As images emerge from Houston this week, our hearts go out to all those struggling in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. We hold those individuals and families in the Light, and call for leadership from Congress to provide aid to those in need and to minimize damage from future storms.
Hurricane Harvey has brought over 50 inches of rain, setting a record for the most rainfall from a single storm in the continental United States. With the number of reported deaths rising daily, and many emergency systems overwhelmed, the strain of this disaster will be borne by thousands of people in the Houston area. As of Wednesday, the Houston Police Department has rescued over 3,500 people from the flooded area totaling about 500 square miles, and the rain is expected to continue through Friday.
The floods fall with somberly reminiscent timing, on the twelfth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. While we must provide for a speedy and full recovery for those affected by the storm through advocacy, donations, and action, we must also realize and address the issue exacerbating extreme weather events: climate change.
The science is clear: our climate is warming, and warmer oceans and a warmer atmosphere lead to higher energy storms and increased rainfall. As long as this trend continues, we can expect to see more of these high intensity storms and hear more somber stories of the struggle and loss left in their wake.
Disaster Discriminates
We cannot continue to offload the worst consequences of climate change on the most vulnerable people.
It is also important to note the intersectionality of the effects of climate change. When disasters like Harvey arrive, lower income communities and communities of color experience tragedy first and worst. These communities are often ignored or left until last in recovery efforts. We must challenge this norm; we cannot continue to offload the worst consequences of climate change on the most vulnerable people. This means creating equitable infrastructure with attention to the effects of climate change, in order to keep everyone, not just the rich, out of harm’s way.
Compounding this disparity is the fact that Houston is home to an estimated 600,000 undocumented immigrants, the third most of any U.S. city. And while the Border Patrol, along with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), suspended routine enforcement at evacuation sites, the Border Patrol did not suspend operations at Texas checkpoints. This drew sharp criticism from human rights groups including the ACLU, for endangering lives. This is just one example of how natural disasters can fall disproportionately on different groups of people.
Building Resilient Communities
Unfortunately, this disaster comes just weeks after President Trump announced that he was rolling back President Obama’s Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. Created in 2015, this Executive Order sought to improve community resiliency and protect our economy, public health, and safety by requiring federal infrastructure projects, like roads, bridges, and buildings, to take into consideration sea level rise and climate change projections. President Trump announced in mid-August that he was overturning this regulation because it slowed down permitting processes for infrastructure projects.
In response, co-chair and founder of the Climate Solutions Caucus Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R, FL-26) released a statement condemning the decision, noting that “sea level rise and the risk of severe flooding are a reality for communities across the country. When you’re on the front lines like South Florida, we know the importance of having more resilient building codes to protect our infrastructure, especially when taxpayer dollars are used.”
Congress has a responsibility to make policy decisions that will provide disaster relief to Houston and the communities affected by this tragedy. But they also have a responsibility to meaningfully address climate change and craft policies designed to make communities more resilient to the effects of extreme weather events.
As a starting point, members of Congress can:
Join the bipartisan House Climate Solutions Caucus, whose goals are to “educate members on economically-viable options to reduce climate risk and to explore bipartisan policy options that address the impacts, causes, and challenges of our changing climate.”
Publicly oppose President Trump’s rolling back of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard.
Support policies that help communities prepare for extreme weather events and advance community resiliency.
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