
resistant demonstrated that Project Impact produces positive results. Although hurricane winds pounded beach 
communities for as long as 13 hours, homes elevated after Hurricane Fran in 1996 and rebuilt using hurricane 
straps survived Bonnie without major damage. The benefits of elevation were apparent at Wrightsville Beach, 
where 80 new or elevated homes escaped damage. Many older structures, in contrast, lay partially submerged 
under 2 feet of water. The public safety communications tower that went down during Hurricane Fran was 
retrofitted to be flood and wind resistant. The new tower easily switched to generator operations, and all 
systems stayed on line during Hurricane Bonnie. 
 Nearby Wrightsville Beach initiated an LP gas tank ordinance, requiring that all tanks be dropped and secured 
to eliminate potential floating problems. This preventive action eliminated possible explosions and fire damage 
when Hurricane Bonnie hit. 
 Lowes, a Project Impact partner, distributed hurricane season preparedness brochures in its 90 stores located in 
coastal states. It also developed in-store displays to educate customers about home damage prevention 
measures. 
 New Hanover County Emergency Management (NHCEM) supports training exercises and drills, participates 
in county disaster awareness programs, and staffs the emergency operations center. At its own expense, 
NHCEM installed an 800-MHz two-way radio communications network to mitigate against the breakdown of 
communication across jurisdictional and agency boundaries. 
 Wilmington also renovated its Sweeney water plant. The plant is now located out of the 100-year floodplain 
and is designed to withstand 120 mph winds. It also has two 1,250-KW diesel generators, which supply all of 
the power needed in the event of an emergency. 
The sustainability initiatives and community partnerships described above demonstrate Wilmingtons 
determination to bolster itself against future disasters. The promotion of safety measures, such as elevating homes, 
contributed to property owners increased interest in storm protection. Hurricane Fran was a bitter lesson for many 
residents of North Carolina. Wilmington took action by implementing damage reduction measures. It has realized the 
benefits of mitigation in the wake of Hurricane Bonnie. Other communities in the coastal region have expressed 
interest in the education programs of Project Impact. 

Sanibel Island, Florida 

The Town of Sanibel Island is a barrier island located in Lee County on the west coast of Florida. A causeway 
connects the island to the City of Fort Myers on the mainland. Sanibel Island, about 12 miles long and 3 miles wide, 
has a permanent population of 5,700 and a seasonal population of more than 20,000. 

Sanibel Island is a successful model for environmental concern and sustainability planning. Wildlife refuges and 
other natural areas, including the Darling National Wildlife Refuge, protect much of its landmass. The remainder of 
the island is subject to carefully controlled development. Stringent zoning codes and a comprehensive land use plan 
ensure that no high-rises, traffic lights, or multilane roads mar the islands natural beauty. 

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Concerned about uncontrolled development, island residents incorporated the island as a township in 1974. The 
town convened a panel of scientific and technical experts to explore the relationships of the islands resources to the 
larger ecosystem and to recommend specific controls. In 1976, the town devised and adopted its first plan and 
development regulations. 

A principal goal of the town was to conserve its natural resources. One of the major habitats targeted for 
protection was a large area of freshwater wetlands threatened by physical disruption and drainage. Protecting the 
wetlands would provide habitat for wildlife, aesthetic and recreational pleasure for people, and flood control for the 
community. The town used municipal land use ordinances and prevailed on state and Federal authorities to use the 
most restrictive environmental standards possible to prevent development of the wetlands. The community eventually 
purchased much of the wetlands area outright. Today, a large part of Sanibel remains free of development and in a 
pristine state. 

On the remainder of the islands land, the size and character of development are strictly controlled. Building 
height is limited to three stories, or 45 feet. All floors must be above base flood elevation (BFE). No more than three 
units can be built on 1 acre. To minimize the threat posed by storm surge and coastal flooding, the island imposed a 
minimum setback line for all development along the waterfront. The town has also encouraged the relocation of 
buildings threatened by the encroaching ocean. In several cases, residents have engaged in roll-back activities by 
having their houses lifted and moved farther from the water. 

In 1980, Sanibel instituted a cap on growth to maintain a more manageable set of infrastructure and service 
obligations, to prevent excessive demands on the natural environment, and to preserve the islands quality of life. 
Although caps on growth are typically difficult to implement and even more difficult to defend in court, Sanibel Island 
devised a unique and defensible solution. It hired land use consultants to calculate the number of people that could be 
safely evacuated from the island. Reasoning that it would be irresponsible to allow more inhabitants than could be 
moved safely in the event of a storm, this number became the basis for the growth cap. Sanibel recognized the threat 
posed by coastal storms, determined a safe carrying capacity, enforced a growth cap, and reduced its vulnerability to 
future disasters. 

As a result of these measures, Sanibel Island has avoided the mass of high-rise condominiums and commercial 
establishments that typified development in much of coastal Florida during the 1980s and 1990s. Instead, it is 
following a more sustainable path. It has set aside large natural areas for protection and guided development in a way 
that maintains the historic and natural character of the island environment and lessens the threat posed by coastal 
storms. 

4.5 Tornadoes 
A tornado is a rapidly rotating funnel of air extending from a thundercloud toward 
the ground. Most of the time, these funnels do not touch down, but when they do 
they can last for a few seconds to several minutes, and cause severe damages. Tornadoes 
usually are accompanied by heavy rain, hail, and lightning. The most violent tornadoes 
are capable of tremendous destruction, with wind speeds of 250 mph or more. Because 
the geographical scope of damage is usually narrow (i.e., less than 1 mile in width and 
several miles in sustained path length), a tornado is typically not a Federally declared 
disaster. Tornadoes can occur in any state, but are more frequent in the Midwest, 
Southeast, and Southwest. Tornado season ordinarily runs from March through 
August; however, tornadoes can strike at any time of the year. 

The impact of a tornado varies with its strength, the duration of touchdown, and 
the physical integrity of the buildings or other structures in its path. Tornadoes can 

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uproot trees and damage structures even at wind speeds of 100 mph. Much of the 
damage results from high-velocity flying debris. Inadequately built structures, 
manufactured homes, and mobile homes are the most vulnerable to substantial damage 
from tornadoes. The intensity of tornadoes is measured by the Fujita Scale, from less 
severe (F1) to the most severe (F5). 

Mitigation and Sustainability Approaches 

Extent of Damage 

In many cases, the tornado path is narrow enough that restoration of the damaged 
areas to predisaster conditions is the most appropriate planning strategy to preserve 
coherent land use patterns. In other situations, tornadoes have been known to destroy 
considerable portions of communities, resulting in significant opportunities for 
sustainable redevelopment (see Arkadelphia Case Study). 

Type and Age of Affected Facilities and Structures 

 In cases where predisaster conditions will be restored, there is significant room 
for improvement by recommending the use of more effective wind-resistant and 
energy-efficient building materials. 
 In recovery situations where extensive damage occurs in older residential 
neighborhoods, the Sustainability Planner should consult with local officials to 
determine community interest in evaluating alternative reconstruction 
strategies. Current housing needs should be evaluated to guide reconstruction 
efforts. The zoning code should be reviewed to determine if a greater diversity 
of housing types is possible. 
Land Management and Construction 

There are a variety of techniques that can help reduce losses from tornadoes: 

 Using inexpensive metal connectors or strapping to strengthen the connection 
between the roof and walls, and walls to foundation, to reduce the uplift effect 
of strong winds. 
 Reinforcing or replacing garage and double entry doors. 
 Removing trees and yard materials that, in a storm, could become windborne 
missiles. 
Regulatory Controls 

The Sustainability Planner should check current building codes to see if they 
require commonly accepted wind-resistant building techniques, such as: 

 Anchoring of walls to foundations and roofs to walls. 
 Reinforced walls, floors, and ceilings. 
 Tornado safe rooms in new construction and the retrofitting of existing 
structures to provide the most complete protection from extreme wind events. 
 Community tornado shelters for mobile home communities. 
The exact location where a tornado touches down is one of natures most random 
events, and the probability of future occurrences in the same area is difficult to 
estimate. Recommending regulatory controls as a sustainability initiative should be 
considered only in those portions of the country with the highest potential risk. 
However, as Xenia, Ohio illustrates, tornadoes can strike the same place more than 

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once. Xenia, struck by an F4 tornado on September 20, 2000, has suffered four major 
tornadoes in the last 80 years, including an F5 storm in 1974. 

Public Education and Outreach 

 Safe rooms and other wind-resistant construction techniques should be 
promoted through community meetings, workshops, and exhibits at local 
businesses. Consult FEMAs Mitigation Outreach Branch for assistance. 
 Special efforts should be made to inform mobile home residents about the 
effects of tornadoes and the location of safe shelters. 
Tornado Case Study: Arkadelphia Recovery Plan, City of Arkadelphia, Arkansas 
At approximately 2:45 pm on March 1, 1997, a tornado touched down just southwest of the City of Arkadelphia, 
Arkansas. It caused extensive damage to residential areas and the downtown business district. The National Weather 
Service classified the tornado as an F3 to F4 storm event on the Fujita Scale. The funnel was just one of a series of 
tornadoes that resulted in significant damages along a 260-mile corridor through the central portion of the state. 
Preliminary estimates indicated that at least 256 single-family homes, mobile homes, or multifamily units sustained 
major damage and 117 were destroyed; 46 businesses and 16 public buildings were damaged or destroyed. 
The City requested FEMAs assistance in evaluating reconstruction strategies and preparing a Disaster Recovery 
Plan. Through HMTAP, FEMA provided direct technical assistance to the City. The project planning team included 
planners with national experience in disaster response and recovery, together with local experts in planning, urban 
design, and economic development. 
Within days of the tornado, Arkadelphia established a recovery task force, and committees for housing, 
transportation, unmet needs, and media coordination were quickly formed. A smaller subcommittee of the recovery 
task force, limited to 8 to 10 members, was established to work closely with the project planning team. 
Within 2 weeks of the disaster, the project team conducted what is known in the architectural and urban design 
profession as a charrette  an intensive urban design and land use planning exercise. During the day, project team 
members developed base maps, obtained background information, and developed alternatives for the recovery effort. 
Committee meetings were held in the late afternoon to develop goals and objectives. 
A draft recovery plan was prepared within 1 month, and it was presented to the broader community at several 
public meetings. The final recovery plan was completed within 2 months of the tornado and was formally adopted by 
the City Council. The reconstruction master plan included an assessment of disaster damages, presented 
reconstruction design principles for housing and for the downtown business district, recommended changes to the 
zoning ordinance and building code, and included economic analysis and summary recommendations for immediate, 
short-, and long-term recovery. 
The recovery plan included the following sustainable redevelopment elements: 
nAdoption of the latest version of the Southern Standard Building Code and bringing all other applicable 
construction and fire safety codes up to date. 
nNew urbanism principles, emphasizing mixed-use development downtown to include housing and to foster 
new economic growth and revitalize residential neighborhoods. 
nRecommendation of changes in zoning ordinances to allow a greater diversity of housing types and to maintain 
the historic character of the downtown business district. This was accomplished, in part, by a disaster overlay 
district and by urban design guidelines. 
nIncorporation of energy efficient materials promoted by DOE into the reconstruction of substantially damaged 
homes. 
nImplementation of an innovative equity buy-down program promoted by HUD to finance single-family home 
construction. 
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4.6 Wildfires
Several lessons learned during this long-term recovery planning 

effort are worthy of note: Wildfires can be devastating in terms 

 There should be a clear understanding of what a FEMA-of geographic scope. Contributingfunded recovery planning effort can accomplish considering conditions such as climate, fuel, and rural 
time and resource limitations. In Arkadelphia, some key local development in remote mountainous orofficials expected a detailed block-by-block master plan. forested areas make some states more 
FEMA provided a broad framework for recovery planning. vulnerable than others at different times. 
Detailed program and engineering design were to follow. The key issue for the Sustainability 
 The recovery planning process provided an effective Planner is the urban-wildfire interface  a 
mechanism for bringing in other Federal agencies to boundary zone between developed areasparticipate in long-term recovery. The HUD representative and surrounding forests or chaparral. Landfor Arkansas participated in the charrette and worked closely management and regulatory programs towith the community to target HUD resources to community minimize future disaster damages shouldneeds. Following the initial recovery planning effort, HUD 
focus on the urban-wildfire interface. As 
used Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds the Wildfire Case Study illustrates, public

to support development of a comprehensive 1-year master education and outreach programs are an

plan. effective mitigation measure for residents 

 National experts on disaster recovery must work hand-in-in high fire hazard areas.
hand with local planning and urban design specialists. Damages include disruptions to 
 A construction moratorium can be effective in providing the electric, water, sewer, and 
necessary time to develop a reconstruction strategy. The telecommunications utilities; destruction 
recovery planning team worked closely with the local or damage to valuable environmental,
government to enact a 30-day moratorium, which was economic, and historical resources; 
carefully crafted to permit necessary repairs and applied only roadway blockage; disruption ofto substantially damaged structures. community services; devastation of 
agricultural/fishery economies; and human 

loss and suffering. Additionally, water 

absorption and retention are significantly reduced when the majority of plant cover is 

removed by fire, thus creating the potential for future floods or landslides. 

Mitigation and Sustainability Approaches 

Land Management and Construction 

 Create a fuel management program to reduce available fuel, establish fire-
resistant vegetation, and construct fuel breaks and firebreaks in the urban-
wildfire interface. 
 Use nonflammable building materials (especially roofing)  tile, stucco, metal 
siding, brick, concrete block, and rock  and plant fire-resistant shrubs and 
trees. 
 Create 30- to 100-foot safety zones around homes by raking leaves, dead limbs, 
and twigs. 
Regulatory Controls 

In selected geographic areas of the country and in special ecosystems such as pine 

barrens or chaparral along the southern California coast, communities may consider 

zoning regulations to reduce residential densities in high hazard areas, encourage 

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cluster development, and delineate urban-wildfire interface zones. Urban growth 
boundaries tied to the concept of urban-wildfire interface designations is a planning 
approach that may merit consideration by the Sustainability Planner. 

Public Education and Outreach 

Public outreach programs are probably the most effective sustainability initiative in 
most fire disaster declarations. The Sustainability Planner should consider developing 
educational materials to encourage residents to: 

 Store gasoline, oily rags, and other flammable material in approved safety cans 
away from the base of buildings; dispose of newspapers and rubbish at approved 
sites; and prune tree branches and remove vines from walls. 
 Stack firewood at least 100 feet away and uphill from homes; place stove, 
fireplace, and grill ashes in a metal bucket, soak in water for 2 days, and then 
bury in mineral soil. 
 Regularly clean roof and gutters, inspect chimneys, and equip chimneys and 
stovepipes with spark arresters. 
 Identify and maintain an adequate outside water source such as a small pond or 
swimming pool; have a garden hose long enough to reach any area of the home 
and other structures on the property. 
Wildfire Case Study: Measures of Mitigation Success  New Mexico 
The Cerro Grande fire began in the late evening on Thursday, May 4, 2000, when a prescribed burn to reduce 
fuel loads ignited. Sporadic wind changes caused spotting over the fireline. By early afternoon on the following day, 
the prescribed burn was declared a wildfire. The fire spread rapidly over the next few days through the Ponderosa 
pine, mixed-conifer, and aspen forest on public, private, and Pueblo lands. By May 10, the wildfire  carried by very 
high winds  reached the community of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Approximately 18,000 people were evacuated 
from the towns of Los Alamos and White Rock. The fire continued to spread to the communities of San Ildefonso and 
Santa Clara Pueblo, encompassing a total area of approximately 42,900 acres. A total of 235 residences and an 
assortment of other structures were damaged or destroyed. 
The Miracle House 
Although wind-swept 
flames quickly engulfed many 
residences and structures, a 
3,300-square-foot wood frame 
house in Los Alamos, owned 
by Thomas and Myrna 
McDonald, escaped with only 
a moderately singed west side. 
Their home now has a 
name the Miracle 
House which it well 
deserves. 
There are 25 homes on 
the north side of Ridgeway 
Drive. The fire approached 
Myrna McDonald holds open the severely singed 
solid core door that prevented flames from 
entering the interior. 
The damages sustained by the McDonald 
residence in Los Alamos, NM were limited to 
the west end of the home. 
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from the west and quickly spread eastward, destroying all but three 
homes before it was contained by firefighters. One of the three that 
escaped the blaze was the McDonald residence. The street itself 
acted as a firebreak that saved homes on the south side from the 
flames. 

The McDonalds began practicing a mitigation program of 
proactive grounds maintenance when the house was built 25 years 
ago. They work steadily to keep their property free of ground fuel, 
underbrush, and low tree limbs. I rake up and cart off the pine 
needles that fall from the trees on a regular basis, said Myrna. The 
last time I did so, which was a week before the fire on the front side

Part of the ongoing maintenance at the McDonald 
residence included the regular removal of pine needles and 2 days before in the back and side yards, proved to be the most 
and other ground debris from around the house. important thing we did that saved our home. They also pay close 
attention to the trees themselves, and regularly prune off branches 
that could make contact with the house and provide a fire with a 
bridge to the structure. 
When designing their home, the McDonalds included several 
items that helped save it from major damage during the fire. They 
installed double-paned windows and solid core doors. The flames 
that destroyed the home to our west were extremely fierce. They 
melted its chimney lining, which fire fighters say need to exceed 
2,500 degrees. Flames shattered the outer layer of glass in our 
windows, but did not break the inner layer. Our home did not suffer 
any major smoke damage because of this. Also, the small side porch 
was burned, our west wall singed, and our entry door was severely 
scorchedbut the flames did not get through it. Had this door not 
been solid wood, I feel that our house would also be listed among The McDonald home had only minor exterior 
those that were lost to the fire. damage. Homes on both sides were completely 
destroyed by flames.

Thomas and Myrna McDonald credit the Los Alamos Fire 
Department for their homes survival. We evacuated the afternoon 
of the (May) 10th, and the fire struck our street around 3 a.m. on 
the 11th. When the fire department arrived and saw our home still 
standing while those on both sides were already going up in flames, 
they took immediate action to save it. They sprayed the sides and 
roof with (fire retarding) foam, which prevented major damage to 
and possibly even the loss of our home. 

Positive action by the McDonalds paid off. Because of choosing 
appropriate building materials, and instituting a conscientious 
program of regular upkeep and maintenance, they did not become 
victims of the Cerro Grande fire. The damage to their home was 
limited to a burned porch, a singed wall, and a scorched door that 
can be repaired or replaced. The home itself a place filled with 
memories still stands. 

The McDonalds credit the use of double-paned 
windows as one of the construction barriers that 
prevented the fire from entering their home. The 
outer layer absorbed the fires force and shattered. 

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A mitigation plan Residential Mitigation Planning 
and measures 

undertaken by Transforming a 3-acre wooded lot from a 
Harold and Joyce rambling array of overgrown undergrowth and 
Cady helped save saplings into a fire-mitigated wooded area helped 

their home from 

save Howard and Joyce Cadys home during the

destruction by the 
Cerro Grande. devastating Cerro Grande fire. This wildfire 
destroyed more than 200 homes in Los Alamos 
on May 11 and 12, 2000. A long-term mitigation 
plan, begun in the spring of 1998 when they 
purchased the home on 47th Street, involved a lot 
of work  and very little money. 
When we bought this 55-year-old wood 
frame house 2 years ago, we knew it would be 
susceptible to destruction by fire, said Howard, 
so I contacted the United States Forest Service 
(USFS) district office in Santa Fe for a professional assessment. A ranger came out, inspected our land and made 
several valuable recommendations. The first was to remove the tangled vines and brush that grew thickly throughout 
the acreage. Working five to six hours daily, he made progress cleaning up the area. Soon, Harold had a fire 
mitigation zone that was free of ground fuel. 
Total cost: a chain saw, hand tools, and 

An 8-foot-wide 
dedication. firebreak prevented the 
Once the undergrowth was removed, flames from getting to 

Harold set about on the next task: cutting the Cady home. Note 

saplings, thinning out medium-sized trees to the fire-ravaged trees 

to the left of the break 

remove the ladder system leading to the and the healthy, 
crowns of mature trees, and pruning all untouched vegetation 
branches to a point about 10 feet off the to the right. 
ground. The ranger marked the trees that 
were most likely to fuel a fire in the tops of the 
large trees. An added benefit of all this thinning 
and pruning was an ever-expanding woodpile, 
stacked and ready to provide us with fuel for the coming winters. A 
regular work schedule brought about the intended results. 

A third area of consideration was access to the rear of the 
property. With the help of the USFS, Harold mapped out fire roads 
that encircled all sides of his home.  First, we removed all plant 
growth and then kept these areas cleared year-round, Harold said. 
This created a series of natural fire breaks, about 8 feet wide, that 
helped to separate our home from potential fire hazards. 

Their efforts proved valuable when a section of the Cerro 
Grande fire swept down a hillside into Los Alamos and destroyed 
homes beginning at 47th Street and continuing down Ridgeway 
Drive. When the Los Alamos Fire Department and the Forest Harold Cady points out one of the many areas on his 
Service arrived, a number of homes in the subdivision were already property where clearing out the undergrowth and 

continual maintenance helped protect his home from 
the Cerra Grande fire. 

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engulfed in flames.
Although the fire
burned many trees
that surrounded the
Cady home, the
house itself was
spared.

The firefighters
knew where our

A hunting camp in the mountains above Ruidoso 

survived the Cree fire, though several nearby 
retreats and year-round homes were destroyed. 

roads were, so they 

were able to enter the 

Mitigation measures taken by the owner, the

woods surrounding 

Ruidoso Fire Department Chief, proved 

our house and control 

successful. He had cut a wide firebreak between 

the forest and his cabin, and removed the 
underbrush and lower branches on the trees. The 

the burn. They 

foamed the house 

fire came within 15 feet of the sructure, but was

with fire retardant 

effectively halted in its path by the lack of ground 

chemicals and kept 

and ladder fuel. 

the flames from
jumping our
firebreak. When we
thanked the crews for
saving our home,
they told us that what
we had donethe cleaning, the thinning, the pruning, the fire breakhad made our house defensible.

A look at the Cady property reveals several mitigation measures. Although the woods surrounding the home
suffered burn damage, the Cady home was made defensible by creating a firebreak, removing undergrowth and
vines, cutting down small and moderate-sized trees, and pruning limbs to about 10 feet off the ground. The woodpile
was located about 30 feet from the house.

4.7 Landslides 
Landslides occur when masses of rock, earth, or debris move down a slope. They 
are influenced by human activities or natural factors, such as geology, precipitation, and 
topography. Landslides occur all over the United States, but are most common in 
California, Colorado, and the Appalachian Mountains. They may account for a few 
cubic yards or extend hundreds of feet and include entire hillsides. A debris flow is a 
type of landslide where rapidly moving slurry masses consisting of soil, rock, water, and 
vegetation take on the consistency of mud and reach high velocities as they flow 
downhill. Debris flows are usually induced by rainfall and tend to recur in the same 
drainage areas. Landslides can be triggered by heavy rains, floods, earthquakes, and 
volcanic activity. 

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Mitigation and Sustainability Approaches 

Land Management and Construction 

Land use planners should consider the history of past landslides; bedrock type; 
slope; the presence of sandy soils; and hydrologic factors, such as high water tables and 
frequent freezing and thawing cycles. Some specific mitigation measures are: 

 Install catchment basins to control runoff in landslide hazard areas. 
 Plant ground cover and install riprap to hold soil in place on hillsides or slopes. 
 Build retaining walls along essential evacuation routes. 
Regulatory Controls 

In areas highly susceptible to landslides, the following regulatory controls should 
be considered: 

 Adopt a grading ordinance that requires geotechnical investigations in 
designated high hazard areas to analyze slope stability, provide surface/ 
subsurface drainage specifications, and develop detailed design for fill placement 
and excavation. 
 Use zoning to control maximum density, minimum lot size, road width, and 
setbacks in areas of high or severe landslide risk. 
 Adopt soil conservation, slope stabilization, open space dedication, or steep 
slope ordinances. 
Public Education and Outreach 

 Provide information to homeowners on the benefits of installing flexible 
pipefitting to avoid gas or water leaks, and improving drainage around 
structures and property. 
 Post community warning signs of potential landslide hazards. 
 Map areas susceptible to landslides and post these maps on a community 
website and in the local planning or building permit office. 
 Advocate early disclosure of hazard in real estate transfers. 
Landslide Case Study: Multihazard Risk Assessment for Rural Municipalities 
Puerto Rico 
Puerto Rico has been struck by five natural disasters since 1989. The extent of damages to homes, businesses, and 
public infrastructure, and the corresponding disruption to the local economy, are strong arguments for a new 
approach to land development. FEMA Region II used HMTAP resources to assist seven rural municipalities 
devastated by Hurricane Georges in 1998. 
This local planning effort involved developing a multihazard risk assessment for each community and holding a 
series of public meetings to identify and prioritize recommendations to create disaster-resistant communities. Existing 
GIS data on topography, floodplains, geology, and soils provided the foundation for the natural hazards analysis. The 
risk assessment involved mapping physical and land use data, and then evaluating opportunities and constraints for 
both reconstruction and future development. In addition to landslide hazards, flood, high wind, and earthquake 
hazards were analyzed. The risk assessment was then linked to a land suitability analysis to identify future growth 
areas, areas where new development should be discouraged, and areas where specific engineering design or Best 
Management Practices (BMPs) should be implemented. Several communities have already required that the findings 
of the multihazard risk assessment be incorporated into their comprehensive plans. 
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Local government representatives, planning commissions, and interested residents participated in three rounds of 
community meetings. The first meeting focused on public concerns; the second, on the multihazard risk assessment 
methodology and prioritization of planning recommendations; and the third, on those measures the community can 
readily adopt to institutionalize hazard mitigation at the local level. 

Landslides can vary in size from a few cubic yards of soil to entire hillsides hundreds of feet long. Puerto Ricos 
steep topography  combined with shallow, fine-grained soils over bedrock  increases its susceptibility to 
landslides. Many of the landslides during Hurricane Georges occurred along road cuts or fills. An island-wide 
landslide susceptibility map prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) delineates much of the central volcanic 
portion of the island as being prone to landslides. 

As stated in FEMAs Building Performance Assessment Report (BPAT), prepared in the aftermath of Hurricane 
Georges, Landslides will become a greater problem in the future as more developments and houses are constructed in 
regions prone to such risks. To address this concern, project team geologists and geotechnical engineers conducted 
fieldwork and reviewed past technical studies to develop a landslide susceptibility methodology for use in the 
multihazard risk assessment. 

This susceptibility analysis focuses on the risk of landslides caused by cutting and filling on natural slopes. Slope 
and bedrock geology are the two major determinants of susceptibility to landslides. A slope map derived from Digital 
Elevation Model (DEM) data combined broad slope classes with data on geologic formations to identify areas prone to 
erosion. 

The following landslide mitigation recommendations were included in the final reports for the seven rural 
municipalities: 

 Avoid intensive development in areas of historical landslide deposits. 
 Discourage development in areas with natural slopes steeper than 50 percent. Consider limiting the number of 
times that property can be subdivided or limiting the density of development. Do not allow the construction of 
private roads in areas with slopes greater than 50 percent. 
 Encourage future development where natural slopes are flatter than 35 percent; stable cut-and-fill slopes can be 
economically constructed in such areas, and the risk of slope failure is low. 
 To limit contact with debris flows, avoid development within and directly below steep-sided drainages that 
extend up hillsides. 
 Design all major cut-and-fill slopes in accordance with standard engineering practice. Consider adopting a 
hillside grading ordinance that requires a geological risk assessment report, a geotechnical engineering report, 
compaction specifications, suitable fill material, surface and subsurface drainage, maximum default cut-and-fill 
slope inclinations, and procedures for inspection and enforcement. 
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5 
Section 5 

Eighteen Tools and 
Programs for Sustainability 

The Sustainability Planner has many resources for implementing sustainability 
initiatives. This section summarizes 18 particularly relevant and significant tools and 
programs. Many of these are independent of a disaster declaration, such as ongoing 
planning, hazard resistant building design, and identification of projects to reduce the 
effects of future disasters. Several of the tools apply to activities that occur immediately 
after a disaster, such as evaluation of impacts (to the built environment and the 
economy) and recommendations for recovery. Each of the tools and programs provides 
an opportunity for implementing sustainability as part of the disaster recovery effort, 
and should be used by the Sustainability Planner to help guide communities toward a 
sustainable future. 

Index of Tools and Programs 

1. Planning for a Sustainable Future: The Link Between Hazard Mitigation 
and Livability (FEMA 364) 
2. Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction (FEMA/APA PAS 
# 483/484) 
3. Toward a Sustainable Community (Roseland 1997) 
4. Mitigation Planning How-To Guides 
5. Project Impact Toolkit 
6. Building Performance Assessment Team (BPAT) 
7. Hazards United States (HAZUS) 
8. Community Rating System (CRS) 
9. Economic Impact Assessments 
10. Coastal Construction Manual 
11. Sustainable Re-development PowerPoint Presentation 
12. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Desk Reference 
13. Unified National Program for Floodplain Management 
14. Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains  Report to Congress 
15. Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA) 
16. Capability Assessment for Readiness 
17. HAZMAT Response/Capability Assessment Program 
18. Community and Family Preparedness Program 
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Tool #1 Planning for a Sustainable Future: The Link 
between Hazard Mitigation and Livability 

This document is available from FEMAs distribution center at (800) 480-2520. 
The booklet, Planning for a Sustainable Future: The Link Between Hazard 
Mitigation and Livability, (FEMA 364) was developed by FEMA to show how 
communities can use hazard mitigation planning and disaster recovery planning to 
implement sustainable development at the local level. It demonstrates methods for 
incorporating hazard mitigation planning into the broader goals of enhancing a 
communitys environment, economy, and social wellbeing through policies that 
encourage sustainable development. This document is a key tool for introducing the 
concept of sustainability to the public, local officials, FEMA managers, and other state 
and Federal officials. 

Planning for a Sustainable Future is a how to guide that outlines the ingredients 
of effective hazard mitigation planning and the steps necessary to create a successful 
mitigation plan. This planning activity allows the community to determine how best to 
mitigate specific threats and incorporate sustainable redevelopment concepts into the 
recovery effort. Included within the development of hazard mitigation plans are 
strategies for improving infrastructure, decreasing sprawl, and taking advantage of infill 
and redevelopment opportunities. This booklet also describes the key steps for 
developing a successful mitigation plan, which include public participation, agency 
coordination, hazard assessment, problem solving, and goal setting. 

Case studies highlight various types of hazard resistance measures for floods, 
hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes, and provide successful examples of sustainable 
redevelopment initiatives at the local level. The significance and functions of the Robert 

T. Stafford Act, NFIP, NEHRP, and National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) are 
discussed in relation to disaster recovery and hazard mitigation. 
Tool #2 Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and 
Reconstruction 

Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction is the result of a 
collaborative partnership between FEMA and the APA. It is a Planning Advisory 
Service (PAS) Report that is a state-of-the-art text on the importance of creating a 
community post-disaster recovery plan. This report is an invaluable guide to advance 
planning to increase disaster resistance and improve the disaster recovery process before 
a disaster strikes. It provides local planners and officials with an understanding of 
disaster recovery and identifies key players in the post-disaster scenario. The reports 
theme is that an effective disaster recovery plan mitigates future disasters and that 
planners have a key role in linking disaster resilience to the full range of local planning 
issues. 

This report also illustrates how the Sustainability Planner can motivate local 
officials and the community toward sustainable redevelopment. Natural disasters and 
hazards are taken out of the abstract, and planners are given concrete tools to help them 
recognize opportunities to implement hazard mitigation measures through concerted 
planning. Although the report focuses on creating a disaster recovery plan that 

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integrates hazard mitigation and sustainability concepts prior to a natural hazard event, 
much of the information can be used in an emergency fashion  in circumstances 
where no post-disaster plan is in place when a disaster strikes. 

Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction provides a step-by-step 
chronology for creating and implementing a post-disaster recovery plan. With the 
objective of familiarizing local officials and planners with the process of disaster-
recovery prior to the occurrence of an event, this report describes relevant local, state, 
and Federal entities and their responsibilities. The report presents case studies of how 
three communities successfully created and implemented post-disaster recovery plans. 

The planners toolkit chapter describes a full range of hazard mitigation and 
disaster-recovery planning tools. It is divided into two sections  emergency measures 
and long-term measures. Emergency measures are usually under the direction of other 
departments or agencies, such as local building departments or public works offices; 
however, the Sustainability Planner should actively coordinate with these offices. Long-
term measures can be used to reduce the communitys susceptibility to losses in the 
event of future natural disasters. These measures include planning, zoning, 
subdivision, financial, and management tools  which can be incorporated into existing 
plans or into recovery plans. 

Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction includes a model recovery 
and reconstruction ordinance that provides the fundamental steps for developing a 
comprehensive post-disaster plan. It is flexible and generic so that it can easily be 
modified to suit the needs of a specific community. The ordinance establishes a 
recovery organization and authorizes a variety of predisaster and post-disaster planning 
and regulatory powers for disaster recovery and reconstruction. 

The model is designed to be most effective when implemented prior to a disaster 
event, though it has also been used following a natural disaster. The Sustainability 
Planner may recommend to an affected community that it adopt a recovery and 
reconstruction ordinance if local response and recovery efforts seem to lack cohesion 
and guidance from local authorities. 

The core concepts of the ordinance are: 

 To identify or establish a recovery organization prior to a disaster. 
 To delineate departmental or agency roles and responsibilities in disaster 
recovery. 
 To ensure the creation and adoption of a recovery plan that effectively addresses 
the communitys needs for disaster-resistant reconstruction, while also 
addressing public safety, sensitive natural resources, and environmental 
concerns. 
This report also includes five detailed case studies  on a flood, tornado, hurricane, 
wildfire, and earthquake. Links to technical agencies are provided throughout the text. 

Tool #3 Toward a Sustainable Community 

The 1998 text, Toward a Sustainable Community: Resources for Citizens and 
Their Governments, by Mark Roseland, provides an excellent starting point for local 
planners and officials who are just being introduced to the concepts of sustainable 
development. Roseland explains the implications of sustainability for existing 

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communities and contributing elements, such as transportation, infrastructure, and 
energy. He also discusses strategies for involving the public in implementing 
sustainability initiatives and suggests several approaches to assist area planners in 
achieving their goals. The appendix includes information on Federal, state and 
nonprofit agencies that can provide technical assistance to local planners interested in 
sustainable initiatives. 

Roseland views communities as their own ecosystem, in which natural resources, 
human activity, and the economy are all key components. In planning for their future, 
communities must reconsider the way they use their natural capital. By definition, a 
truly sustainable community meets its current needs, while also protecting resources for 
future generations. Sustainability involves the interwoven elements of resource 
conservation, environmental protection, economic revitalization, and community 
dialog. The results are a community that protects its natural and social resources  a 
community with little pollution and waste, recycled and reusable energy sources, 
minimal exhausted space and urban sprawl, plentiful green areas, a strong economy, 
and heightened efficiency. Roseland explores governing policies such as regulations, 
taxes, charges, and other forms of environmental economics to help motivate 
communities toward sustainable development. 

The following are the building blocks of any sustainable community: 

 Redevelopment and planning for green spaces. 
 Control of land use, density, housing, and sprawl. 
 Energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. 
 Water resources, including water supplies and quality, and sewer infrastructure. 
 Waste reduction and recycling. 
 Local air quality, including climate and ozone factors, transportation planning, 
and reducing automobile dependency. 
 Economic development within the realm of environmental responsibility. 
Lastly, Roseland focuses on motivating the communitys residents and government 
officials toward shared decision-making and consensus on sustainability issues. This 
may well mean asking the public to make sacrifices and choices that result in a higher 
short-term cost to ensure the longevity of their community. Several case studies are 
presented to assist the Sustainability Planner in introducing and implementing the 
planning and policy modifications that are required to ensure lasting sustainable 
changes. 

Tool #4 Mitigation Planning How-To Guides 

These FEMA guides are a series of documents created to aid states and local 
communities in developing a comprehensive mitigation program and planning process. 
The How-to Guides are slated for release during 2001. 

The first volume, Getting Started, explains the planning process and the 
organizational steps required for a successful mitigation effort. It describes the types of 
people, agencies, and partners that are fundamental to mitigation planning; how to 
identify stakeholders; and how to include citizens throughout the planning process. 
This volume of the planning guides prepares communities for the political and 
financial challenges that often accompany initiatives for positive change. 

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The second volume takes the reader through the process of quantifying the 
potential impacts of natural hazards. Risk assessment is the driving force behind the 
natural hazard mitigation planning process because it provides the information 
necessary for communities to understand their vulnerability to disasters. This volume 
provides a framework for communities to evaluate their potential losses. 

The third volume focuses on how to use the information generated by the risk 
assessment so that communities can set long-term mitigation goals; identify possible 
solutions and their economic, social, and environmental costs; and draft a long term 
strategy. 

The fourth volume provides suggestions for ensuring that the communitys 
mitigation plan is successfully implemented, maintained and kept up to date. This 
volume includes the tools needed to effectively manage projects, evaluate their 
effectiveness, and establish mitigation as a fundamental element of local 
administration. 

Accompanying these four how-tos is a guide intended to help communities 
make the most of benefit-cost analysis (BCA) by providing tools to weigh the economic 
benefits of a mitigation project against its costs. While BCA is to be used primarily at 
the project implementation phase, this guide helps communities understand that this 
type of analysis can also be helpful in determining and setting priorities. 

Tool #5 Project Impact Toolkit 

Project Impacts Building a Disaster Resistant Community Toolkit was prepared 
as a tool for communities participating in FEMAs Project Impact initiative. Project 
Impact: Building a Disaster Resistant Community is an initiative that challenges and 
supports communities to become disaster resistant. For the Sustainability Planner 
operating in a post-disaster environment, it is a valuable tool for understanding the 
operational framework and goals of sustainability. The toolkit provides methods for 
prioritizing and implementing hazard resistance measures that are equally valid 
following a disaster event. 

The community toolkit addresses four categorical segments of disaster resistance 
planning to improve the economy, environment, and community. Building 
Partnerships examines how partnerships can be used to turn the planning process 
from reactive to proactive damage prevention. Assessing Risk outlines step-by-step 
risk assessment guidelines and should help the Sustainability Planner in determining 
how a particular community is vulnerable to natural disasters. Prioritizing Actions 
explores formulas for identifying and prioritizing a communitys most critical needs, 
and methods for reaching consensus. Communicating Success discusses approaches 
to gaining public support through the media, educational campaigns, and 
establishment of a collaborative group of partners, citizens, and volunteers. 

Tool #6 Building Performance Assessment Team (BPAT) 

The BPAT program is administered by the Program Assessment and Outreach 
Division of FEMAs Mitigation Directorate. The program uses the combined resources 
from a Federal, state, local, and private-sector partnership to study building 

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performance in response to a full range of hazards. A BPAT is typically composed of 
FEMA professionals; state and local officials; and private sector professionals with 
backgrounds in engineering, planning, construction, natural hazards, code 
development, and enforcement. 

The objectives of the BPAT are to: 

 Inspect buildings and their infrastructure. 
 Analyze structures after a disaster to determine why they either survived or 
failed the event. 
 Make recommendations to state and local governments on how to prevent 
future damages. 
BPATs have been used since the early 1990s in response to Hurricanes Andrew, 
Iniki, Opal, and Fran; flood disasters in California, Georgia, North Dakota, Minnesota, 
and Texas; and the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The 
most recent deployments were in response to Hurricane Georges, which struck Puerto 
Rico and the Gulf Coast. 

From disasters such as these, new and improved hurricane-, earthquake-, flood-, 
and bomb-resistant construction standards and methods can be developed for new 
construction and post-disaster repair and recovery. The success of any BPAT is 
measured in terms of implementation of the teams recommendations. If a BPAT is 
deployed for a disaster, the Sustainability Planner should coordinate with this effort 
and keep informed of early findings and recommendations that should be incorporated 
into the sustainable redevelopment strategy. 

Tool #7 Hazards United States (HAZUS) 

HAZUS is GIS-based methodology and software designed to estimate the losses 
related to natural disasters. HAZUS was developed by FEMA, in conjunction with the 
National Institute of Building Standards (NIBS). Initially, the software was designed to 
predict earthquake damages, but it has since been expanded into a multihazard 
methodology tool to also anticipate the losses from flood hazards (which include 
riverine and coastal hazards, such as storm surge). HAZUS is currently under revision 
so that it can also simulate the wind effects associated with hurricanes, tornadoes, and 
tropical storms. 

The estimation of earthquake and flood losses is not an exact science. It is a 
forecast of physical damage and related socioeconomic effects. HAZUS is based on 
mathematical algorithms that include variables such as local geology, topography, and 
demography  in addition to the prevalent construction materials, structural patterns, 
and designs of the areas dwellings and facilities. For example, HAZUS can simulate 
the intensity of ground shaking and the damages sustained in a given area. Loss 
estimates include number of casualties; level of damage to houses, utilities, and 
infrastructure; and estimated cost of repairs. 

HAZUS can assist planners and engineers in identifying areas of high 
vulnerability in structures and local infrastructure. The areas estimated to sustain the 
most severe losses can then be prioritized for loss-reduction planning, hazard 
awareness, and emergency management and response activities. 

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Currently, several new initiatives are in progress for HAZUS. These include a 
hurricane preview model, a flood preview model, a building damage module, a 
mitigation planning guide, and of special note to sustainability planners, a training 
course designed to assist mitigation planners in incorporating HAZUS into mitigation 
efforts. 

Tool #8 Community Rating System (CRS) 

The CRS was designed to reward communities that do more than meet the 
minimum NFIP requirements, by providing an incentive to initiate new flood 
protection activities. The CRS grants reductions in flood insurance rates according to 
the level of community commitment to flood hazard mitigation measures. The rating 
system provides points based on the extent of floodplain management activities. For 
example, communities with higher standards and more comprehensive controls to 
ensure flood protection accumulate higher CRS points. The higher the number of 
cumulative points - the higher the CRS classification and associated flood insurance 
discount. Flood insurance policy holders in participating communities can receive up 
to a 45 percent discount, though most receive discounts ranging from 5 to 25 percent. 

The Sustainability Planner should keep in mind that CRS participation offers 
many potential long-term benefits. A community committed to implementing long-
term flood mitigation measures can enhance public safety, reduce damage to property 
and public infrastructure, avoid disruptions of service, and protect and restore the 
environment. Furthermore, the CRS planning process can be used as the basis for 
conducting broader sustainability and mitigation activities and may lead to the 
community qualifying for additional Federal mitigation grant funds. Politically savvy 
government administrators can use the resultant reduction in premiums as 
confirmation that the local government is attentive not only to citizens safety, but also 
to their financial needs and the environment. 

The activities suggested by the CRS encourage communities to implement a 
comprehensive flood mitigation strategy that includes floodplain protections, 
stormwater management techniques, floodplain management planning, and public 
education. Most communities will not immediately qualify for CRS under all activities, 
but they can set a long-term mitigation goal and strive for the maximum points. There 
are 18 activities under which communities can receive credit; those listed below are of 
particular relevance to the Sustainability Planner: 

 Acquiring homes, especially repetitive loss properties, from within the 100-year 
floodplain and conversion of the land to open space, green space, wetlands, 
wildlife refuges, or recreational space. 
 Implementing restrictive development regulations to prevent the construction of 
buildings or the placement of fill or other obstructions on reserved lands. 
 Mapping, preserving open space, and regulating new development in areas 
subject to special hazards. 
 Establishing floodplain regulations to prohibit fill within floodplains or flood 
fringes, or to require new developments to provide compensatory storage at 
hydraulically equivalent sites. 
 Implementing stormwater management practices to regulate the quantity and 
quality of runoff and minimize erosion. 
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The CRS program recommends the following resources for additional information: 

 The NFIP Community Rating System Coordinators Manual is organized 
based on the activities for which communities may receive CRS credit. It 
includes sample hazard mitigation plans that may be used as a template for 
mitigation planning initiatives. 
 The Emergency Management Institute offers free NFIP and CRS courses. 
 The article, Flood Mitigation Planning, from the July 1999 Natural Hazards 
Informer, provides guidance on creating a flood mitigation plan in line with the 
CRS planning process. 
 The Association of State Floodplain Managers has produced a short video on 
the mitigation planning process. 
Tool #9 Economic Impact Assessments 

If the potential economic impact from a natural disaster is perceived to be 
significant, FEMA may task EDA to undertake a rapid assessment of the economic 
effects on businesses or agricultural activity. The objective of assessment reports is to: 

 Determine the direct and indirect economic impacts of the disaster through 
surveys of affected businesses. 
 Develop conclusions and wide-ranging recommendations to accelerate business 
recovery and support the creation of sustainable, disaster-resistant business 
enterprises. 
The results of these studies may be available within a few weeks of the disaster 
event and can prove invaluable in decision making for all levels of government involved 
in the response and recovery process. As the Sustainability Planner, you should make 
sure that the findings of this study  especially recommendations that promote a more 
sustainable local economy  are integrated into immediate and long-term priorities. 
This is important because long term community recovery and mitigation efforts can 
not be successful if key economic sectors cannot be replaced, restored, or protected. 

The Sustainability Planner must understand the differences and relationships 
between direct and collateral economic impacts: 

 Direct impacts to local economies include lost wages for workers at affected 
establishments and decreased revenues for business owners and farm operators. 
 Collateral losses include broad-based decreases in local business activity because 
of declining consumer spending and decreased tax revenues for local and state 
governments due to lower sale volumes and property values. Many communities 
find it necessary to offer affected businesses sales and property tax rebates 
during the time they may be out of business, which increases the strain on 
potentially limited financial resources. 
The Sustainability Planner must also understand that local economies may be 
affected by a loss of lifeline connections and customer base even if businesses are not 
directly damaged. These indirect causes include: 

 Loss of important lifeline connections to a community that can hamper or 
eliminate business activity and recovery  Typical scenarios include the 
prolonged loss of major utility services  such as electricity, water, or sewage 
disposal  or the loss of a key transportation route that carried raw materials and 
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goods to and from businesses and industries. Communication plays an 
important role in many information-age businesses, and even a short 
interruption in vital connections can be critical. Repair and restoration of 
business activity under these conditions may not be under the control or 
influence of the affected businesses and communities. 

 Loss of customer base due to extensive damage and destruction of residential 
areas  Where damage to housing is severe and rebuilding is not an immediate 
option (e.g., areas where recurrent flooding or landslides are possible), 
relocating significant numbers of residents  and their consumer dollars  to 
another sector of town or to other communities and regions may permanently 
change the market share of the commercial and service establishments they 
leave behind. 
It is important to recognize trends in economic activity prior to a disaster. In 
communities and regions where economic activity was steadily increasing and the 
contributing factors are still in place or easily restored, economic recovery should be 
attainable. Where flat growth or downturns existed prior to a disaster, even a temporary 
loss of business revenues can be irreversibly detrimental. Difficult decisions may be 
required in cases where recovery efforts do not address the root cause of previous 
declines in business activity or farm productivity. 

For examples of recent Economic Impact Assessment reports prepared for 
widespread flooding and damages caused by Hurricane Floyd in late summer 1999, see 
www.fema.gov/library/lib06d.htm. These particular reports to FEMA, the U.S. 
Congress, and the Executive Branch were used extensively in evaluating requests for 
supplemental appropriations for disaster relief from Virginia, North Carolina, and New 
Jersey. 

Tool #10 Coastal Construction Manual 

The Coastal Construction Manual was initially produced by FEMA in 1985 and 
was recently revised. The three-volume manual is designed to assist engineering 
professionals, builders, and state and local officials in mitigating hazards to coastal 
dwellings. Its content is largely based on findings of BPAT investigations conducted in 

U.S. coastal areas. The manual presents engineering and design techniques to combat 
hurricanes, noreasters, and coastal storm hazards. The techniques are specifically 
designed to address the multiple hazards that typically occur during such events, such 
as high winds, high water, storm surge, debris impact, and storm-induced scour and 
erosion. The manual discusses storm-resistant building materials and building 
foundations for coastal areas that are also subject to seismic activity. 
The first volume covers the history of coastal disasters and evaluates post-disaster 
structures that have succeeded or failed due to their design and materials. Background 
information on coastal geology, geomorphology, and water and wave elevations 
according to FEMA Flood Insurance Studies is included. This volume describes 
suitable sites for coastal construction, along with the long- and short-term costs 
associated with hazard-resistant design, construction, insurance, and alternative 
locations in coastal hazard zones. 

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Note 

This presentation is complete in 
itself, but can be customized for 
the particular region, state, or 
community audience. 

Engineering topics in the second volume of the Coastal Construction Manual 
include calculating the loads produced by high-velocity winds or waves, seismic events, 
and tsunamis. Structural failure modes, load paths, building systems, application of 
loads, structural connections, the building envelope, and utilities are examined in 
detail. This volume also addresses the hazards associated with existing development 
and maintenance and retrofitting for hazard mitigation. 

The 12 appendices of the third volume list additional agency resources, such as 
regional FEMA offices and other state and regional offices that provide technical and 
regulatory guidance in coastal construction. Internet links are provided to coastal 
hazard studies and maps, along with technical bulletins on construction in coastal 
environments. 

The revised Coastal Construction Manual will be published and distributed in 
late 2000. It will also be available in an interactive CD ROM format, to be used with the 
Acrobat PDF format. FEMA plans to offer a coastal construction training course at the 
Emergency Management Institute (EMI). 

Tool #11 Sustainable Redevelopment PowerPoint 
Presentation 

Audience: 

To be given at the community level to local officials and local agencies whose 
communities are recovering from repetitive natural disasters. Citizens, businesses, civic 
groups might also benefit from a public presentation, should they request it. 

Introductions before the slide show starts: 

Introduce yourself and those representing FEMA. Introduce participants (guest speaker, 
if any) Also have other agencies and guests in attendance introduce themselves and their 
titles. Outline the meeting and time estimation. Also tell them that at the conclusion of the 
slides, there will be time for discussion. (At a more formal meeting, you may want to have 
an agenda prepared but at the small community meetings, we recommend keeping it as 
informal as possible.) 

We are here today to talk about Sustainable Development- a new strategy being 
used by communities nationwide to make themselves healthier, stronger and more 
disaster resistant. We are seeking ways to change the way communities deal with all 
natural disasters. Project Impact is one of these ways and is a participant in Sustainable 
Development. We hope to change what might be a meaningless term to you and 
advance it into a logical thought process with understanding and substance. 

At this point in your disaster recovery, we can only imagine what it is that might be 
meaningful to each of you: --- probably actions with immediate results like, fixing 
the road or bridge into town or helping the local businesses so they dont leave town, 
and possibly elevating the row of homes that has been flooded 3 times in the last 10 
years. 

Each of those concerns are all related to sustainable activities. But today, through 
our slide presentation, we are taking it a step or two further. Sustainable Development 
gives thought that our actions today affect tomorrow. We need to look at the entire 
recovery process: boosting economic recovery, working in harmony with the natural 
environment and enhancing social and cultural considerations. 

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We are here today to talk about the Sustainability concept and assist, advise, and 
encourage dialogue with you and provide a favorable environment for pursuing 
sustainability. There is not a defined process with a road map to follow, guaranteeing 
success. We must mention what FEMAs limitations are regarding Sustainable 
Development. We do not bring funding to the table but can assist in identifying 
potential sources for funding. We do not bring the internal drive and strong desire that 
is needed by a united group of citizens. But it is our desire and hope to see that notion 
surface. 

Start The Slide Presentation 

Today in the United States, we spend tens of billions of dollars each year to rebuild 
communities after natural disasters. And the frequency and severity of these disasters is 
growing. A community living in the path of flooding or whose buildings are vulnerable 
to being blown down by hurricanes is fundamentally NOT sustainable. Disaster-prone 
communities are excellent candidates for sustainable development. 

SLIDE 1 
SLIDE 2 
I want to make several key points during this talk. First, sustainable development is not 
an abstract concept. It is a realistic, effective new way for communities to build their 
future. Second, sustainable development is being adopted nationwide. Third, much of 
sustainable developments appeal is that it brings many different types of benefits to 
those who practice it. And finally, sustainable development is not this years fad. It is 
not only the wave of the future but is here now, in the present, as witnessed by 
conferences and town meetings all over the country promoting the idea and identifying 
the need for it. Lets call it whatever we want, but this new strategy is how communities 
can and must develop in the future. 

Everyone is getting on the band wagon and there are groups at all levels that want and 
must be involved to make it a successful partnership. 

SLIDE 4 
SLIDE 3 
There is a big challenge before you recover from [yet another] this disaster. In an effort 
to look on the positive side, we encourage you to look at this time as an opportunity to 
re-build your community with thoughts of enrichment, improvement, vitality and hope 
for the future. 

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SLIDE 5 
Property losses reach the multi-million dollar range during flooding events and other 
disasters [adjust these comments to the type of disaster that has occurred]. But that is 
only part of the story. Also consider, emergency response dollars, clean-up costs, 
environmental damage... what about the economic loss businesses and individuals 
experience during the disaster and post-disaster recovery periods. And the list goes on. 

SLIDE 7 
SLIDE 6 
Why should FEMA be involved in educating communities in sustainable 
development? Federal, state and local governments have spent a disproportionate 
amount of time, money and resources recovering from repetitive disasters. Citizens in 
disaster areas that have experienced loss of life, loss of property and loss of jobs are no 
longer living in viable and healthy communities. Repetitive loss and deterioration 
diminish our ability to effectively mitigate the risk in these disaster-prone areas. If a 
community has the willingness to improve their circumstances and become 
sustainable we want to encourage them to take that step. 

Read the federal agencies involved. [These agencies can be further defined, if desired, 
by notes below] 

 Presidents Council of Sustainable Development (PCSD) 
25 leaders from government, industry, environmental, labor, and civil rights 
organizations 
--develop strategy that fosters economic vitality 
--recognize outstanding achievements in Sustainable Development 
--raise public awareness 
--replaced in Summer 2000 by the Task Force on Livable Communities 

 White House Task Force on Livable Communities 
--coordinates Federal agencies efforts to assist communities to grow in ways that 
ensure a high quality of life and strong, sustainable economic growth. 

 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
--charged with new thought process to approach environmental regulation with 
a more holistic, ecosystem-oriented approach 
--created Office of Sustainable Ecosystems and Communities (OSEC) to 

advocate and support community-based environmental protection 
--initiating a more integrative, cooperative approach to regulation that considers 
quality-of-life concerns 

 U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) 
--implements new strategies to enhance local economies, environments, and 
quality of life 
--provides the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development Website to 
educate communities in approaches and techniques for sustainable development 
--Operation Fresh Start  an initiative to help individuals and communities 
incorporate sustainable principles and technologies into their recovery from 
disaster 
 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
--introduces the concept and approach of Sustainable Development within the 
framework of Disaster Recovery activities 
--directs communities toward materials and resources in their efforts toward 
sustainable development 

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--influences local officials, citizens, civic groups and businesses to consider the 
long term value of pursuing sustainable development for the present and for 
future generations 
--identifies potential resources for technical assistance and possible funding 

Today we will discuss the 5 topics of Sustainable Development. To clarify what we 
mean by Sustainable Development we will first talk about definitions. The second topic 
will present you with evidence of its benefits. Third, well show you how sustainable 
development is being applied around the country and talk about a few success stories. 
Getting Started is the fourth topic, with pointers that other communities have used. 
Lastly, we will discuss those agencies that can help you focus on sustainable 
development issues and that you can build partnerships with. 

Presidents Council definition (read slide) 

See www.livablecommunities.gov for new livability initiative. 

Elements Graphic - This multi-level balanced approach will help insulate the 
community from economic fluctuations and give a sense of resiliency to the community. 
This balance of the social, economic and environmental concerns benefits all sectors of 
the community. 

Sometimes we hear the term Sustainable Redevelopment. It refers to using disaster 
recovery dollars while considering the balanced concerns of a healthy community - not 
just re-building damaged areas that will exacerbate existing problems and expose the 
community to further crisis. 

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Albert Einstein, in his day, was quoted as saying....

SLIDE 12 
SLIDE 13 
The standard and most widely circulated definition of sustainable development is 
this one developed by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and 
Development in 1987. It is that sustainable development is the practice of meeting our 
needs today without jeopardizing the ability of our children to meet their needs. In 
other words, we act not only in the interest of the short term, but also the long term. 

SLIDE 16 
SLIDE 15 
SLIDE 14 
Although the first definition was written in 1987, the concept of sustainable 
development is not new. Here is a quote by Thomas Jefferson in 1789. He says that no 
generation has the right to impose a debt on future generations - and every generation 
should have the right to inherit the world debt-free. We understand from historians 
that Jefferson was talking not only about economic debt, but also environmental 
burdens. 

This very clear definition comes from Robert Gilman of the Context Institute, which 
has been studying and communicating about the concept for many years. It says that 
sustainable development is the ability to keep going, to sustain ones economy, 
environment, and community. Think of it as the Golden Rule, extended through time. 
We do unto our children as we would have our children do unto us. 

Frequently we are asked, what do you consider a community? Involvement can be 
pursued by a number of different customers. Customers can be cities, villages, towns 
and neighborhoods and also communities of interest, like national parks and industrial 
parks. One thing that must be held in common is the commitment and the shared 
feeling that something needs to change. 

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Casey Stengel very aptly put it by saying, if you dont know where you are going, you 
might end up some place else. Define where you want to go. Look down the road and 
create a vision statement. 

SLIDE 20 
SLIDE 19 
SLIDE 18 
SLIDE 17 
SLIDE 21 
Lets talk a minute about the Benefits involved in pursuing Sustainable Development. 

The kinds of benefits that you can expect from developing a long-term recovery plan 
are many. Each community with different concerns and ideas will benefit in various 
ways. (GO OVER THE THREE SLIDES) But the key is that the collaborative 
approach used by the groups involved will result in the benefit of many - not just a few. 

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We are here today because the federal government can reap the benefits from this 
approach. It is prudent for the government to spend taxpayer dollars to the best possible 
benefit. You are here today because your community is recovering from a disaster, and 
over the long term, this approach can help you reap benefits. Most importantly, we all 
benefit when we help individuals to a better, safer, more secure future. 

The benefits can be multi-dimensional. The solution to one problem may solve many 
others-- Michael Corbett explains by saying [READ THE SLIDE] 

The third topic this morning [afternoon] will briefly outline a few communities that 
have chosen to recover from disasters in a more sustainable way. 

Before we talk about specific communities, we can answer that question of How can I, 
as one business, or one person be of any assistance in the pursuit of sustainability. 1) 
Read 1st paragraph: This private builder, by using straw bale construction, has 
benefited the environment and his business. 2) Read 2nd paragraph: Employment 
opportunities in commercial organic farming assist the homeless population. 3) Read 
3rd paragraph: This citys recycling effort is keeping hazardous materials out of 
landfills. 

[READ BLURB ON EACH COMMUNITY] 

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SLIDE 26 
DARLINGTON 

The preservation of our past is an investment in our future. The Citys priorities 
were and are: economic development, historic preservation, tourism and flood 
mitigation. The City of Darlington is a small community in southwestern Wisconsin 
located along the Pecatonica River. After repetitive flooding in 1950, 1959, 1969, 1990 
and the Great Flood of 1993, the citizens and local officials said enough was enough. 
A comprehensive flood hazard mitigation plan that detailed a downtown rehabilitation 
and flood mitigation project outlined a multi-year project combining historic 
rehabilitation with innovative floodproofing techniques The plan called for 
floodproofing 35 downtown buildings and relocating 15 businesses, which involved 
developing an alternative site on a 35 acre parcel south of Darlington. This not only 
ensured that businesses were safe from harms way, but also protected the Citys 
valuable tax and economic base, and its historic heritage. Darlington has also prevented 
future development near the river by acquiring this land and converting it to 
recreational space. This Darlington project has been completed in stages, beginning in 
1994. 

SOLDIERS GROVE 

Twenty years ago, Soldiers Grove was a town of 600 people on the banks of Kickopoo 
River in southwest Wisconsin. With the repeated occurrence of flooding, the residents 
finally decided to build a new town center on higher ground. The new Soldiers Grove 
was officially completed in 1983. This example of Sustainable Re-Development was 
the pioneer effort, and ahead of its time. Villagers chose to work with the river rather 
than attempt to control it. They chose take the opportunity to build a better 
community and not race to repair damaged property and infrastructure as quickly as 
possible. Ordinances were passed requiring structures to be rebuilt with solar heating 
and other energy efficient technologies. 

VALMEYER 

In 1993, the Great Midwest Flood overflowed the banks of the Mississippi and 
inundated Valmeyer. The flood gutted the village of about 900 people. In a referendum 
after the flood, the people of Valmeyer decided they would not try to rebuild back in the 
same path of flooding. The voted to relocate to higher ground. In January 1994, the 
mayor of Valmeyer attended a conference sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Energy on 
sustainable redevelopment. A month later, he asked DOE to help Valmeyer design its 
new town. The Dept. of Energy helped assemble a team with the American Institute of 
Architects, creating a design team made up of nearly two dozen national experts. Over 
a 4-month period, they held intensive weekend sessions in which architects, legal 
experts, design professionals, and others worked with townspeople to build models and 
drawings to work out the details of the new village. The result of all this input was the 
beginning of a new town. One of the most important sustainable measures that 
Valmeyer incorporated into their new town was, obviously, removing themselves from 
the floodplain. Other actions were taken in the design of the new City Hall building, 
including installing a passive solar heating system in which sunlight is used to help 
heat the interior. Along with other energy efficient measures, this building will perform 
75% more efficiently than the national model building codes. Other measures 
incorporated are: recycled content, geothermal heat and low-E windows. Rebates from 
the Illinois Department of Energy encouraged families to use similar building 
techniques for rebuilding their homes. 

OTHER SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITIES: 

Pattonsburg, Missouri, Rhineland, Missouri, City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, East Forks, 
Minnesota, Chattanooga, TN, Burlington, VT. The list goes on and on ... 

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So you ask yourselves, this all sounds well and good, but how on earth can we get 
started down the road to Sustainable Re-Development? 

SLIDE 30 
SLIDE 29 
SLIDE 28SLIDE 27 
[READ QUOTE ON SLIDE] Many of us may think that the challenge is totally 
overwhelming, but in order to make it more reachable, take on the challenge with other 
people who want to create a vision for your community. When working together, the 
challenges dont seem so great. 

The basic principles of Sustainable Development are 

 Involvement of citizens so they can direct their own path 
 Develop a long-term strategic plan so when the money becomes available, you 
can stay on track with your plan objectives 
 Use the available resources out there and commit agencies and businesses to 
building partnerships 
 Embrace and encourage differing perspectives  build a community together 
REMEMBER  That there is rarely 100% agreement when discussing viewpoints 
from a diverse-interest group. You can still move forward  based on decision making 
for the mutual benefit of all. 

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SLIDE 33 
Steps toward a more sustainable community are 

1) Read first bullet: Dedicated people who share a commitment to work together 
will keep the movement alive 

2) Read second bullet: Develop a core committee designed to bring diversity to 
problem-solving (some people are good organizers and coordinators, some are 
good speakers, some are good doers) This group helps the community to 
develop its own solutions. One way to accomplish this is through town meetings 
and surveys. Find individuals who exhibit organization, commitment, patience, 
and a willingness to get things moving and hold respect within the community. 
Use available resources - dont re-invent the wheel. Capitalize on others 
successes. 

3) Read third bullet: Do your research and make phone calls. Involve contacts from 
the state and community to solicit help. 
4) Read 4th bullet: This is referred to as a peer-to-peer exchange or sometimes a 
mentoring program; locate areas also working on Sustainable Development. 
5) Read 5th bullet: Local non-profit groups, government agencies and the library 
have excellent resources. Spend a few minutes today at our resource table. 

Once you get the core group together, you can look at the various options on how to 
begin. The EPA Website outlines one avenue of action. [Their reference to a Green 
Community is a sustainable one] Read the definition and the slide. 

There are many guidebooks and references that get very detailed in the planning 
stages. See our resource table and look in the Internet. 

[READ SLIDE] OR....You can go along with the typical traditional mode which leaves 
independent, unbalanced decision-making roles to a few people, making Sustainable 
Development remote and theoretical. 

The movement toward becoming a prosperous and healthy community is here. Strong 
community leadership and involved citizens will be the catalyst for change. Its up to 
you. 

[READ QUOTE] Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens 
can change the world. Indeed, its the only thing that ever has. 

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Building Partnerships is one key step in moving forward. In creating partnerships with 
Federal, state and local government, business and private citizens, we can save lives, 
lower vulnerability to, and reduce the impact of, future disasters. 

SLIDE 35SLIDE 38 
SLIDE 37SLIDE 36 
It is increasingly common for businesses, government, citizens and non-governmental 
organization to find themselves participating in a collaborative effort to solve 
environmental, social and economic problems. They are doing so because collaborative 
approaches lead to more comprehensive and acceptable outcomes. 

While the federal government bears responsibility for establishing national goals, 
standards, and priorities, these national interests may not always represent specific local 
interests. FEMA seeks to expand the roles played by states, counties and local 
communities in the sustainability process by encouraging inter-governmental 
partnerships, information sharing and multi-level coordination among all involved 
entities. 

THE ROAD TO SUSTAINABILITY PICTURE This graphic indicates that the 
Federal governments involvement in Sustainable Redevelopment begins at the very 
onset of disaster recovery. While we assist in disaster recovery work, and attempt to get 
the communities working toward a healthier, more prosperous quality of life, we can 
only give you a nudge. With community drive and strong local leadership the road to 
becoming sustainable is within reach. And its the road that you, the community -- not 
someone else -- has chosen. 

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SLIDE 40 
Key Conclusion-Sustainable Development is a viable strategy for ensuring your 
communitys future. Because it deals with your community as a system, rather than a 
series of unrelated problems and issues, sustainable development achieves multiple 
benefits. 

By saving resources and by going after these multiple benefits, sustainable development 
gives you a bigger bang for your local buck. It is the most resourceful way for your local 
government and your private businesses to invest their development dollars. 

Finally, sustainable development is a way to build bridges between your local economy, 
the quality of your environment, and your communitys quality of life. We should no 
longer assume that we can only create jobs at the expense of the environment, or that 
we can only preserve the environment by sacrificing jobs. Because of new ways of 
thinking, and new approaches to community development, we can implement 
sustainable initiatives that ensure environmental quality, a strong economy, and a high 
quality of life. 

Final Note 

When you start with a mindset that we control our own destiny, success will follow. 
Take baby steps and move forward. When setbacks happen, persevere and keep 
plugging along. You are not alone. There is a lot of support. Read Heroes quote. 

SLIDE 41 
SLIDE 42 
[Leave up for the rest of the meeting] 

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Section 5.0 
Eighteen Tools and Programs for Sustainability 

Tool #12 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Desk Reference 

FEMAs Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) assists states and 
communities to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures following a 
Presidential Disaster Declaration. Up to fifteen percent of the actual disaster response 
and recovery expenditures is allocated for these grants, and is provided to states with a 
cost-sharing provision of 75 percent Federal / 25 percent non-Federal funding. This 
program provides funding that can be used to implement sustainable redevelopment 
activities, which meet the eligibility requirements of reducing future disaster recovery 
costs. The HMGP project application process is as follows: 

 Local communities identify and develop proposed mitigation projects, such as 
property acquisition, elevation of floodprone properties, seismic retrofitting, 
wildfire mitigation activities, etc. 
 Local communities then submit the project applications to the state, which is 
responsible for administering the HMGP and for prioritizing the submitted 
project applications. 
 The state then submits to FEMA for final review and approval those projects 
that are consistent with state mitigation planning objectives, cost-effective and 
environmentally sound, and for which there is available funding. 
FEMAs HMGP Desk Reference is designed to assist state and local governments 
in reducing the loss of life and property as a result of natural disasters and in 
implementing mitigation measures during disaster recovery. The Desk Reference 
provides eligibility guidelines for hazard mitigation grants, which are administered 
through the states, with the goal of implementing long-term hazard mitigation 
measures after a major disaster declaration. Eligible applicants include state and local 
governments, selected nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes or authorized tribal 
organizations and Alaska Native tribes and organizations. 

The Desk Reference can assist planners in understanding the mechanics of the 
grant program and use it to help find ways to identify projects and obtain funding. The 
states administer the program and prioritize project funding. Each state is required to 
develop a Hazard Mitigation Administrative Plan that explains all pertinent hazard 
mitigation grants procedures. 

Tool #13 Unified National Program for Floodplain 
Management 

The Unified National Program for Floodplain Management (1994) is the Federal 
governments means of focusing the competing interests in floodplain management 
toward the national good. The 1994 report defines four goals for national floodplain 
management through state and local involvement: 

 Formalize a national goal-setting and monitoring system. 
 Reduce by at least 50 percent the risk to life and property in the nations 
floodplains. 
 Develop and implement a process to communicate a positive attitude toward 
floodplain management. 
 Institute floodplain management in communities nationwide. 
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The Unified National Program for Floodplain Management works to achieve these 
goals through promoting strategies that alter development patterns within floodplains, 
and building codes, change peoples attitudes concerning floods, and maximizes the 
natural and beneficial functions of floodplains. 

Tool #14 Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains  
Report to Congress 

This is a report of an interagency task force established by Congress as a result of 
the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994. The task force was formed to: 

 Identify the role of natural and beneficial functions of floodplains in reducing 
flood losses. 
 Recommend how the nation can further reduce flood losses through the 
protection and restoration of the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains. 
The report examines how to lessen flood impacts through multi-objective 
management practices, resulting in the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of 
the nations floodplains. Relevant topics for the Sustainability Planners include how to 
incorporate floodplain management into government programs, and how to increase 
public interest in sustainable land use practices within floodplains. The benefits of 
pristine or restored floodplains include increased water storage capacity during flood 
events, a healthy ecosystem, and a greatly reduced risk of losses and property damages 
from floods. Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains is a valuable tool for 
Sustainability Planners in seeking to reduce flood risks while also initiating sustainable 
development practices related to floodplain environs. 

Tool #15 Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA) 

The Flood Mitigation Assistance Program is a predisaster grant program designed 
to assist states and local communities in implementing measures to assess flood risk and 
identify actions to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to buildings, 
homes, and other structures that are insurable under NFIP. 

Activities such as structure elevation, demolition, or property acquisition are 
eligible for funding under this program. Projects must be cost effective, cost beneficial 
to the National Flood Insurance Fund, technically feasible, and either physically 
located in a participating NFIP community or located so as to reduce flooding in an 
NFIP community. FEMA may contribute up to 75 percent of the total eligible costs; the 
remaining 25 percent must be provided by a nonfederal source. The broad objective of 
this program is to provide funding and mitigation planning assistance to strengthen 
communities against flood hazards, thus incorporating a significant component of 
sustainability. FMA program guidance is provided in FEMA Publication 299. 

Tool #16 Capability Assessment for Readiness (CAR) 

An essential characteristic of a sustainable community is its resilience to natural 
disasters. The post-disaster environment present a unique opportunity to implement 
sustainability initiatives and to increase the quality of the built environment while, at 

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the same time, instituting preparedness planning processes that can protect the 
community more effectively in the event of a subsequent disaster. As FEMAs 
mitigation program functions to reduce the impact of disasters, FEMAs preparedness 
program has, as its primary mission, the goal of ensuring that state, local, and tribal 
emergency managers can save lives and protect property by ensuring that they have 
appropriate plans, procedures, communications and systems in place before a disaster 
occurs. 

One of the primary methods that FEMA uses to accomplish this is the Capability 
Assessment for Readiness. FEMA has been working with the National Emergency 
Management Association since 1996 on the development of the state CAR process based 
on recommended practices in emergency management. This initiative strengthens the 
current partnership and the negotiation of the annual Emergency Management 
Performance Grant (EMPG) process between the states, territories, and insular areas. 
The CAR answers two of the most basic questions: (1) Are we ready for a disaster that 
could affect our community? and (2) Have we developed effective preparedness policies, 
exercised appropriate mitigation practices, and are we ready to respond and recover 
following a disaster? 

What is the CAR? 

Prior to 1996, emergency management officials in the United States lacked a 
nationally accepted process and criteria by which states, territories, tribes, and insular 
areas could judge their emergency management readiness and capabilities. This 
inability to assess readiness capabilities left many communities vulnerable to the impact 
of a disaster because they were unprepared for the wide variety of activities that are 
necessary before, during and after a disaster strikes. 

The state CAR is a self-assessment process focusing on 13 core Emergency 
Management Functions. These Functions were identified by emergency managers from 
across the country and address the preparedness, response, and recovery functions 
associated with disasters. The 13 Functions are: 

 Laws and Authorities 
 Hazard ID and Risk Assessment 
 Hazard Mitigation 
 Resource Management 
 Planning 
 Direction, Control, and Coordination 
 Communications and Warning 
 Operations and Procedures 
 Logistics and Facilities 
 Training 
 Exercises, Evaluations & Corrective Action 
 Crisis Communications, Public Education, and Information 
 Finance and Administration 
Each Emergency Management Function is subdivided into Attributes and further 
divided into Characteristics. Attributes are composed of broad criteria by which the 
Function can be assessed. Characteristics are more detailed criteria that clarify each of 
the attributes. A scoring scale of 1-5, NA is provided for a quantitative rating. The 

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process not only involves the state emergency management offices, but includes key 
departments and agencies throughout state government that have responsibilities for 
disaster response. 

CAR Assessment Process 

The first Capability Assessment for Readiness review was conducted in 1996 with 
participation from all 56 states, territories, and insular areas. A national report was 
prepared and provided to the President and the United States Congress. Following the 
assessment, Customer Feedback Workshops indicated that improvements to the 
assessment instrument were required. The second state CAR assessment was conducted 
in 2000 and again was completed by all states, territories, and insular areas. It included 
enhanced software, a CD ROM Tool Box that provides expanded explanations of 
questions as well as other background material. A Users Guide and a Facilitators 
Guide were also developed. The CAR software also includes a Tool Box that provides 
expanded explanations as well as background materials. FEMA plans to develop a 
report to the President and the U.S. Congress by December 2000. It is intended that the 
states will complete the CAR on a biennial basis. 

Benefits to the States 

The benefit to completing the CAR is that a self-profile is developed of the 
strengths and weaknesses in the emergency management program. This profile enables 
the states to effectively target their program resources to those areas of greatest need. In 
addition, the states have the information they need for strategic planning and for 
justifying program resource requirements or new initiatives to state legislatures. 

CAR and the NPFA Standards and Accreditation 

Imbedded in the CAR are those important ingredients developed by the Fire 
Protection Association Emergency Management Standards (NPFA  1600). CAR is also 
being used as the foundation for the Emergency Management Accreditation Program, 
which is currently under development by the National Emergency Management 
Association. 

Local and Tribal CAR 

A draft local CAR was recently developed by FEMA at the request of the National 
Emergency Management Association. It will enable local jurisdictions throughout the 
states to conduct their own emergency management self-assessment. It is currently 
under review by the National Emergency Management Association, the states, and 
organizations such as the International Association of Emergency Management, the 

U.S. Conference of Mayors, the League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, 
and the International City/County Management Association. It was also field tested by 
six counties in the State of Iowa. A feedback session indicated that local Emergency 
Management Directors were very positive as to its potential in advancing the readiness 
in communities across the nation. Initial steps are underway to develop a tribal CAR 
assessment tool. 
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Tool #17 HAZMAT Response/Capability Assessment 
Program 

Originally developed in FEMA Region VI, the Comprehensive HAZMAT 
Emergency Response/Capability Assessment Program (CHER-CAP) assists state and 
local communities in improving their response capabilities to hazardous materials 
incident. This is of critical importance to most communities since hazardous materials 
incidents are rated as their number one threat. The addition of the CHER-CAP 
program to assist in improved preparedness against hazardous materials incidents 
enhances the work that is being done to build Disaster Resistant Communities in 
Project Impact by adding the technological hazards component that many communities 
face. 

CHER-CAP uses the skills and resources of local, state, tribal, and Federal 
governments and industry to identify and address the hazardous materials 
preparedness needs of local jurisdictions. It also enhances a communitys ability to 
operate within the National Response System (as described in the National 
Contingency Plan). The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department 
of Transportation are key Federal partners in CHER-CAP. 

The principal purpose of CHER-CAP is to: 

 Identify opportunities for plan revisions. 
 Identify communications needs. 
 Identify resource needs. 
 Improve coordination. 
 Identify and accomplish required training. 
 Clarify roles and responsibilities. 
 Improve individual performance. 
 Serve as a Train-the-Trainer initiative for additional jurisdictions. 
 Test plans and systems in a comprehensive exercise. 
 Motivate public and private officials to support emergency programs. 
 Increase general awareness of proficiency and needs. 
 Improve the Federal-state-tribal government-local-industry emergency 
management relationships. 
CHER-CAP is conducted in phases spanning a total of four to six months. 
Communities interested in undertaking CHER-CAP notify their state emergency 
management agency and the state then selects jurisdictions for participation. 

After selection of a CHER-CAP community by the state, an initial meeting is held 
between FEMA and the Local Emergency Planning Committee to discuss the scope of 
CHER-CAP and the time that will be needed to conduct the program. Following a 
commitment by the community, information gathering begins, including emergency 
response plans, any existing mutual aid agreements, agency-specific Standard 
Operating Procedures, existing data on hazardous substances in the community, 
documentation regarding training previously undertaken and training needs. Most 
CHER-CAP initiatives eventually include fire, police, emergency medical services, 
public works, health and environmental agencies, public officials and hospitals, in 
addition to industry. 

After a review of the plan and Standard Operating Procedures, communities 
implement any necessary modifications. Local, state, and tribal government officials, 

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industry and the FEMA coordinator identify available training programs based on 
identified needs. A tabletop exercise may also be conducted prior to the full-scale 
exercise. 

The final phase of CHER-CAP is a full-scale hazardous materials field exercise 
with live props, such as a tanker truck, rail car or fixed facility with simulated smoke, 
leaking liquid and casualties. The exercise typically involves 100-300 participants and 
lasts approximately four hours. Peer evaluators from nearby jurisdictions observe the 
exercise and record their observations. A final report is prepared and submitted to the 
participants following the exercise. 

CHER-CAP has already proven to be invaluable in those communities that have 
implemented it and then experienced a hazardous materials incident. 

Tool #18 Community and Family Preparedness Program 

Like the readiness phase of the Sustainability Program, which offers the 
opportunity to create a sustainability network by building partnerships and identifying 
potential participants in reconstruction, the Community and Family Preparedness 
program ensures that all Americans have the necessary information, education and 
skills to protect themselves, their families, their homes and their business from 
disasters. The Community and Family Preparedness program emphasizes reaching 
children and schools, helping neighbors and vulnerable persons and cooperating 
through community and neighborhood organizations. 

The Community and Family Preparedness program supports a variety of disaster 
public education programs and activities by working through a broad coalition of 
partnerships. It concentrates on providing reliable and accurate information and 
supporting the exchange of information to a nationwide network of disaster educators 
and the public. The program also supports the development of curriculum materials on 
disaster preparedness for classroom use, outreach through national partners, seminars 
for neighborhood associations, materials for individual school presentations, special 
seasonal disaster preparedness campaigns, special preparedness seminars for employees 
of business, industry or other organizations, as well as churches and youth groups. 

Community and Family Preparedness partners include state and local emergency 
managers, Boy Scouts of America Exploring program, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., 
Church World Services, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, The Salvation Army and 
others. New partnerships are being forged with other networks, such as the Women in 
the NAACP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperative extension network, and 
voluntary organizations active in disaster relief. 

FEMA cooperates with other Federal Departments and agencies such as NOAAs 
National Weather Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, the Centers 
for Disease Control, the International Association of Emergency Managers, the 
National Fire Protection Association and the Institute for Business and Home Safety. 
These activities are accomplished through an informal National Disaster Education 
Coalition. 

FEMA has developed and made widely available for distribution a number of basic 
disaster public information materials such as: Emergency Preparedness Checklist; Your 

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Family Disaster Plan; Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit; Preparing for Emergencies  A 
Checklist for People with Mobility Problems; Helping Children Cope with Disaster; Disaster 
Preparedness Coloring Book; Food and Water in an Emergency; an Emergency Management 
Guide for Business and Industry; and Adventures of the Disaster Dudes (a video popular in 
school presentations). 

FEMA makes disaster public information materials available to state and local 
emergency managers and other partners who reproduce and disseminate them locally. 
Publications are available from the FEMA Publications Distribution Center via an 
800 number, camera copies are available, and FEMA also provides the FEMA Disaster 
Preparedness and Mitigation Library on CD Rom, which holds electronic files of 
publications for such users. The information is also available for downloading from 
FEMAs website. 

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A 
Appendix A 
Glossary 

Appendix A 

Glossary 

The following is a list of terms and phrases that are typically used within the DFO. Some of these terms are used 
throughout this document, while others are terms that a sustainability planner should become familiar with in order to 
effectively communicate with DFO staff. 

"100-Year" Floodplain 

Administrative Plan 

Americans with Disabilities 
Act (ADA) 

Annual Flood 

Applicant 

Automated Deployment 
Database (ADD) 

Base Flood 

Base Flood Elevation (BFE) 

The area of a floodplain that historically and statistically has a 1 percent chance 
of significant inundation in any given year or the area of inundation by the"100year" 
flood (also known as the "Base Flood"). 

See Hazard Mitigation State Administrative Plan. 

The ADA guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in 
employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government 
services, and telecommunications. 

The annual flood is considered the most significant flood event in a one-year 
cycle of a floodplain. 

The applicant is a state agency, local government, and any political subdivision of 
the state, including Native American Indian tribes and Alaskan native villages 
that apply for FEMA post-disaster assistance. Applicants may also be private 
non-profit organizations such as medical, emergency (fire and rescue), utility, 
educational, custodial care, zoos, community centers, libraries, homeless shelters, 
and senior citizens' centers. 

The ADD is a system that provides a means of deploying disaster workers to 
locations for disaster operations. All FEMA employees, both DAEs and PFTs, are 
part of the ADD. The ADD system uses specific job titles and descriptions, and 
is accessible through FEMA's Wide Area Network (WAN). 

The Base Flood is defined by FEMA as the flood having a 1 percent probability 
of being equaled or exceeded in any given year; also referred to as the "100-year" 
flood. 

The BFE is defined by FEMA as the height of the base ("100-year") flood in 
relation to a specified datum, usually the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 
1929 or North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Generally speaking, this is the 
elevation of the 100-year flood waters relative to "mean sea level." 

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Appendix A 
Glossary 

Building Performance 
Assessment Team (BPAT) 

Catastrophic Disaster 
Response Group (CDRG) 

Charrette 

Coastal Barrier Resources 
Act (CoBRA) 

Coastal Zone 

Coastal Zone Management 
Act (CZMA) 

Community Assistance 
Program - State Support 
Services Element 
(CAP-SSSE) 

Community Assistance Visit 
(CAV) 

The BPAT is deployed by FEMA in response to disasters to conduct on-site 
field investigations. BPATs include representatives of public and private sector 
entities who are experts in specific technical fields, such as structural and civil 
engineering, building design and construction, and building code development 
and enforcement. Activities include inspecting disaster-induced damage to 
residential and commercial buildings and other manmade structures; evaluating 
local design practices, construction methods and materials, building codes, and 
building inspection and code enforcement processes; and making 
recommendations regarding design, construction, and code issues. 

The CDRG is a national-level group with representatives from the Federal 
departments and agencies under the FRP; serves as the centralized coordinating 
group supporting on-scene Federal response and recovery efforts. 

A charrette is an intensive planning and/or design workshop involving people 
working together under compressed deadlines. Charrettes provide an interactive 
forum in which planners, designers, community representatives, and other 
interested and appropriate parties participate in proposing alternative visions 
that can help the group understand, evaluate and determine future plans and 
options. 

CoBRA is Federal legislation identifying particular coastal areas that are 
environmentally sensitive and are subject to rules prohibiting certain Federal 
expenditures within them. 

The coastal zone is defined as the area along the shore where the ocean meets 
the land as the surface of the land rises above the ocean. This land/water 
interface includes barrier islands, estuaries, beaches, coastal wetlands, and land 
areas having direct drainage to the ocean. 

In recognition of the increasing pressures of over-development upon the nation's 
coastal resources, Congress enacted the CZMA in 1972. The CZMA 
encourages states to preserve, protect, develop, and, where possible, restore or 
enhance valuable natural coastal resources such as wetlands, floodplains, 
estuaries, beaches, dunes, barrier islands, and coral reefs, as well as the fish and 
wildlife using those habitats. A unique feature of the CZMA is that 
participation by states is voluntary. To encourage states to participate, the Act 
makes Federal financial assistance available to any coastal state or territory, 
including those on the Great Lakes, that is willing to develop and implement a 
comprehensive coastal management program. 

The CAP-SSSE provides funding to meet negotiated objectives for reducing 
flood hazards in NFIP communities. The Program requires that participating 
communities identify, prevent, and resolve floodplain management issues before 
the issues require compliance action by FEMA. Available CAP funding is 
provided on a 75 percent Federal maximum and 25 percent minimum state cost 
sharing basis through the annual FEMA EMPG. 

FEMA arranges for periodic CAVs with local officials to provide technical 
assistance regarding compliance with NFIP floodplain management 
requirements. 

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Appendix A 
Glossary 

Community Development 
Block Grants (CDBG) 

Community Rating System 
(CRS) 

Community Relations (CR) 

Congressional Liaison 

Cooperative Agreement 
(CA) 

Damage Survey Report 
(DSR) 

Deputy Federal 

Coordinating Officer for 
Mitigation 
(DFCO-M) 

Disaster Assistance 
Employee (DAE) 

Disaster Declaration 

Disaster Field Office (DFO) 

Disaster Housing 

Disaster Information 
Systems Clearinghouse 
(DISC) 

Administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); 
the objective of the CDBGs is to develop viable urban communities by providing 
decent housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic 
opportunities, principally for low to moderate-income people. Disaster-related 
assistance can be eligible under this program depending on state priorities; 
mitigation activities have been funded under this program. 

The CRS is an NFIP program that provides incentives for NFIP communities to 
complete activities that reduce flood hazard risk. When the community completes 
specified activities, the insurance premiums of these communities are reduced. 

CR is a FEMA support function within the DFO that provides disaster 
information to victims of a disaster especially in remote areas and to low income, 
welfare recipients, elderly, or handicapped victims. CR ensures assistance 
opportunities are made available to all affected on an equal basis and provides 
the ERT management with information on ethnic and cultural diversity within 
the affected populations. 

The Congressional Liaison is a FEMA official within the Office of Congressional 
and Legislative Affairs who answers questions and concerns from Members of 
Congress and other elected officials during a disaster. 

The CA is a mechanism whereby FEMA can reimburse states to utilize state 
resources to expedite the completion of a specific task associated with damage 
occurring from a disaster. 

The DSR (currently referred to as Project Worksheet, PW) is the public 
assistance inspector's report that is reviewed by FEMA and is the basis for 
approving Public Assistance. 

As part of the FCO's command staff, the DFCO-M manages and directs the 
mitigation component of either the regional ERT or ERT-N. The DFCO-M 
advises the FCO, manages the mitigation operation, and provides Federal 
leadership by forging partnerships to integrate effective planning and program 
implementation activities in the disaster operation. 

DAEs are trained temporary employees that augment permanent FEMA 
personnel in disaster operations in the field. 

A disaster declaration is a Presidential determination that a jurisdiction of the 
United States may receive Federal aid as a result of damages from a major 
disaster or emergency. 

The DFO is established in or near a designated disaster site to support Federal 
and state response and recovery operations. It is the operating site for the ERT. 

Disaster Housing (formerly called Temporary Housing) is temporary housing 
supplied by emergency management officials to disaster victims whose homes are 
no longer inhabitable due to damages sustained in a declared disaster. 

The DISC provides centralized control, deployment, and accountability of 
disaster information systems. It is located at FEMA's Mount Weather Emergency 
Assistance Center in Bluemont, VA. 

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Appendix A 
Glossary 

Disaster Recovery Center 
(DRC) 

Disaster Recovery Manager 
(DRM) 

Early Implementation 
Strategy 

Earthquake 

Economic Development 
Administration (EDA) 

Emergency 

Emergency Management 
Performance Grant (EMPG) 

Emergency Response Team 
(ERT) 

Emergency Response Team 

-Advanced (ERT-A) 
Emergency Response Team 

-Mitigation (ERT-M) 
Emergency Response Team 
-National (ERT-N) 

Emergency Support 
Function (ESF) 

The DRC is a location within or near the disaster site at which disaster 
assistance clients can obtain information about assistance programs and check on 
the status of their teleregistration for assistance. 

The DRM is the FEMA official (normally the FCO) who has the delegated 
authority from the Regional Director to manage authorities under the Stafford 
Act, including incurring financial obligations. 

The Strategy is a report that is jointly developed by FEMA, state, and local 
governments immediately after the initial disaster response to address immediate 
recovery needs and their potential implications for supporting long-term 
mitigation and redevelopment goals. FEMA's long-term goal is to implement 
mitigation as the foundation for establishing disaster-resistant and sustainable 
communities. The Strategy provides a framework for activities to be undertaken 
during the weeks immediately following the event, and serves as a starting point 
for in-depth consideration through the IHMT and/or state mitigation planning 
process. 

An earthquake is a sudden motion or trembling of the earth caused by the 
abrupt release of slowly accumulated strain upon tectonic plates. Synonym: 
Seismic Event. 

The EDA, part of the Department of Commerce, is the Federal agency that 
assists communities with grants and technical assistance for economic 
development. 

As defined in Title V of Public Law 93-288, Section 1.02(l), an emergency is 
"any occasion or instance for which, in the determination of the President, 
Federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities 
to save lives and protect property and public health and safety." 

An EMPG is the mechanism by which FEMA provides funding to states to 
develop and maintain emergency management programs. States develop a "selfassessment" 
of their emergency management needs, including mitigation, and a 
5-year plan to meet those needs. Based on the plan, FEMA provides various levels 
of funding through a FEMA/State Cooperative Agreement (CA). 

The ERT is an interagency team consisting of the lead representative from each 
Federal department or agency assigned primary responsibility for an ESF, and 
members of the FCO's staff mobilized to carry out the FCO's duties. 

The ERT-A is the portion of the ERT deployed first to the field to respond to a 
disaster incident. 

The ERT-M is the portion of the ERT responsible for field mitigation operations 
that support sustained actions that will eliminate or reduce long-term risk to 
people and property from hazards and their effects. 

The ERT-N is a national-level field response team. 

ESF is the term used to indicate a functional area of response activity established 
to facilitate the delivery of Federal assistance required during the immediate 
response phase of a disaster to save lives and protect property and public health. 

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Appendix A 
Glossary 

Emergency Support Team 
(EST) 

ESF-5 - Information and 
Planning Section 

Executive Order 11988 
(Floodplain Management) 

Executive Order 11990 
(Protection of Wetlands) 

Executive Orders 12699 and 
12941 (Seismic Safety) 

Executive Order 12898 
(Environmental Justice) 

Fault 

Federal Coordinating Officer 
(FCO) 

Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) 

Federal Insurance 
Administration (FIA) 

Federal Response Plan (FRP) 

The EST is an interagency group operating from FEMA headquarters in 
Washington, DC to oversee the national level response effort and coordinate 
activities with the ESF primary and support agencies in supporting the Federal 
response requirements in the field. The EST consists of the lead representatives 
from each Federal department or agency assigned a primary ESF responsibility 
and members of the EST Director's staff. 

ESF-5 is the section of the ERT responsible for collecting, processing, analyzing, 
and disseminating information about disaster operations in order to support 
planning and decision making at both the field operations and Headquarters 
levels. The ESF-5 also coordinates short- and long-term planning at the field 
operations level. 

E.O. 11988 requires that no Federally assisted activities be conducted in or have 
the potential to affect identified Special Flood Hazard Areas, unless there is no 
practicable alternative. 
The companion to E.O. 11988, it requires that no Federally assisted activities be 
conducted in or have the potential to affect identified wetlands, unless there is no 
practicable alternative. 

E.O. 12699 requires 29 Federal agencies to issue regulations or procedures, and 
adopt minimum design and construction standards for seismic safety. E.O. 12941 
requires seismic rehabilitation of Federally owned or leased buildings. 
E.O. 12898 requires Federal agencies to make environmental justice part of their 
mission by identifying and addressing disproportionately high and adverse human 
health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority 
and low-income populations. 
A fault is a fracture or fracture zone in the earth's surface, along which there has 
been displacement or the junction of two tectonic plates. 

The FCO is the responsible official who initiates action immediately to ensure 
Federal disaster assistance is provided in accordance with the declaration, 
applicable laws, regulations, and the FEMA-State Agreement; appointed by the 
President, FEMA Director, or FEMA Associate Director for Response and Recovery. 

FEMA is an executive agency whose mission is to reduce loss of life and property 
and protect our nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a 
comprehensive, risk-based, emergency management program of mitigation, 
preparedness, response, and recovery. 

The FIA is the branch of FEMA that administers the National Flood Insurance 
Program (NFIP), providing flood insurance to individuals and communities that 
would otherwise not be protected. 

The Federal Response Plan facilitates the Federal response to disasters in the 
United States, territories, and other jurisdictions. The Plan outlines the planning 
assumptions, policies, and concepts of operations, organizational structures, and 
specifies responsibility assignments of Federal departments and agencies prior to 
and during disasters. 

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Appendix A 
Glossary 

FEMA-State Agreement 

Fire Potential Index (FPI) 

Flash Flood 

Flood Insurance Rate Map 
(FIRM) 

Flood Mitigation Assistance 
(FMA) Program 

Floodplain 

Fujita Scale of Tornado 
Intensity 

Gap Legislation 

Geographic Information 
System (GIS) 

Hazard Identification and 
Risk Assessment (HIRA) 

Hazard Mitigation 

A FEMA-State Agreement is a binding statement of the understandings, 
commitments, assurances, and conditions for assistance under which FEMA 
disaster assistance shall be provided to states. This Agreement imposes binding 
obligations on FEMA, states, and their local governments in the form of 
conditions for assistance, which are legally enforceable. 

The FPI was developed by USGS and USFS to assess and map fire hazard 
potential over broad areas. Based on such geographic information, national policy 
makers and on-the-ground fire managers establish priorities for prevention 
activities in the defined area to reduce the risk of managed and wildfire ignition 
and spread. Prediction of fire hazard shortens the time between fire ignition and 
initial attack by enabling fire managers to pre-allocate and stage suppression 
forces to high fire risk areas. 

A flash flood is a flood event occurring with little or no warning where water 
levels rise at an extremely fast rate. 

A FIRM is the official FEMA-prepared map of a community that shows base 
flood elevations along with special flood hazard areas and the flood insurance 
risk premium zones. 

The FMA Program provides annual funding for states and local governments 
that are planning or taking action to reduce or eliminate long-term risk of flood 
damage to buildings, manufactured homes, and other insured structures. Grants 
may be awarded for planning assistance, implementation of mitigation strategies, 
and technical assistance. 

Floodplains are low-lying areas adjacent to rivers and streams that naturally 
experience periodic inundation due to rainfall, snowmelt, or dam or levee failure. 

The Fujita Scale rates tornadoes with numeric values from F0 to F6 based on 
tornado severity and damage sustained. An F0 indicates minimal damage such a 
broken tree limbs or signs, while an F6 indicates severe damage sustained. 

Gap legislation authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assist 
communities with limited emergency work, providing 100 percent funding for up 
to 10 days after a disaster. The legislation was developed to provide a "fast-track" 
disaster assistance "revenue stream" for those instances where it might otherwise 
take 10-14 days for FEMA and the President to determine whether or not FEMA 
assistance is warranted. 

Computer software that links geographic information (where things are) with 
descriptive information (what things are like). 

The HIRA attempts to identify all the hazards that potentially threaten a 
community and provide an analysis of each hazard to determine the degree of 
threat posed by each. HIRA activities include identifying and mapping flood 
hazard areas; characterizing the impact of hurricanes using storm surge and 
wind decay models, mapping earthquake hazards, and using this hazard data to 
identify where damages may occur within a community. 

Hazard mitigation is a sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term 
risk to people and property from hazards and their effects. 

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Hazard Mitigation Grant 
Program (HMGP) 

Hazard Mitigation State 
Administrative Plan 

Hazard Mitigation 
Technical Assistance 
Program (HMTAP) 

Hazards United States 
(HAZUS) 

HOME Investment 
Partnerships Program 

Human Services (HS) 
(Formerly Individual 
Assistance, IA) 

Hurricane 

Hurricane Program (HP) 

Increased Cost of 
Compliance (ICC) 

Individual and Family 
Grant Program (IFG) 

Authorized under Section 404 of the Stafford Act, this Program provides funding 
for cost-effective hazard mitigation projects in conformance with the post-disaster 
mitigation plan required under Section 409 of the Stafford Act. Section 404 
authorizes the President to contribute up to 75 percent of the cost of mitigation 
measures that are determined to be cost effective and substantially reduce the 
risk of future damage or loss in states affected by a major disaster. The 
remaining 25 percent of the cost may be a combination of state, local, and other 
non-Federal contributions. 

The Hazard Mitigation State Administrative Plan is required to be developed to 
describe the state procedures for administering the HMGP. 

HMTAP is a nationwide contract to support FEMA, states, territories, and local 
governments with technical assistance to enhance the effectiveness of their 
natural hazard mitigation program efforts. HMTAP may be used to support 
post-disaster program needs in cases of large, unusual, or complex projects; 
situations where resources are not available; or where technical assistance is 
needed. 

HAZUS is a PC-based GIS software that implements a standardized, nationally 
applicable earthquake loss estimation methodology (computer model). Flood and 
hurricane loss estimation models are currently under development. 

This Program is sponsored by HUD and provides permanent housing for low-
income homeowners or renters in large cities and urban counties. Funds can be 
used for acquisition, new construction, and rehabilitation. 

HS, formerly known as IA, provides supplementary Federal assistance (under the 
Stafford Act (408)) to individuals and families adversely affected by a major 
disaster or emergency. 

Hurricanes are part of a family of weather systems known as "tropical cyclones." 
Depending on the strength of the winds extending in a counter-clockwise 
formation from the eye of the hurricane, it can be classified as a Category 1, to 
Category 5 hurricane, with 5 being the most severe. 

HP is a FEMA program that provides funds to states at risk from hurricanes for 
the following: 
 activities that establish, enhance, and maintain basic levels of preparedness and

 mitigation capabilities; 
 activities that promote effective mitigation measures to reduce damage to public

 and private property; 
 HIRA and evacuation studies; 
 post-storm analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures; 
 training and exercises; and 
 activities that promote public awareness and education.

ICC is a component of the standard flood insurance policy which provides up to 
$15,000 coverage for complying with the cost of meeting substantial damage 
requirements or towards eliminating flood damage to a structure that has had 
repetitive flood insurance claims paid. 

IFG is a FEMA program that provides monetary aid to individuals and families 
to meet disaster-related expenses for necessary items or for serious needs. 

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Individual Assistance (IA) 

Information and Planning 
Section 

Infrastructure 

Infrastructure Support (IS) 

Intensity 

Interagency Hazard 
Mitigation Team (IHMT) 

Landslide 

Magnitude 

Major Disaster 

Mission Assignment 

Mitigation 

Mobile Emergency 
Response Support (MERS) 

See Human Services (HS). 

See ESF-5 - Information and Planning Section. 

Infrastructure is a term that refers to the public services of a community that 
have a direct impact on the quality of life. Infrastructure refers to 
communication technology such as phone lines or Internet access, vital services 
such as public water supplies and sewer treatment facilities, and includes an 
area's transportation system, regional dams or bridges, etc. 

IS (also known as Public Assistance, PA) is Federal financial assistance provided 
by FEMA under the Stafford Act (Section 406) to state and local governments or 
to eligible private non-profit organizations for disaster-related requirements. 

Intensity is a measure of the effects of an earthquake at a particular place. 
Intensity depends not only on the earthquake magnitude, but also on the 
distance from the earthquake epicenter and on the local geology. 

IHMT is the mitigation team usually activated following major disasters, 
pursuant to the Office of Management and Budget directive and subsequent 
Federal Interagency Agreement. Shortly following a Presidential declared disaster, 
the IHMT, composed of Federal, state, and local officials, develops a report 
identifying post-disaster mitigation opportunities and common post-disaster 
recovery policies. 

A landslide refers to the processes and landforms involving the downslope 
movement, under gravity, of masses of soil and rock material. 

Magnitude is a measure of the strength of an earthquake or the strain of energy 
released, as determined by seismic observations. 

As defined under Public Law 93-288, a major disaster is any natural catastrophe 
(including any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, 

tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, 
snowstorm, or drought), or any fire, flood, or explosion in any part of the 

United States, which in the determination of the President, causes damage of 
sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under the 
Stafford Act. 

Mission Assignments are mechanisms whereby FEMA can task another Federal 
entity to provide specified resources beyond their usual authorities and resources. 
Mission Assignments are appropriate in situations where the required resource or 
expertise is of a critical nature, unique, time sensitive, and where the nature of 
the requirement can be best met by an OFA. 

Mitigation refers to sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk 
to people and property from hazards and their effects. 

MERS is a rapidly deployable resource operated by FEMA that provides 
immediate communications, logistics, and life support capabilities at a disaster 
site. 

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Mobile Mitigation 
Assistance Vehicle (MMAV) 

National Earthquake 
Hazards Reduction 
Program (NEHRP) 

National Emergency 
Management Information 
Systems (NEMIS) 

National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) 

National Flood Insurance 
Program (NFIP) 

National Historic 
Preservation Act (NHPA) 

National Interagency 
Emergency Operations 
Center (NIEOC) 

National Mitigation 
Strategy 

National Weather 
Service(NWS) 

An MMAV is a recreational vehicle (RV) equipped with educational tools and 
assigned trained mitigation counselors. The MMAV is used to implement a 
mobile community-based mitigation outreach program; it allows FEMA staff to 
provide damage prevention guidance and information to disaster-affected 
individuals in scattered locations and provides ancillary support to disseminate 
information about the Disaster Assistance Tele-registration process. 

Created by Congress in 1977 to mitigate earthquake losses by providing technical 
and educational assistance to communities threatened by earthquakes, NEHRP 
is intended to mitigate earthquake losses through development and 
implementation of seismic design and construction standards and techniques; 
technical assistance materials; education and risk reduction programs; centers 
addressing specific aspects of the earthquake problem; and dissemination of 
earthquake information. 

NEMIS is a computer-based data management and communications network 

that links FEMA and states. The network provides necessary databases, e-mail, 
and software applications to enable on-line case management and request 
processing. It also serves to simplify program management responsibilities. 

Passed by Congress in 1970, this Act established a national policy for the 
protection and maintenance of the environment by mandating a planning 
process that all Federal agencies must follow. NEPA requires that FEMA carry 
out its responsibilities in a manner that ensures that all practical means and 
measures are used to protect, restore, and enhance the quality of the 
environment or to avoid or minimize adverse environmental consequences (44 
CFR Part 10). 

NFIP makes flood insurance available to property owners in exchange for the 
local adoption and enforcement of a minimum floodplain management ordinance 
that regulates new and substantially damaged or improved development in 
designated flood hazard areas. 

Consideration of cultural resources by Federal agencies is mandated under 
Section 106 of the NHPA, as implemented under 36 CFR Part 800. Requirements 
include identifying significant historic properties that may be impacted by a 
proposed project. 

NIEOC is the focal point for national-level coordination and response activities; 
it receives and disseminates information on natural and man-made disasters, 
prepares daily reports on emergency activities, and houses and provides direct 
support to the EST in operations and exercises. 

Introduced in 1995 by FEMA to focus national attention on mitigation, the 
Strategy encourages all levels of government and the private sector to identify 
potential hazards and take steps to reduce the risks. 

The NWS prepares and issues flood, severe weather, and coastal storm warnings 
and can provide technical assistance to Federal and state entities in preparing 

weather and flood warning plans. 

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Nor'easter Nor'easters are low-pressure systems that move along the eastern seaboard, 
picking up moisture from the gulf stream as they move from the central states to 
the northeast. There, the storm drops the accumulated moisture in the form of 
heavy rain or snow. Severe flooding and erosion can be associated with the rains, 
winds, and waves that are part of this type of storm system. 
Operations Section The Operations Section of the ERT coordinates the delivery of Federal assistance 
and manages the activities of various emergency teams. 
Preliminary Damage The PDA is the basis for a state's request for Presidential disaster declaration. It 
Assessment (PDA) is a joint FEMA/State verification of actual damages and an estimate of 
additional resources that will be needed because of a disaster. 
Preparedness Preparedness refers to steps taken to decide what to do if essential services break 
down, developing a plan for contingencies, and practicing the plan. Preparedness 
ensures that people are ready for a disaster and will respond to it effectively. 
Probability Probability is the numeric likelihood of an event. Theoretically, the probability of 
the occurrence of an event is between zero (indicating that the event never 
occurs) and one (indicating that the event always occurs). 
Project Impact Project Impact is a FEMA initiative to demonstrate the economic, social, and 
environmental benefits of pre-disaster mitigation to states, local communities, 
businesses, and individuals. This nationwide initiative emphasizes long-term 
mitigation at the local level through partnering with businesses, industry, 
residents, and NGOs. 
Project Worksheet (PW) The PW (formerly known as the Damage Survey Report, DSR) is the public 
assistance inspector's report that is reviewed by FEMA and is the basis for 
approving public assistance. 
Public Assistance (PA) PA is the supplementary Federal assistance provided by FEMA, under the 
Stafford Act, to state and local governments or certain private, non-profit 
organizations (other than assistance for the direct benefit of individuals and 
families). PA deals with repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged public 
infrastructure and facilities and damaged private non-profit facilities. 
Rapid Needs Assessment The RNA Team is a small, self-sufficient, regionally based interagency team 
Team (RNA Team) designed to deploy to the disaster location within 12 hours of activation. The 
Team focuses on conducting a rapid assessment to determine potential 
requirements for immediate resources needed for basic human needs and 
protection of property. 
Reconstruction RICs are centralized facilities established by FEMA to provide individuals 
Information Center (RIC) affected by a disaster with mitigation information on reconstruction and 
rebuilding techniques. A RIC may be set up at a fixed or mobile location. 
Recovery Recovery activities include rebuilding homes, businesses, and public facilities; 
permanent repair of roads and bridges; and restoring water, sewer, and other 
essential services. These activities may receive Federal supplemental disaster 
recovery assistance under a Presidential disaster declaration. 
Regional Operations The ROC is the operations facility for the coordination of Federal response and 
Center (ROC) recovery activities and is often located at the FEMA regional office. The ROC 
staff manages Federal field response until the DFO becomes operational. 

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Regional Response Plan 
(RRP) 

Response 

Richter Scale 

Section 404 of the Stafford 
Act (Hazard Mitigation) 

Section 406 of the 
Stafford Act 

Section 408 of the 
Stafford Act 

Section 409 of the Stafford 
Act (State Hazard 
Mitigation Plan) 

Seismicity 

Situation Report (SitRep) 

Small Business 
Administration (SBA) 

Special Flood Hazard 
Areas (SFHAs) 

Stafford Act 

State Coordinating Officer 
(SCO) 

The RRP applies the emergency management components of the FRP to the 
geographic and demographic characteristics of each of the ten Federal Regions. 

Response activities address the immediate and short-term effects of an emergency 
or disaster. Response activities include immediate actions to save lives, protect 

property, meet basic human needs, and restore water, sewer, and other essential 
services. 

The Richter Scale is a numerical scale of earthquake magnitude devised by 
seismologist C.F. Richter in 1935. Small or microearthquakes can have negative 
magnitude values. In theory there is no limit to the upper scale an earthquake can 
reach, but because of rock strength there is an actual upper limit of slightly less 
than 9. 

Section 404 of the Stafford Act authorizes the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program 
(HMGP), which provides funding for cost-effective, environmentally sound hazard 
mitigation measures. 

See Infrastructure Support (IS). 

See Human Services (HS). 

Section 409 requires states to prepare a Mitigation Plan prior to receiving any 
FEMA assistance under the Act. The Plan must identify and evaluate the hazards 
in the areas where Federal disaster relief proceeds are provided, and set forth a 

plan of action to mitigate those hazards. 

The likelihood of an area being subject to earthquakes. 

Daily or weekly summaries of the disaster situation, status of operations, and 
identification of future priorities for response and recovery operations are known as 
SitReps. 

In a Presidential or SBA-declared disaster, SBA can provide additional low-interest 
loans for mitigation measures up to 20 percent above what an eligible applicant 
would otherwise qualify for. 

SFHAs are areas designated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) in which 
specific NFIP requirements apply. 

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, PL 100- 107 

was signed into law November 23, 1988 and amended the Disaster Relief Act of 
1974, PL 93-288. The Stafford Act is the statutory authority for most Federal 
disaster response activities, especially as they pertain to FEMA and its programs. 

The SCO is appointed by the Governor to act in cooperation with the FCO. 

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State Hazard Mitigation The SHMO is the representative of state government who is the primary point of 
Officer (SHMO) contact with FEMA, other state and Federal agencies, and local units of 
government in the planning and implementation of pre- and post-disaster 
mitigation activities. 
State Hazard Mitigation The SHMT is composed of key state agency representatives, local units of 
Team (SHMT) government, and other public or private sector bodies or agencies. The purpose of 
the SHMT is to evaluate hazards, identify strategies, coordinate resources, and 
implement measures that will reduce the vulnerability of people and property to 
damage from hazards. 
State Mitigation Plan The State Mitigation Plan is a systematic evaluation of the nature and extent of 
vulnerability to the effects of natural hazards typically present in the state and 
includes a description of actions needed to minimize future vulnerability to 
hazards. 
Strike-Slip Fault A fault that strikes or slips parallel with the strike of the adjacent strata involved. 
Sustainability Desk The Sustainability Desk disseminates information promoting the integration of 
the principles and practices of sustainable development in the post-disaster 
recovery process. This information is developed by FEMA, in partnership with 
the state and through coordination with other agencies and organizations 
(Federal or non-Federal). There may or may not be an actual desk in the DFO 
or the DRCs at which an individual works or distributes publications. 
Sustainability/Sustainable Sustainable development maintains or enhances economic opportunity and 
Development community well being while respecting, protecting and restoring the natural 
environment upon which people and economies depend. Disaster resistance 
should be considered an important element of sustainability. 
Sustainable Sustainable re-development incorporates the concepts and practices of sustainable 
Re-development development into the disaster recovery process. 
Tectonic Plate Tectonic plates are torsionally rigid, thin segments of the earth's lithosphere that 
may be assumed to move horizontally and adjoin other plates. It is the friction 
between plate boundaries that causes seismic activity. 
Teleregistration Teleregistration refers to telephone applications for individual assistance by 
disaster victims. Individuals may also register for assistance in person, but 
Teleregistration is FEMA's preferred approach. 
Temporary Housing See Disaster Housing. 
Thrust Fault A thrust fault has a dip of 45 or less over much of its extent. Horizontal 
compression rather than vertical displacement is its characteristic feature. 
Tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air, pendant from a cumulonimbus 
cloud, and nearly always observable as a "funnel cloud." Tornadoes are measured 
in intensity by the Fujita Scale (see Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity). 

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Tsunami A tsunami is a long-period (usually 15-60 minutes) wave caused by a large-scale 
movement of the sea floor (from a volcanic eruption, submarine earthquake, or 
landslide). Although usually barely noticeable at sea, its velocity may be as high 
as 400 knots so that it travels great distances and in shoal water may reach 
heights of up to 15 meters. 
Volunteer Agency 
(VOLAG) 
A VOLAG is any chartered or otherwise duly recognized tax-exempt local, state, 
or national organization or group that provides needed services to the states, local 
government, or individuals in coping with a disaster. 
Wide Area Network 
(WAN) 
A WAN interconnects computer users in a geographic area larger than those 
serviced by local area networks. 

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Appendix B
Acronyms

B 
Appendix B 

Acronyms

Many of the following acronyms are used within this guidance document. 
However, other commonly used acronyms are included because they are used within 
the DFO and throughout the recovery process. 

ADD Automated Deployment Database 
AIA American Institute of Architects 
APA American Planning Association 
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers 
ASFPM Association of State Floodplain Managers 
ASLA American Society of Landscape Architects 
BCA Benefit-cost analysis 
BFE Base flood elevation 
BMP Best Management Practices 
BPAT Building Performance Assessment Team 
CA Cooperative Agreement 
CAP-SSSE Community Assistance Program  State Support Services Element 
CAR Capability Assessment for Readiness 
CAV Community Assistance Visit 
CBRS Coastal Barrier Resources System 
CDBG Community Development Block Grant 
CDRG Catastrophic Disaster Response Group 
CEQ Council on Environmental Quality 
CERT Community Emergency Response Team 
CHER-CAP Comprehensive HAZMAT Emergency Response /Capability 
Assessment Program 

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CR Community Relations 
CRS Community Rating System 
CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act 
DAE Disaster Assistance Employee 
DEM Digital Elevation Model 
DFCO-M Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer for Mitigation 
DFO Disaster Field Office 
DOE U.S. Department of Energy 
DISC Disaster Information Systems Clearinghouse 
DPIG Disaster Preparedness Improvement Grant Program 
DRC Disaster Recovery Center 
DRM Disaster Recovery Manager 
DSR Damage Survey Report 
DTE Disaster Temporary Employee 
EDA Economic Development Administration 
EJPA Environmental Joint Powers Agreement 
EMI Emergency Management Institute 
EMPG Emergency Management Performance Grant 
EO Executive Order 
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
ER Emergency Response 
EREN Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network 
ERT Emergency Response Team 
ERT-N National Emergency Response Team 
ESA Endangered Species Act 
ESF Emergency Support Function 
EST-M Emergency Support Team - Mitigation 
FCO Federal Coordinating Officer 
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency 
FIA Federal Insurance Administration 
FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map 
FMA Flood Mitigation Assistance Program 
FPI Fire Potential Index 
FRP Federal Response Plan 

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Acronyms

GAR Governors Authorized Representative 
GIS Geographic Information System 
HAZMAT Hazardous Materials 
HAZUS Hazards United States 
HIRA Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment 
HMGP Hazard Mitigation Grant Program 
HMTAP Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Program 
HP Hurricane Program 
HS Human Services 
HUD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning 
IA Individual Assistance 
IBC International Building Code 
ICC Increased Cost of Compliance 
IFG Individual and Family Grant Program 
IHMT Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team 
IS Infrastructure Support 
MDZ Minimum Density Zoning 
MEMA Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency 
MERS Mobile Emergency Response Support 
MMAV Mobile Mitigation Assistance Vehicle 
MMI Modified Mercalli Intensity 
MOA Memorandum of Agreement 
NDSP National Dam Safety Program 
NEHRP National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program 
NEMIS National Emergency Management Information System 
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act 
NFDRS National Fire Danger Rating System 
NFIP National Flood Insurance Program 
NGO Nongovernmental Organization 
NHCEM New Hanover County Emergency Management 
NHPA National Historic Preservation Act 
NIBS National Institute of Building Standards 
NIEOC National Interagency Emergency Operations Center 

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NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Agency 
NWS National Weather Service 
OFA Other Federal Agency 
OSEC Office of Sustainable Ecosystems and Communities 
PA Public Assistance 
PAS Planning Advisory Service 
PCSD Presidents Council on Sustainable Development 
PDA Preliminary Damage Assessment 
PI Project Impact 
PIO Public Information Officer 
PVB Polyvinyl Butyrol 
PW Project worksheet 
RIC Reconstruction Information Center 
RNA-Team Rapid Needs Assessment Team 
ROC Regional Operations Center 
RRP Regional Response Plan 
SBA Small Business Administration 
SCO State Coordinating Officer 
SFHA Special Flood Hazard Area 
SHMO State Hazard Mitigation Officer 
SHMT State Hazard Mitigation Team 
SHPO State Historic Preservation Office 
SitRep Situation Report 
SOP Standard Operating Procedures 
UMWB Upper Mystic Watershed Basin 
USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture 
USFS U.S. Forest Service 
USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
USGS U.S. Geological Survey 
VOLAG Volunteer agency 
WAN Wide Area Network 
WWTP Wastewater treatment plant 

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Appendix C 
Websites 

C 
Appendix C 

Websites 

Extensive information is available over the Internet regarding programs, 
references, case studies and resources that can support the advancement of sustainable 
development. The following is not an exhaustive listing, but does include 
governmental, non-profit, academic, and international sites that can provide links to 
more specific information. 

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 
http://www.achp.gov 

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is an independent Federal agency 
that provides a forum for influencing Federal activities, programs, and policies as they 
affect historic resources. Its mission is to promote the protection and enhancement of 
those resources. The goal of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), which 
established the Council in 1966, is to have Federal agencies as responsible stewards of 
our nations resources when their actions affect historic properties. The Council is the 
only entity with the legal responsibility to balance historic preservation concerns with 
Federal project requirements. 

The American Planning Association 
http://www.planning.org 

The American Planning Association is organized to advance the art and science of 
planning and to foster the activity of planning  physical, economic, and social  at 
the local, regional, state, and national levels. The objective of the Association is to 
encourage planning that will contribute to public well-being by developing 
communities and environments that meet the needs of people and society more 
effectively. APA works in conjunction with FEMA to integrate disaster mitigation into 
comprehensive planning throughout the nation. 

Association of State Floodplain Managers 
http://www.floods.org/ 

The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) supports comprehensive 
nonstructural and structural management of the nations floodplains and related water 

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Appendix C 
Websites 

resources. The ASFPM believes that, through coordinated, well-informed efforts, the 
public and private sectors can: 

1. Reduce loss of human life and property damage resulting from flooding, 
2. Preserve the natural and cultural values of floodplains, and 
3. Avoid actions that exacerbate flooding. 
The ASFPM is an organization of professionals involved in flood hazard 
mitigation, floodplain management, flood preparedness, warning and recovery as well 
as the National Flood Insurance Program. This website offers access to information on 
the many conferences and workshops the association holds throughout the year, often 
in cooperation with FEMA or local agencies. There is a link to the Honduras Project, 
where ASFPM is working with the Pan American Development Foundation and 
Honduran floodplain professionals to speed that countrys recovery from Hurricane 
Mitch. The Association offers a Certified Floodplain Manager Program, as well as 
awards and graduate fellowships. 

The Building Seismic Safety Council 
http://www.bssconline.org 

The Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) was established in 1979 under the 
auspices of the National Institute of Building Sciences as an entirely new type of 
instrument for dealing with the complex regulatory, technical, social, and economic 
issues involved in developing and promulgating building earthquake risk mitigation 
regulatory provisions that are national in scope. By bringing together in the BSSC all 
of the needed expertise and all relevant public and private interests, it was believed that 
issues related to the seismic safety of the built environment could be resolved and 
jurisdictional problems overcome through authoritative guidance and assistance backed 
by a broad consensus. 

The BSSC is an independent, voluntary membership body representing a wide 
variety of building community interests. Its fundamental purpose is to enhance public 
safety by providing a national forum that fosters improved seismic safety provisions for 
use by the building community in the planning, design, construction, regulation, and 
utilization of buildings. 

BSSC has a variety of publications including The (HAZUS) Natural Hazard 
Estimation and The Construction Criteria Base (CCB). 

Center for Livable Communities 
http://www.lgc.org/clc 

The Center for Livable Communities is a national initiative of the Local 
Government Commission (LGC). A nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization of 
elected officials, city and county staff, and other interested individuals throughout 
California and other states, the LGC helps local governments identify and implement 
solutions to todays problems. 

The Center for Livable Communities helps local governments and community 
leaders be proactive in their land use and transportation planning, and adopt programs 
and policies that lead to more livable and resource-efficient land use patterns. Center 
programs can help jurisdictions expand transportation alternatives, reduce 
infrastructure costs, create more affordable housing, improve air quality, preserve 

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natural resources, conserve agricultural land and open space, and restore local 
economic and social vitality. 

Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology 
http://solstice.crest.org/index.shtml 

The Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (REPP-CREST) 
and the Renewable Energy Policy Project Internet information service (Solstice) 
provides information on sustainable energy initiatives. This site contains information 
and links on renewable energy including bioenergy, geothermal, hydrogen, solar and 
wind energy. There are also links about energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, and 
other infrastructure, as well as information and guides to sustainable living. 

City of Austin: Green Building Program 
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/greenbuilder/ 

Part of the Austin City Connection page in Austin, Texas, this site provides useful 
information on resources related to sustainable building practices, products, and 
techniques. The site profiles publications such as The Sustainable Building 
Sourcebook, developed for the Austin Green Builder Program. In-depth reviews of 
sustainable building products and methods and information on where to access 
unbiased information are available at Environmental Building New Beta Site. The 
Green Building Program encourages construction professionals and consumers to 
incorporate sustainable building practices, systems, and materials into residential and 
commercial construction. 

The Coastal Society 
http://www.thecoastalsociety.org 

The Coastal Society is an organization of private sector, academic, and government 
professionals and students dedicated to actively addressing emerging coastal issues by 
fostering dialogue, forging partnerships, and promoting communication and education. 

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/EC) 
http://www.ezec.gov/ 

This site details the EZ/EC Program, a Presidential Initiative implemented to 
revitalize distressed communities across the U.S. by rebuilding a sense of community 
and restoring economic opportunities for all citizens. It provides maps and lists of the 
EZ/EC communities as well as links to community home pages. It includes resources 
such as U.S. codes, successful economic development practices, and publications. 

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network 
http://www.eren.doe.gov/ 

This site is the home page of the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EREN). The site provides links to information on 
the whole spectrum of energy-efficiency and renewable energy topics, as well as a list of 
key contacts and a list of hot topics (the federal budget, for example). EREN offers 
access to DOEs national laboratory databases on a host of topics, such as solar access 
and wind regimes. 

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The EPAs Green Communities Assistance Kit 
http://www.epa.gov/region03/greenkit/q5_disas.htm 

The Green Communities Assistance Kit is designed as a comprehensive reference 
guide for identifying and resolving needs, interests, and problems for a range of 
communities - urban, suburban, and rural. Included in its topical tools is the Tools for 
Natural Disasters page offering a lengthy list of Internet resources divided into Policy 
and Planning Tools, Regulatory Tools, Technical Tools, and Financial Tools. Find 
everything from hurricane preparedness training and guidelines to disaster response 
and recovery programs. 

The Farm Service Agency (FSA)s Natural Disaster Assistance 
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/disaster/assistance1.htm 

This site deals with hazards that affect Americas farmers and ranchers. The 
information covers earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, or other natural events that can 
severely damage agricultural operations. 

Farming or ranching operations that suffer a loss due to a natural disaster may be 
eligible for assistance under one or more of the following FSA programs: 

 The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) 
 The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) 
 Emergency Loan (EM) Assistance 
 Emergency Haying and Grazing Assistance 
This link provides information on what kind of help is available, who may be 
eligible for it, and how to go about applying for FSA emergency assistance. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 
http://www.fema.gov/MIT/fldmitast.htm 

This site provides information for Flood Mitigation Assistance, Mitigation 
Assistance Program, Sustainability and Sustainable Re-development, and Community 
Assistance Program. 

Firewise 
http://www.firewise.org 

The Firewise website was created for people who live or vacation in fire-prone 
areas of North America. The site will acquaint people with the challenges of living in 
areas susceptible to wildfire. It provides information that may lessen the risk of wildfire 
loss and includes a list of offline wildfire protection information as well as links to off-
site fire resources. 

A Guide to Internet Resources in Sustainable Development 
http://www.caf.wvu.edu/gdsouzawww/guide.html 

Partial list of Internet servers or World Wide Web sites (governmental, university, 
private, or other) relating to sustainable development. A brief description of the 
contents of each site is also provided. In most cases, these sites provide information on 

 and links to  a host of topics in addition to sustainability. A specific document is 
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often located several levels away from the main menu or initial link to the site, and 
therefore searching the menu or file hierarchy may be necessary. 

The material in this Guide is organized into five sections: I.) Web sources of 
information on sustainability; II.) Gopher or Telnet Sources; III.) Organizations that 
provide sustainability-related information on the Internet; IV.) Newsgroups that 
include information on sustainability; and V.) List Servers or Discussion Groups. 

HUD Community Planning and Development 
http://www.hud.gov/cpd/cpdhome.html 

This site provides access to many U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD) programs that can serve as resources for sustainability efforts. 
Topics include community development, affordable housing, and energy/environment. 

Institute for Business and Home Safety 
http://www.ibhs.org 

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is an initiative of the insurance 
industry to reduce deaths, injuries, property damage, economic losses and human 
suffering caused by natural disasters. Its mission is to make natural disaster safety a core 
public value and to make disaster resistance an important consideration in the home 
and work environments. 

Joint Center for Sustainable Communities 
http://www.usmayors.org/USCM/sustainable 

The Joint Center for Sustainable Communities represents an important 
collaboration between the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and the National 
Association of Counties (NACo) on behalf of our nations communities. Its primary 
mission is to provide a forum for cities and counties to work together to develop long-
term policies and programs that will lead to job growth, environmental stewardship and 
social equity  the three pillars of sustainable communities. The Joint Center is 
helping local elected officials build sustainable communities by promoting community 
leadership initiatives, providing technical assistance and training, and conducting 
community policy and educational forums. The overall goal of the Joint Center is to 
provide local elected officials with assistance in using the policies and tools necessary 
for creating sustainable communities. 

Mitigation Success Stories (FEMA) 
http://www.fema.gov/mit/sstory/sstory_q1.cfm 

FEMA has a new web page for collecting Mitigation Success Stories or for 
searching for success stories in communities. The reader may search by a variety of 
categories, including state or community name, hazard type, project type. Through the 
sharing of mitigation success stories, communities can share their experience about the 
steps required to reduce risks associated with disasters. This web page allows the reader 
to view other projects, see how they were accomplished, and what benefits were 
derived, or to tell others about the projects your community has successfully supported. 
If a community shares its story, that information may be made available on this web 

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page for visitors to this site and thereby communities can encourage each other by good 
example. 

National Association of Development Organizations Sustainable 
Development Links 
http://www.nado.org/links/index.html#SD 

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) provides 
training, information, and representation for regional development organizations in 
small metropolitan and rural America. The Association, a public interest group 
founded in 1967, is the largest and leading advocate for a regional approach to 
community, economic and rural development and provides a network for its members 
to share ideas and innovations. 

National Council on Sustainable Development 
http://www.ncsdnetwork.org/ 

The goal of the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) is to: 1) 
promote sustainable development at the national level, 2) assist governments in 
decision-making and policy formulation, and 3) follow-up the implementation of 
international processes related to sustainable development. The NCSD is a mechanism 
for implementing sustainability as expressed in Agenda 21, the plan of action agreed to 
by national governments at the Earth Summit held in Rio in 1992. The NCSD concept 
legitimizes the role of civil society as a partner with government in making policy for 
implementing the sustainable development agenda and to move it from agenda to 
action. It brings together different major groups within society to get a balanced 
agreement on policies and activities for sustainability. 

National Institute for Building Standards 
http://www.nibs.org/nibshome.htm 

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) was authorized by the U.S. 
Congress in recognition of the need for an organization that could serve as an interface 
between government and the private sector. The Institutes public interest mission is to: 
improve the building regulatory environment, facilitate the introduction of new and 
existing products and technology into the building process, and disseminate nationally 
recognized technical and regulatory information. Through NIBS, Congress established 
a public/private partnership to enable findings on technical, building-related matters to 
be used effectively to improve government, commerce, and industry. NIBS is a nonprofit, 
non-governmental organization bringing together representatives of 
government, the professions, industry, labor and consumer interests to focus on the 
identification and resolution of problems and potential problems that hamper the 
construction of safe, affordable structures for housing, commerce and industry 
throughout the U.S. 

The Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado 
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/index.html 

The Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center is an 
international clearinghouse of information on natural hazards and human adjustments 

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to these risks. The Centers prime goal is to increase communication among hazard/ 
disaster researchers and those individuals, organizations and agencies that are actively 
working to reduce disaster damage and suffering. The Center carries out its mission in 
four principal areas: information dissemination, research, library services, and an 
annual workshop. 

Available at the site are Quick Response Reports resulting from timely analysis of 
damages from various natural disasters. The library provides access to HazLit, an 
online bibliographic database of the University of Colorados extensive collection of 
social science literature regarding the effects natural disasters have on society. The 
library also has a fee-based custom search service to help with more specific needs. 

NOAA Coastal Services Center 
http://www.csc.noaa.gov 

The NOAA Coastal Services Center works with various branches of NOAA and 
other federal agencies to bring information, services, and technology to the nations 
coastal resource managers. The Center is a partner in over 100 ongoing projects geared 
to resolve site specific coastal issues. 

Operation Fresh Start 
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/freshstart/ 

Operation Fresh Start is an initiative designed to help individuals and 
communities incorporate sustainable principles and technologies into their plans when 
they recover from a flood, earthquake, or other disaster. Sponsored by the Department 
of Energys Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Operation Fresh Start 
is a gateway to information from a variety of federal agencies that deal with disaster 
recovery. 

Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing 
http://www.pathnet.org 

The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) is a voluntary 
initiative that seeks to accelerate the creation and widespread use of advanced 
technologies to improve radically the quality, durability, environmental performance, 
energy efficiency, and affordability of the Nations housing. PATH links key agencies in 
the federal government with leaders from the home building, product manufacturing, 
insurance, financial and regulatory communities in a unique partnership focused on 
technological innovation in the American housing industry. 

Planners Web  City and Regional Planning Resources 
http://www.plannersweb.com/ 

The Planners Web is a broad resource for local or regional planners designed to 
provide informative articles through the Planning Commissioners Journal publication, 
which are available for purchase and download. The Planners Web contains agency 
links and resources for planners addressing the issues of sprawl, zoning, and dealing 
with the public regarding hotly debated planning topics. The site also surveys both the 
ten most successful and detrimental planning events that helped shape American 
planning as it is today. Other information available from this site includes a search 

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engine for articles and information on the restoration and preservation of natural 
resources and the development of green spaces in todays planning initiatives. 

Rebuild America 
http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/rebuild 

Rebuild America is a program of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that 

focuses on energy solutions as community solutions. Rebuild America partners with 

small towns, large metropolitan areas, and Native American tribes, creating a large 

network of peers. Rebuild America supports communities with access to DOE Regional 

Offices, State Energy Offices, National Laboratories, utilities, colleges and 

universities, and non-profit agencies. 

Rocky Mountain Institute 
http://www.rmi.org 

Rocky Mountain Institute is a nonprofit research and educational foundation with 

a vision across political boundaries. Its mission is to foster the efficient and sustainable 

use of resources as a path to global security. The Institute creates, and helps individuals 

and the private sector to practice new solutions to old problems  mainly by 

harnessing the problem-solving power of market economics and of advanced 

techniques for resource efficiency. 

Small Business Administration, Disaster Assistance Division 
http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/DISASTER/ 

The purpose of the SBAs Disaster Loan Program is to offer financial assistance to 

those who are trying to rebuild their homes and businesses in the aftermath of a 

disaster. By offering low-interest loans, the SBA is committed to long-term recovery 

efforts including hazard mitigation. 

Sustainable Architecture 
http://www.aloha.net/~laumana/index.html 

This is an archive of information about sustainable architecture: ecological 

planning, design, integrated architecture, and landscaping for tropical, sub-tropical or 

temperate climates. 

Sustainable Business Network 
http://sbn.netforchange.com 

The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) is a project of the EnviroLink Network 

and has been in existence since 1996. Its mission is to promote the growth and 

development of environmentally and socially responsible businesses, providing the tools 

and information necessary to make sustainable business a prominent global economic 

force. 

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Sustainable Communities Network 
http://www.sustainable.org 

This website discusses aspects of creating a community, smart growth, growing a 
sustainable economy, protecting natural resources, sustainable governing and 
sustainable living. It also contains case studies and links to sustainable communities. 

United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction 
http://www.unisdr.org/ 

The UN Secretary-General proposed the International Strategy for Disaster 
Reduction (ISDR) as a successor to the International Decade for Natural Disaster 
Reduction (which ended in December 1999). A key aspect of the mission of the ISDR is 
to influence decision-makers and help communities focus on the creation of long-term, 
pro-active disaster prevention strategies. Its secondary mission is to help communities 
reduce the risk of longer-term social and economic disruption in the face of a natural 
hazard. This site provides information on various ISDR initiatives such as Public 
Awareness, Disaster-Resistant Communities, and El Nino. Numerous events are 
highlighted, including conferences on specific topics or regional areas and seminars & 
training classes. 

United Nations Sustainable Development 
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev 

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was established as a 
functional commission of the Economic and Social Council. Its role is threefold: 

1. To review progress at the international, regional and national levels in the 
implementation of recommendations and commitments contained in Agenda 
21: The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the Forest 
Principles. 
2. To elaborate policy guidance and options for future activities to follow up 
UNCED (the Rio Conference) and achieve sustainable development. 
3. To promote dialogue and build partnerships for sustainable development with 
governments, the international community, and the major groups identified in 
Agenda 21 as key actors outside the central government. These groups have a 
major role to play in the transition towards sustainable development, and 
include women, youth, indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations, 
local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, the scientific 
community, and farmers. 
U.S. Department of Energys Center of Excellence for Sustainable 
Development 
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov 

This site offers a menu of information and services on how communities can adopt 
sustainable development as a strategy for well being. Increasingly cities, villages, 
neighborhoods, and regions are using sustainable development as a guiding principle 
not only for near-term projects, but also for planning purposes. Sustainable projects 
strengthen local economies; improve and protect the quality of the environment; and 
enhance the quality of life and the well being of all people in communities. 

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This site describes communities that have discovered the benefits of sustainable 
development. There are links to help the reader locate technical and financial resources 
to help communities plan and carry out sustainable development projects and also links 
to access model codes and ordinances other communities have used to implement 
sustainable development. 

U.S. Green Building Council 
http://www.usgbc.org 
The Councils mission is to accelerate the adoption of green building practices, 
technologies, policies, and standards. This committee-based organization is 
endeavoring to move the green building industry forward with market-based solutions. 
Another vital function of the Council is linking industry and government. The U.S. 
Green Building Council has formed effective relationships and priority programs with 
key Federal agencies, including the U.S. DOE, EPA, NIST, and GSA. 

White House Livable Communities Initiative 
http://www.livablecommunities.gov/ 

The White House Task Force on Livable Communities was created by the 
Clinton-Gore Administration in August 1999 to coordinate livable communitys 
policies and activities across 18 agencies of the executive branch of the Federal 
government. The Task Force is working to expand the choices available to communities 
to improve their quality of life, provide increased access to Federal information and 
data, and foster community partnerships. 

The goal of the effort is to help revitalize communities, encourage new 
investments, bring historic neighborhoods back to life, develop alternative 
transportation methods, increase regional cooperation, protect the environment, create 
parks, preserve open spaces, and foster smarter growth. 

World Business Council for Sustainable Development 
http://www.wbcsd.ch 

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a 
coalition of some 130 international companies united by a shared commitment to 
sustainable development, i.e. environmental protection, social equity and economic 
growth. 

In broad terms, the WBCSD aims to develop closer co-operation between business, 
government, and all other organizations concerned with the environment and 
sustainable development. They also encourage high standards of environmental 
management in business itself. 

More specifically, the objectives are: 
Business leadership: To be the leading business advocate on issues connected with the 
environment and sustainable development; 
Policy Development: To participate in policy development in order to create a 
framework that allows business to contribute effectively to sustainable development; 
Best Practice: To demonstrate progress in environmental and resource management in 
business and to share leading-edge practices among members; 
Global Outreach: To contribute through the global network to a sustainable future for 
developing nations and nations in transition. 

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World Resources Institute Sustainable Development Information 
Service 
http://www.wri.org/sdis/ 

The Sustainable Development Information Service (SDIS) provides country-
level data about sustainable development and the environment. SDIS helps users 
identify and locate the best available information and in many cases provides direct 
access to online resources. 

SDIS was developed by the World Resources Institute, in collaboration with the 
World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the International Institute for Environment 
and Development (IIED) as part of the International Environment and Natural 
Resource Assessment Information Service (INTERAISE). It was funded by the 
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency. 

World Wide Web Virtual LibrarySustainable Development 
http://www.ulb.ac.be/ceese/meta/sustvl.html 

This site has a comprehensive list of Internet sites dealing with sustainable 
development, including organizations, projects and activities, electronic journals, 
libraries, references and documents, databases, directories or meta-databases. 

Keywords: sustainable development, index, environment, development, resources, 
internet, world wide web, sites, durable, sustainability, Virtual Library, ecological 
economics. 

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Appendix D 
Recommended Readings in Sustainable Development 

D 
Appendix D 

Recommended Readings in
Sustainable Development

Introduction 

The resources used in this Guide are categorized by content and relevance. The 
materials cited in Section I are strongly recommended readings that contain important 
resources for long-term sustainable redevelopment, hazard mitigation and recovery 
operations. Section II contains additional references, which will assist sustainability 
planners and community leaders in making informed decisions about the future of 
disaster-prone communities. Where possible, information and links have been provided 
for assistance in obtaining copies of these resources. 

Section I. Recommended Reading 

American Planning Association. 1998. Growing Smart Legislative Guidebook: Model 
Statutes for Planning and Management of Change. Chicago: American Planning 
Association Publications Office. 

In Growing Smart Legislative Guidebook: Model Statutes for Planning and 
Management of Change, the American Planning Association addresses the need for new 
planning regulations in order to accomplish smart growth and the integration of such 
regulations on the state and regional levels. Guidebook emphasizes that states and 
regions have vastly differing needs in the present, and in the future, according to their 
location, population, and resources. To facilitate these distinct planning requirements, 
model statutes are highlighted in the text that gives examples of state, regional, and 
local alternatives according to their diverse needs. Also examined are the mechanisms 
for changing planning policy, and shifting the communitys acceptance of policy 
changes that affect them. 

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Association of State Floodplain Managers, Inc. and The Federal Interagency 
Floodplain Management Task Force. 1996. Addressing Your Communitys Flood 
Problems. Madison, Wisconsin: ASFPM. 

Designed specifically for elected officials, Addressing Your Communitys Flood 
Problems was created by The Federal Interagency Floodplain Task Force in 1996. The 
booklet provides strong guidance for local administrators in understanding their role as 
a leader relevant to the issues of flooding. Issues include potential flood losses, avoiding 
damages, coping with flood recovery, and utilizing available resources both before and 
after a flood disaster. Also included are the stories of four local governments that 
successfully addressed their flood problems while simultaneously achieving multiple 
community goals. Copies of this document are available from ASFPM Executive 
Office, 4233 West Beltline Highway, Madison, Wisconsin 53711. 

Burby, Raymond J. 1998. Cooperating with Nature: Confronting Natural Hazards 
with Land-Use Planning for Sustainable Communities. Washington: Joseph Henry 
Press. 

Multiple experts in the fields of land use management and natural hazards 
contributed to Raymond Burbys 1998 text, Cooperating with Nature: Confronting 
Natural Hazards with Land-Use Planning for Sustainable Communities. This valuable 
reference document is one of the first to link sustainability to disaster recovery. It 
explores the concepts of accomplishing sustainable development through land use 
management and identifies the current need for, and lack of, effective sustainable 
planning approaches in public policy today. Nature, ISBN# 0-309-063262-0 is available 
from the Joseph Henry Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20418. 

Economic Development Administration and the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency. January 2000. Economic Impact Assessment of Hurricane Floyd for North 
Carolina. Washington, D.C. 

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) and FEMA combined their 
efforts with those of several universities in North Carolina and local agencies to 
produce the Economic Impact Assessment of Hurricane Floyd for North Carolina. 
Hurricane Floyd struck the North Carolina coast on September 15th and 16th, 1999, 
leaving approximately thirty counties with damages ranging from moderate to 
devastating levels of severity. The purpose of the Economic Impact Assessment was to 
provide advice for speeding the business recovery process, particularly for small 
businesses suffering the greatest losses, and creating disaster resistant businesses and 
jobs through the recovery process. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1995. Disaster Assistance: A Guide to 
Recovery Programs. Washington: GPO. 

The purpose of Disaster Assistance: A Guide to Recovery Programs, is to provide 
officials, businesses, and residents alike, with information concerning disaster 
assistance. Created in 1995 by FEMA, the text provides an extensive list of disaster-
specific and disasterapplicable programs, and financial and non-financial agencies 
that may be of help in either planning disaster-resistant communities, or in post-

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disaster operations. Aside from Agency names, the text details the type of assistance 
offered and explains who is eligible for assistance. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1993. Emergency Management Guide for 
Business & Industry. Washington: GPO. 

The Emergency Management Guide for Business & Industry: A Step-By-Step 
Approach to Emergency Planning, Response, and Recovery for Companies of All Sizes, is a 
collective public and private agency effort, sponsored by FEMA in 1993. It is an effort to 
educate businesses about emergencies, ranging from floods, fire, earthquakes, and 
tornadoes, to civil disturbances and radiological accidents. Although it avoids the term 
disaster its purpose is to guide companies of any size through identifying possible 
hazards, their vulnerability, and the development process for emergency planning, and 
finally, implementation of the plans. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1997. Multi Hazard Identification and Risk 
Assessment: The Cornerstone of the National Mitigation Strategy. Washington: 
GPO. 

In 1997, FEMA published the Multi Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. 
This reference helps to refine our understanding of hazards and their impacts on 
people. For each specific natural and technological hazard, the report summarizes the 
state of scientific and technical knowledge on the identification of hazards, and the 
risks that have been or can be assigned to each hazard. Also, FEMAs risk assessment 
methodology, HAZUS is introduced. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1990. Post-Disaster Hazard Mitigation 
Planning Guidance for State and Local Governments. DAP-12. Washington: GPO. 

This guidance, often referred to as DAP-12, should be used as a reference 
document by officials involved in the development of hazard mitigation plans. The 
primary focus of this hazard mitigation planning manual is Section 409 of the Stafford 
Act. The reader is provided with details of the four main components of hazard 
mitigation planning. These include responsibilities of Federal, state, and local officials 
in mitigation planning; initiating the process of developing a hazard plan; developing 
the hazard mitigation plan; and implementing and monitoring plans. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2000. Mitigation Field Operations Manual. 
Washington: GPO. 

The Mitigation Field Operations Manual describes the functions to be performed by 
mitigation field management and staff as integral parts of the total FEMA response to 
catastrophic disasters. This manual was developed to provide structured and 
standardized operational procedures. The manual presents specific details on the 
operations, functions, organization, and programs instituted for the effective 
achievement of mitigation through national approaches. These approaches incorporate 
state and local communities into the disaster prevention and emergency response 
process. The manual is also designed to provide mitigation professionals with a 
comprehensive reference tool for reducing long-term hazard risks. 

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Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2000. The Natural and Beneficial Functions 
of Floodplains: Reducing Flood Losses by Protecting and Restoring the Floodplain 
Environment: A report for Congress by the Task Force on the Natural and Beneficial 
Functions of Floodplains. Washington: GPO. 

The Task Force on the Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains was 
established by Congress to help identify the natural functions and benefits of 
floodplains, and determine how the nation can reduce flood losses through floodplain 
restoration and protection. In their 2000 publication, The Natural and Beneficial 
Functions of Floodplains, the Task Force explores the valuable functions of pristine or 
restored floodplains and their contributions to flood reduction and prevention. The 
document also reveals the damages historically resulting from human development in 
flood hazard areas, but also explores the biological, environmental, social and economic 
functions and values of floodplains, along with restoration and protection initiatives. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1999. The Presidents Long-Term Recovery 
Action Plan: Puerto Rico, Hurricane George  September 1998. Washington: GPO. 

The Presidents Long-Term Recovery Action Plan: Puerto Rico, is an example of the 
type of document produced when the Presidents Long-Term Recovery Task Force is 
called into operation. This example was chosen because it is the first time that the 
Presidents Long-Term Recovery Task Force looked at the issue of sustainability, and 
incorporating that ideal into the recovery process. Hazard mitigation and sustainability, 
addressed through building codes, planning, and floodplain management, was as a key 
element of the recovery operations. The actions of Federal entities for both the recovery 
and prevention of future disasters are examined in detail. 

Mileti, Dennis S. 1999. Disasters by Design: a Reassessment of Natural Hazards in 
the United States. Washington: Joseph Henry Press. 

Disasters by Design offers a way to view, study, and manage hazards in the U.S. that 
will help foster disaster-resistant communities, higher environmental quality, inter- and 
intragovernmental equity, economic sustainability, and an improved quality of life. The 
volume provides an overview of what is known about natural hazards, disasters, 
recovery, and mitigation. It reveals how findings have been translated into policies and 
programs, and advances a sustainable hazard mitigation research agenda. ISBN# 0309-
06360-4 is available from the Joseph Henry Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20418. 

Planning for Natural Hazards: Oregon Technical Resource Guide. 2000. Oregon 
Department of Land Conservation and Development. 

This guide is part of the states response to damaging flood and landslide events in 
1996 and 1997. The guide is written for a wide audience and will be a useful tool for 
anyone from city clerk to planning commissioner. It provides valuable information on 
how to identify, plan for, and address natural hazards in a user-friendly format. It also 
directs local governments to additional resources and information that may be needed 
to solve local problems. The overall emphasis of this guide is on strengthening local 
comprehensive land use plans. Many aspects of the guide are specific to Oregon, but 
could easily be adapted for use nation wide. 

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The Presidents Council on Sustainable Development. May 1999. Towards a 
Sustainable America: Advancing Prosperity, Opportunity, and a Healthy 
Environment for the 21st Century. Washington: GPO. 

The Presidents Council on Sustainable Development was formed in 1993. Towards 
a Sustainable America is the third publication by the Council, aimed at promoting the 
benefits of sustainable development for an enduring, prosperous and healthy nation. 
This report encompasses the reduction of greenhouse gases, strategies for 
environmental management into the 21st century, strengthening partnerships between 
agencies and communities, and the development of U.S. regulations that would benefit 
international sustainable development policy. To obtain a copy of this report, contact: 
Presidents Council on Sustainable Development Publications at (800) 363-3732 ,or at 
the Councils Website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/PCSD. 

United Nations Environment Programme. 1998. Sustainable Business: Economic 
Development and Environmentally Sound Technologies. London: The Regency 
Corporation Limited. 

In an effort to shepherd business and industry towards environmentally sound 
technologies that result in higher production and less waste, the United Nations 
Environment Programme created Sustainable Business in 1998. The report explains and 
encourages environmental conservation, whose success depends on the development, 
support, and use of environmentally sound technologies. Resources discussed include 
energy and water, and renewable energy resources. The movement away from heavy-
polluting industry, including the costs of technology upgrades and the roles of 
regulatory agencies in the transition are also discussed. Copies of the report may be 
ordered through: Regency Corporation Limited, Gordon House, 6 Lissenden Gardens, 
LondonNW5 1LX, UK, or from http://www.regencycorp.com. 

Urban Land Institute. 1998. Smart Growth: Economy, Community, Environment. 
ULI on the Future. Washington: GPO. 

The Urban Land Institute in Smart Growth: Economy, Community, Environment, 
presents an instructive look at the integral concepts of Smart Growth and 
Sustainability. Topics in the text include the benefits of infill development and 
redevelopment for cities and suburbs alike, transportation alternatives, and residential 
density policies and planning practices. Other issues detailed are state initiatives that 
foster smart growth and the elements of successful metropolitan redevelopment. The 
text, ISBN# 0-87420-862-9 is available from the ULI at 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, 
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007-5201. 

Washington State Community, Trade and Economic Development. 1998. Optional 
Comprehensive Plan Element for Natural Hazard Reduction. Washington State. 

This guidebook was designed to provide Washington cities and counties with the 
necessary tools for implementing effective hazard mitigation policy into their 
community plans. The guidebook is targeted to Washington planners with little or 
minimal experience, and is based on various scenarios regarding resources and 
population, etc. The guidebook encompasses hazards such as landslides, fire and 
floods, and guides planners from defining a need for hazard mitigation, through 
mitigation policy, to the development and implementation of hazard mitigation plans. 

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Appendix D 
Recommended Readings in Sustainable Development 

Section II. Additional References 

Adams, David A. Renewable Resource Policy: The Legal  Institution Foundation. 
Raleigh, North Carolina: North Carolina State University. 

Architects for Social Responsibility. No date. An Approach to Sustainable Design and 
Sourcebook for Sustainable Design. Swampscott, Massachusetts: St. John Russell 
Associates. (617) 596-1155. 

Audirac, Ivonne. 1997. Rural Sustainable Development in America. New York: John 
Wiley & Sons. 

Barnett, Dianna L. and William D. Browning. 1995. A Primer on Sustainable Building. 
Snowmass, Colorado: Rocky Mountain Institute. 

Bauen, Rebecca and Bryan Baker, Kirk Johnson. 1996. Sustainable Community 
Checklist. Seattle, Washington: Northwest Policy Center. 

Beatley, Timothy and Phillip R. Berke. 1998. After the Hurricane: Linking Recovery to 
Sustainable Development in the Caribbean. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins 
University Press. 

Benello, C. George. 1989. Building Sustainable Communities: Tools and Concepts for 
Self-Reliant Economic Change. New York, New York: Bootstrap Press. (212) 972-9878. 

Bossel, Hartmut. 1998. Earth at Crossroads: Paths to a Sustainable Future. Cambridge, 
Massachusetts: Cambridge University Press. 

Bueler, William M. 1997. An Agenda for Sustainable: Fairness in a World of Limits. 
Cross Cultural Publishers. 

Campbell, Matthew J. & Colin S. Vissering. 2000. Sustainable Re-development after 
Flood Disasters: The Case for Restoration of Open Space in Floodplains. Proceedings of the 
National Association of Environmental Professionals Annual Conference. Washington, 

D.C. 
Center for Neighborhood Technology. 1997. The Metropolitan Initiative: Learning 
Sustainability Region by Region. Chicago, Illinois. 

City of Austin, Environmental and Conservation Services Department. Green Building 
Guide and Sustainability Building Sourcebook. Austin, Texas. 

Environmental Design Charrette Workbook. 1996. AIA Publications. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1998. A Blueprint for Action. The Presidents 
Long-Term Recovery Action Plan: January 1998 Ice Storm  Maine, New Hampshire, 
New York, and Vermont. Washington: GPO. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1981. Design Guidelines for Flood Damage 
Reduction. Washington: GPO. 

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Appendix D 
Recommended Readings in Sustainable Development 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1997. Reports on Cost and Benefits of 
Natural Hazard Mitigation. Washington: GPO. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1998. The Presidents Long-Term Recovery 
Action Plan: Florida, 1997-1998 Winter Storms. Washington: GPO. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1998. The Presidents Long-Term Recovery 
Action Plan for the March 1998 Georgia Floods. Washington: GPO. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1998. The Project Impact: Hazard Mitigation 
Guidebook for Northwest Communities. Washington: GPO. 

Goldman, Benjamin A. No date. Sustainable America: New Public Policy for the 21st 
Century. Washington, DC: Economic Development Council. 

Johnson, Huey D. 1995. Green Plans: Greenprint for Sustainability. Lincoln, Nebraska: 
University of Nebraska Press. 

Kinsley, Michael J. 1997. Economic Renewal Guide: A Collaborative Process for 
Sustainable Community Development. Snowmass, Colorado: Rocky Mountain Press. 

Krizek, Kevin J. and Joe Power. December 1996. A Planners Guide to Sustainable 
Development. Chicago, Illinois: American Planning Association Publications Office. 

Lafferty, William and Oluf Langhelle (Eds.). 1999. Towards Sustainable Development: 
On the Goals of Development and the Conditions of Sustainability. St. Martins Press. 

Lachman, Beth E. 1997. Linking Sustainable Community Activities to Pollution 
Prevention: A Sourcebook. Washington, DC: Rand Critical Technologies Institute. 

MacSems, Michael and Sophie Stimson, Toni Ritter, Lauri Vigue. 1991. First Steps 
Toward a Sustainable Community: Concepts, Indicators and Policy Analysis. Olympia, 
Washington: City of Olympia, June 1991; vii. 

Maser, Chris. 1997. Sustainable Community Development: Principles and Concepts. 
Delray, Florida. St. Lucie Press. 

Meadows, Donella H. and Daniel L. Meadows, Jorgan Randers. 1993. Beyond the 
Limits: Confronting Global Collapse, Envisioning a Sustainable Future. Chelsea Green 
Publishing. 

Mitler, Elliot. 1997. An Assessment of Floodplain Management of Georgias Flint River 
Basin. Boulder, Colorado: University of Colorado. 

Morris, Marya. 1997. Subdivision Design in Flood Hazard Areas. Chicago: American 
Planning and Publications Office. 

Munro, David A. 1991. Caring for the Earth: A Strategy for Sustainable Living. Gland, 
Switzerland: IUCN, UNEP, WWF. 

North Carolina Disaster Recovery Task Force. 1996. Executive 104. 

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Appendix D 
Recommended Readings in Sustainable Development 

North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. November 1998. Keeping 
Natural Hazards from Becoming Natural Disasters: A Workbook for Local 
Governments.

 North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. November 1998. Local Hazard 
Mitigation Planning Manual (Draft). 

Public Technology, Inc., U.S. Green Building Council, U.S. Department of Energy and 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1996. Sustainable Building Technical 
Manual: Green Building Design, Construction, and Operations. Washington, DC: PT 
I, 1 vol. 

Rogers, John J. W. and P. Geoffery Feiss. 1998. People and the Earth: Basic Issues in the 
Sustainability of Resources and Environment. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cambridge 
University Press. 

Rozdilsky, Jack L. 1998. Disaster Recovery: An Opportunity for Sustainable 
Community Development. East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University. 

Solow, Robert M. 1998. An Almost Practical Step Toward Sustainability. Resources for 
the Future. 

Technical Mapping Advisory Council 1999 Annual Report. Activities and 
Accomplishments  1999. www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/TMC_992a.htm. 

Urban Consortium Energy Task Force. 1992. Sustainable Energy: A Local Government 
Planning Guide for a Sustainable Future. Washington, DC: Public Technology, Inc. 

U.S. Department of Energy. 1999. Communities for the Future: Energy Programs for 
Livable Communities. Washington: GPO. 
U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Services. 1991. A Casebook in Managing 
Rivers for Multiple Uses. Washington: GPO. 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1998. Clean Water Action Plan: Restoring and 
Protecting Americas Waters. Washington: GPO. 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. Community-Based Environmental 
Protection: A Resource Book for Protecting Ecosystems and Communities. 
Washington: GPO. 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. People, Places, and Partnerships: A 
Progress Report on Community-Based Environmental Protection. Washington: GPO. 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1995. Sustainability in Action: Profiles of 
Community Initiatives Across the United States. Washington: GPO. 
Ven der Ryn, Sim and Peter Calthorpe. 1991. Sustainable Communities: A New Design 
Synthesis for Cities, Suburbs, and Towns. San Francisco, California: Sierra Club Books. 

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Appendix D 
Recommended Readings in Sustainable Development 

Walter, Bob and Lois Arkin, Richard Crenshaw (Eds.). 1992. Sustainable Cities: 
Concepts and Strategies for Eco-City Development. Los Angela, California: Eco-Home 
Media. 

World Resources Institute. 1997. Exploring Sustainable Communities: Comprehensive 
Coursework on the Global Environment. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing 
Co. 

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Appendix E 
Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

E 
Appendix E 

Federal Technical 
Assistance and Funding 

The Federal Government offers a wide range of funding and technical assistance 
programs to help make communities more sustainable and livable. Many of these are 
included in the following Federal Technical Assistance and Funding Matrix. Programs 
with potential effectiveness in the construction or reconstruction of housing and 
businesses, public infrastructure (transportation, utilities, water, and sewer), and 
supporting overall hazard mitigation and community planning objectives are 
emphasized in the matrix. Some programs are disaster-specific, activated by a 
presidential declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the provisions of the 
Stafford Act. Also included are many programs or grants that are not specifically 
disaster related. 

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Appendix E 
Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

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Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

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Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

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Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

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Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

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Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

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Federal Technical Assistance and Funding 

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Appendix F 
DFO Organizational Chart 

F 
Appendix F 

DFO Organizational Chart

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Appendix F 
DFO Organizational Chart 

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Appendix G 
ERT-Mitigation Branch Organizational Chart 

G 
Appendix G 

ERT-Mitigation Branch
Organizational Chart

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Appendix G 
ERT-Mitigation Branch Organizational Chart 

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Appendix H 
Position Description 

H 
Appendix H 

Position Description

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Appendix H 
Position Description 

Position Description Technical Services Branch Community Planner 
Duties 
Facilitates the incorporation of mitigation and sustainable development strategies into the 
impacted communities recovery and reconstruction planning process. Provides mitigation 
and sustainability outreach to the planners within impacted communities. Participates in 
the development of the Early Implementation Strategy, on the Interagency Hazard 
Mitigation Team, and in evaluation of the State Mitigation Plan. 
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 
Knowledge 
Knowledge of general planning principles, practices and procedures, including zoning 
ordinances, subdivision ordinances and capital improvement planning. Knowledge of 
principles and practices of sustainable development and how it is incorporated into 
reconstruction and mitigation strategies. Knowledge of land use planning and its 
application to hazard mitigation. Knowledge of community development and 
redevelopment principles and practices, including land economics. Knowledge of FEMAs 
pre- and post-disaster mitigation programs (HMGP, NFIP including ICC provisions, FMA, 
CRS, NEHRP recommended provisions, (Section 409) mitigation planning requirements) 
as well as other Federal agencies programs (HUD, EDA, SBA) that can provide technical 
and/or financial assistance for implementing reconstruction strategies. Knowledge of 
private/non-governmental programs that can support reconstruction and mitigation 
strategies. Knowledge of FEMAs technical assistance programs and contract vehicles. 
Knowledge of socioeconomic and demographic analysis as they apply to local mitigation 
and reconstruction strategies. 
Skills 
Consensus building and team building, communication (verbal and written)/interpersonal 
skills. 
Abilities 
Ability to operate a computer and use MS Office programs. Ability to interact and 
coordinate multiple and often complex issues with a wide range of technical and program 
specialists within local, state, regional planning and Federal government agencies. Ability 
to mobilize on short notice for an extensive period of time; work under stressful 
conditions; operate in a politically sensitive environment. Ability to accept responsibility, 
make decisions, establish priorities, and solve problems. Ability to work independently. 
Ability to analyze damage patterns to identify mitigation opportunities. 
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Position Description 

OPERATIONAL CHECKLIST 
Technical Services Branch 
Community Planner 
NOTE: Because tasks are often disaster-specific, they may not be listed in chronological 
order. Some tasks may need to be accomplished simultaneously. 
PREDEPLOYMENT 
Conduct administrative activities 
[ ] Verify travel plans, accommodations for lodging and rental car. 
[ ] Secure travel orders and supporting documentation. 
[ ] Establish specific address location of the DFO with directions to the location. 
[ ] Obtain estimate of duty tour and any instructions regarding the nature of the mission 
and specific duty required. 
[ ] Update answering machine/voice mail to reflect deployed status. 
[ ] Make necessary personal plans to address extended deployment from home. 
[ ] Make arrangements for coverage of ongoing job responsibilities. 
[ ] Collect initial disaster information (field reports, PDAs). 
[ ] Review past Early Implementation Strategies, IHMT/HMST Reports, past disaster 
history in same area, and current State Mitigation Plan if one exists. 
[ ] Review Community Information System (CIS) for community(ies) affected. (Note: 
this can only be done by FEMA employees; and may only be applicable for flood 
disasters.) 
Additional Tasks 
[ ] 
[ ] 
[ ] 
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Position Description 

FIELD OPERATIONS 
Conduct in-processing and administrative activities 
[ ] On arrival, check in and put on DFO identification badge. 
[ ] Check in with designated supervisor to establish work assignments. 
[ ] Identify your tentative work schedule with your supervisor and times for briefings and staff 
meetings. 
[ ] Coordinate with the Logistics Liaison to set up your office space at the DFO. 
[ ] Give your name and phone number to the Logistics Liaison for internal listing. 
On-going activities 
[ ] Attend all mitigation staff meetings as requested. 
[ ] Provide input to Branch Chief for daily situation report. 
[ ] Continue activities initiated during the Pre-Deployment phase, as needed. 
[ ] Maintain a daily log of activities and communications, noting after-action items for 
AfterAction report. 
[ ] Document mitigation success stories and submit them to the Community Education Branch 
Chief. 
[ ] Coordinate with the Technical Services and Program Delivery Branch Chiefs prior to 
contacting the SHMO regarding state or joint state-FEMA activities. 
Collect and review background data 
[ ] Obtain and review state legislation affecting local planning, including provisions regarding 
post-disaster reconstruction and mitigation. 
[ ] Determine (i.e., by phone) those ordinances and/or regulations currently in effect in the 
affected communities, and obtain same. 
[ ] Review community(ies) general or comprehensive plan, and associated maps o r reports; 
zoning, subdivision and other land development regulations and/or ordinances. Obtain and 
review any existing plans that deal with post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. 
[ ] Identify any state and/or local sustainable development initiatives or non-governmental 
sustainable development advocacy groups operating in the disaster area. 
[ ] Obtain and review NFIP information for affected area and jurisdictions (i.e., community 
standing, policies in force, CRS report, repetitive loss list, state and local mitigation plans, 
potential substantial damage estimates). 
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Position Description 

[ ] Review results of PDAs/damage assessments. 
Coordinate with the following: 
[ ] Mitigation Planners (Program Delivery Branch) to participate in Early Implementation 
Strategy process, and IHMT. 
[ ] Regional Mitigation Liaison (state procedures, background information, political 
sensitivities). 
[ ] Infrastructure Support Liaison and Human Services Liaison regarding coordination of 
FEMA assistance to support incorporation of mitigation into communitys long-term 
recovery and comprehensive reconstruction strategy. 
[ ] Floodplain Management Specialist and Insurance Specialist to determine possible 
trouble areas (i.e., nature of community compliance issues, if any; any hot issues that 
pre-existed the disaster). 
[ ] Coordinate with others in the DFO to ensure that mitigation strategies developed within 
the DFO accommodate needs identified within the communitys long-term recovery plan 
or strategy; participate in the Early Implementation Strategy, IHMT, and other planning 
activities within the DFO. 
[ ] DFCO-M to set up a meeting with community planning officials to determine short- and 
long-term reconstruction and recovery goals where they overlap with mitigation goals and 
encourage linkage of mitigation objectives with broader sustainable development 
objectives. 
[ ] Assist the community with the following activities: 
 Developing short-term planning/operational strategies that affect the ability to 
incorporate mitigation and sustainability into longer-term recovery goals. For example, 
initiating moratoria to facilitate optimal mitigation/reconstruction decision making, 
decisions involving road and bridge closures; decisions regarding post disaster 
inspection of homes, decisions regarding re-occupancy of homes that have been 
substantially damaged (under NFIP definition), decisions regarding obtaining outside 
assistance (i.e., mutual aid for building officials; state or local chapters of professional 
organizations such as APA or ASCE) repair/replace/relocation of critical facilities. (Note: 
this type of meeting is critical to charting the correct course for a community, and 
should be attended by senior DFO staff such as senior Infrastructure and Human Services 
staff.) 
 Identifying multi-objective mitigation and sustainability opportunities for longer-tern 
considerations within locally developed reconstruction plans or strategies (if this has not 
been done previously by the community). Coordinate the delivery of appropriate DFO 
technical expertise to assist in evaluations of alternative reconstruction strategies. 
 Making preliminary decisions regarding alternate reconstruction strategies by providing 
general program and administrative information on programs that deal with mitigation, 
planning, and/or reconstruction within FEMA and within OFAs. Coordination with others 
within the DFO will be necessary. 
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Position Description 

 Securing FEMA (i.e. HMTAP) and OFA technical and financial assistance for 
implementing reconstruction strategies that incorporate mitigation. Assist 
community in coordinating complex recovery and reconstruction issues among 
such Federal agencies. 
 Assembling parcels of land for acquisition/relocation mitigation strategies, or for 
redevelopment projects that incorporate mitigation strategies. This may entail 
securing outside technical assistance via FEMA contractor(s), or providing such 
expertise personally. 
Additional activities 
[ ] Serve as a mitigation representative to the FCOs office for assisting in securing 
Federal long-term recovery resources. 
[ ] Serve as Project Officer for technical assistance tasks to outside contractors 
involving the development of long-term recovery strategies. 
Additional Tasks 
[ ] 
[ ] 
[ ] 
DEACTIVATION 
[ ] Upon deactivation collect and transfer all files and records to the regional office. 
[ ] Return all equipment to the Logistics Liaison and go-kit contents to go-kit box. 
[ ] Provide after-action input to designated personnel. 
[ ] Complete and return to Operations Support all timesheets and vouchers. 
Additional Tasks 
[ ] 
[ ] 
[ ] 
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Associate Director Memorandum 
I 
Appendix I 

Appendix I 

Associate Director 
Memorandum: Sustainable 
Redevelopment Function 
in Disaster Field Offices, 
November 1998 

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Associate Director Memorandum 

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Associate Director Memorandum 

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Associate Director Memorandum 

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Associate Director Memorandum 

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Appendix J 
Associate Director Memorandum 

J 
Appendix J 

Associate Director 
Memorandum: Continuing 
the FEMA/State Dialog in 
Mitigation, January 2000 

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Associate Director Memorandum 

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Associate Director Memorandum 

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Associate Director Memorandum 

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Appendix K 
Quotoable Materials on Sustainability 

K 
Appendix K 

Quotable Materials on 
Sustainability 

The Wingspread Principles: A Community Vision for 
Sustainability 

This appendix contains materials from several sources and is intended to stimulate 
thinking about what sustainability may mean for different communities, provide ideas 
about actions that can be taken to enhance sustainability, and be helpful in preparing 
for meetings and presentations. 

The following is abstracted from the Wingspread Principles that were developed by 
attendees of the 1998 Wingspread conference, Communities in Harms Way: A Leadership 
Dialogue on Designing Disaster-Resistant Settlements, to help communities and 
government agencies enhance sustainability in disaster-prone communities. 

To ensure the safety of people and the livability of communities, resources for 
disaster planning, mitigation, and recovery should provide for education and encourage 
the use of innovative approaches that result in positive changes. Resources should be 
invested consistent with the following principles: 

Sustainability  Disaster mitigation and recovery resources should be invested to 
improve the quality of life in the areas of public health and safety, environmental 
stewardship, and social and economic security. 

Planning & Incentives  Plans designed to reduce the impact of disasters and to 
encourage recovery should provide incentives to individuals, the private sector, and 
government to pursue sustainable development and redevelopment. 

Partnerships  Individual citizens, the private sector, and local, state, and federal 
governments should act as partners with shared goals and values to further the capacity 
of our communities to be self-sufficient. 

Locally Driven Process  Decisions should be driven by a consensus-based, 
inclusive process that stakeholders use and trust. The process should identify local 
sustainability priorities, leading to the investment of pre-and-post disaster resources 
that will meet those needs, emphasizing the need for local responsibility and self-
sufficiency. 

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Quotable Materials on Sustainability 

Post-Disaster Long Term Recovery Plan 

 Designate a recovery team (distinct from the response team) that provides a 
two-way communications process with the community. 
 Educate the community and its leaders about sustainable redevelopment and 
best practices with the assistance of outside expertise, video and electronic 
resources, and green resource directories. 
 Evaluate opportunities to build a better, more disaster-resistant, sustainable 
community than existed before. 
 Develop a common vision for a sustainable recovery development plan, charge 
the local planning and design professionals with implementing it, and develop a 
methodology for on-going communications. 
 Adopt a model code, post-disaster, that will allow funding programs to upgrade 
reconstruction. 
Policy Action Framework 

I. Education 
 Policy experts, advocates, government officials, and local elected leaders should 
help connect sustainable development constituencies with those who work on 
disaster mitigation and prevention, to better connect both sets of issues and to 
share information, resources, tools, and ideas. 
 Sustainable redevelopment and mitigation experts should work to better educate 
the public, homeowners, and consumers about the benefits of disaster 
mitigation and prevention in lessening the impact of natural disasters. 
Information could include specific household prevention tips as well as broad 
information on the negative consequences of not planning for natural disasters 
(insurance costs, damage to homes and businesses, as well as to the local 
economy.) 
 User-friendly pamphlets, reports, Web sites, and training materials should be 
developed to promote prevention, planning, and awareness of policies and 
practices that will make sustainable redevelopment available to more 
communities. 
 Foundations, businesses, and all levels of government should support peer-topeer 
learning about sustainable redevelopment. They should also work to 
develop champions for sustainable redevelopment among a broad array of 
constituencies. These champions should help lead their constituencies to further 
educate, inform, and serve as a resource on these issues. 
 Following disasters, sustainable redevelopment experts should work within 
FEMAs Disaster Recovery Centers and at public meetings to inform interested 
citizens and community groups about the benefits of sustainable redevelopment. 
 Create a state/federal/local outreach effort to educate local leaders in disaster-
prone communities about sustainable redevelopment, and the cost-effective, 
cutting-edge technologies they can use to improve their communities during 
recovery. 
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Quotable Materials on Sustainability 

 Conduct an on-going campaign in disaster-prone areas to educate citizens about 
the concept of sustainable redevelopment and how it can help them recover 
from current disasters and mitigate future disasters. 
 Do a life-cycle cost analysis to evaluate investment of sustainable alternatives 
within disaster-prone communities. 
 Immediately following a disaster, establish a sustainable redevelopment outreach 
effort to state and local officials to identify redevelopment priorities and 
alternatives. 
II. Planning 
 Sustainable redevelopment experts should clarify to the public, the roles that 
local, state, and federal agencies play in helping communities plan for natural 
disasters. This advance educational effort should help diminish frustration 
following a disaster by making the public more knowledgeable about where they 
can find help. 
 Local communities should create lists of local providers of services, information, 
and technical training on a broad range of sustainable technologies and 
practices. These individuals can then be quickly mobilized and hired following 
a disaster. 
 Local elected leaders, planners, and community development officials should 
integrate disaster planning into community planning and sustainable 
development/community initiatives. 
 States, counties, and local governments should create local-state recovery teams 
to work together on disaster-planning, thereby creating partnerships that can be 
drawn upon in the event of a disaster. 
 Develop plans and priorities for sustainable redevelopment prior to the 
occurrence of a disaster, so it is available, and has broad-based consensus, at the 
time of the next event. This should include a community-based vision for where 
the community wants to be in the future. 
 Reconsider existing land use, building codes, and financial policies that
stimulate disaster-prone development.
III. Incentives/Financing 
 For communities to qualify for priority funding following disasters, incentives, 
financing, and funding should be closely tied to performance standards for 
prevention. 
 Private sector and economic development agencies should lead the way in 
promoting disaster planning and sustainable mitigation efforts, given the 
potential catastrophic effects of disasters to local community economies. 
IV. Building Local Capacity 
 State and federal governments should build local disaster-planning capacity by 
better coordinating existing technical assistance, training, and other programs or 
activities in the areas of environmental protection, economic development, 
community planning, etc. 
 There is no one-size-fits-all solution; decision-making should move to the most 
local level of government appropriate to the situation (regional, local, etc.) 
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Quotable Materials on Sustainability 

 Local governments should institute management training with an emphasis on 
institutional quality management that would help build skills for handling 
emergency situations. 
 Prepare and disseminate a sustainable development/redevelopment guide and 
resource book to provide general guidance and points of contact for more 
information (FEMAs booklet, Planning for a Sustainable Future: The Link 
Between Hazard Mitigaion and Livability (FEMA 364), and portions of this 
guide, as appropriate, should be distributed in the disaster area after an event 
occurs). 
 Sustainable redevelopment experts at all levels of government should provide 
technical assistance, as well as information on case studies of communities that 
have previously benefited from applying sustainable redevelopment principles 
before or after disasters. 
 Communities should create local teams of government agencies and 
development groups to participate in planning efforts and that can also be 
quickly mobilized if disaster strikes. 
 At local and regional levels, train and equip local planning officials in 
sustainable redevelopment prior to disasters so they can champion the strategy 
in disaster recovery. 
 At all levels, instruct outside experts to work closely with, and not against, local 
planning officials. Find ways to encourage local planners ownership in 
sustainable options. 
 When outside experts are required in disaster recovery, deploy them early in the 
process, before local planners have invested time, money and reputation in 
unsustainable plans. 
Vision Statements 

Minnesota Sustainable Developments Initiative 

 We Minnesotans make commitments and choices to preserve the options future 
generations will need to secure the quality of life we now enjoy. 
 We see sustainable development as a positive, fundamental change in the way 
we define social progress, do business, and protect the environment. 
 We view the health of our natural environment, the strength of our community, 
and our economic security as interdependent. 
 We maintain our quality of life through sustainable use of energy and natural 
resources, recognizing that population growth, resource consumption, and 
lifestyle choices determine the options we leave for future generations. 
 Our communities are places where all citizens enjoy rich opportunities in 
education, employment, involvement in community, and appreciation of the 
environment. 
 Our economy is healthy, diversified, globally competitive, and in harmony with 
Minnesotas ecosystems; it provides all citizens with ample opportunity for a 
fulfilling life. 
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Quotable Materials on Sustainability 

 Our national environment is biologically and ecologically diverse and able to 
provide the resource benefits, products, and services needed for the indefinite 
future. 
 We continually work to change our political and economic systems so that they 
consistently reward economically efficient, socially beneficial, and 
environmentally sustainable behavior. 
Sustainable America: Recommendations for 
Strengthening Communities 

Community-Driven Strategic Planning: Create a community-driven strategic planning 
process that brings people together to identify key issues, develop a vision, set goals and 
benchmarks, and determine actions to improve their community. 

Collaborative Planning: Encourage communities in a region to work together to deal 
with issues that transcend jurisdictional and other boundaries. 

Building Design and Rehabilitation: Design and rehabilitate buildings to use energy and 
natural resources efficiently, enhance public health and the environment, preserve 
historic and natural settings, and contribute to a sense of community identity. 

Community Design: Design new communities and improve existing ones to use land 
efficiently, promote mixed-use and mixed-income development, retain public open 
space, and provide diverse transportation options. 

Community Growth Management: Manage the geographical growth of existing 
communities and siting of new ones to decrease sprawl, conserve open space, respect 
natures carrying capacity, and provide protection from natural hazards. 

Creation of Strong, Diversified Local Economics: Apply economic development strategies 
that create diversified local economies built on unique local advantages to tap 
expanding markets and technological innovation. 

Training and Lifelong Learning: Expand and coordinate public and private training 
programs to enable all people to improve their skills to match future job requirements 
in communities on a continuing basis. 

Environmental Economic Development: Capitalize on economic development 
opportunities from businesses and industries that target environmental technologies, 
recycling, and pollution prevention to create jobs. 

Redevelopment of Brownfield Sites: Revitalize brownfields, which are contaminated, 
abandoned, or underused land by making them more attractive for redevelopment by 
providing regulatory flexibility, reducing process barriers, and assessing greenfield 
development to reflect necessary infrastructure costs. 

Source: Presidents Council on Sustainable Development, Sustainable America: A New 
Consensus, 1996. 

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Appendix K 
Quotable Materials on Sustainability 

Quotes 

Would you tell me, please, which way I ought go from here? asked Alice in Alice in 
Wonderland. That depends a good deal on where you want to get to, the Cheshire 
Cat answered. 

Lewis Carroll 

Then I say the earth belongs to each... to the living:...no generation can contract debts 
greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence. 

Thomas Jefferson 

Tornadoes/floods/natural disasters are natural occurrences. They are acts of nature not 
inherently catastrophic. They only become disasters when they conflict with people and 
property. The more development in a hazard area, the more disastrous the consequences. 

Nature has given us fair warning. Powers that sustain life can also destroy. It is up to 
us to prepare. That is the challenge of living on this dynamic earth. 

PBS Special 

Living in a man-made landscape, we easily forget that our well-being is rooted in 
natural systems. Yet all human enterprise rests on the foundation of natural systems 
that provide a myriad of invisible life-support services. Our connections to these 
natural systems may be less direct and obvious than those of an eagle or an otter, but we 
are no less deeply implicated in lifes web. No one has stated this fundamental ecological 
principle more simply than the early twentieth-century American environmental 
philosopher, John Muir. When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find that it is 
bound by a thousand invisible cords... to everything in the universe. 

Our Stolen Universe 

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the 
world. Indeed, its the only thing that ever has. 

Margaret Mead 

When you put your hand to the plow, you cant put it down until you get to the end of 
the row. 

Alice Paul 

We hold the view that the people make the best judgement in the long run. 

John F. Kennedy 

The greatest sin is to do nothing because you can only do a little. 

Edmund Burke 

The world we have created today as a result of our thinking thus far has problems 
which cannot be solved by thinking the way we thought when we created them. 

Albert Einstein 

Sustainability refers to a very old and simple concept - the ability to keep going over 
the long haul. Think of it as extending the Golden Rule through time, so that you do 
unto future generations as you would have them do unto you. 

Robert Gilman 

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Cambridge, Massachusetts 

Sustainable Community Characteristics 

Economic Security: A more sustainable community includes a variety of 
businesses, industries, and institutions that are environmentally sound (in all respects); 
financially viable; provide training, education, and other forms of assistance to adjust to 
future needs; provide jobs and spend money within the community; and enable 
employees to have a voice in decisions that affect them. A more sustainable community 
also is one in which residents money remains in the community. 

Ecological Integrity: A more sustainable community is in harmony with natural 
systems by reducing and converting waste into nonharmful and beneficial products, 
and by using environmental resources for human needs without undermining their 
ability to function over time. 

Quality of Life: A more sustainable community recognizes and supports peoples 
evolving sense of well-being, which includes a sense of belonging, a sense of place, a 
sense of self-worth, a sense of safety, and a sense of connection with nature, and 
provides goods and services that meet peoples needs both as they define them and as 
can be accommodated within the ecological integrity of natural systems. 

Empowerment with Responsibility: A more sustainable community enables 
people to feel empowered and take responsibility based on a shared vision, equal 
opportunity, ability to access expertise and knowledge for their own needs, and a 
capacity to contribute to decision that affect them. 

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Quotable Materials on Sustainability 

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Rebuilding for a More Sustainable Future: An Operational Framework