FEMA will recognize the Sierra Club's Kathryn Hohmann and Brett Hulsey with the FEMA Award for Outstanding Public Service for their leadership in protecting wetlands in the wake of the 1993 Mississippi River floods and in the years since. David Conrad with the National Wildlife Federation is also being honored. Working together is just good common sense. With leadership from FEMA, we're making strides in stopping developers from building in our nation's wetlands. The Sierra Club is currently working with FEMA to revise the national wetlands permit program.
Wetlands are the first line of defense against flooding.
Wetlands soak up rain and store excess floodwater runoff, then slowly release the water back into streams, lakes, and groundwater. With more than 115,000 acres of wetlands disappearing each year, the Sierra Club is working to protect these fragile ecosystems while saving families from floods, protecting water quality, and restoring wildlife habitats. We want to protect families from flooding, protect habitats that store flood water, and educate citizens on the hazards of building in floodplains. The efforts of the Sierra Club have proven to dramatically decrease flood damage. The Sierra Club has also helped save over 100,000 acres of wetlands along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers using the wetlands reserve program and fish and wildlife refuges.