June 18, 2024
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Local leaders know firsthand the devastation of flooding. They also know the complicated landscape of accessing federal funds to build resilience.
To support local leaders across the country in tackling these challenges, the American Flood Coalition hosted a Local Elected Leaders Summit on Flooding and Sea Level Rise in Washington, D.C.
AFC brought together 43 mayors, county commissioners, and other local leaders from six states to explore solutions, build relationships, and drive action on flooding. Leaders came from both inland and coastal municipalities in Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
“Local leaders across the country face unique, urgent challenges in tackling flooding, while balancing the responsibilities of leading a community,” said AFC Executive Director Melissa Roberts. “By bringing together leaders and connecting them with resources and guidance, we can empower them to protect their communities from flooding.”
The three-day summit included sessions on innovative flood solutions and the federal funding landscape. Local leaders left with actionable ideas, resources, and connections to build long-lasting flood resilience for their constituents and communities.
“I’ve learned a great deal about flooding issues from cities and towns across America,” said Mayor Don Hardy of Kinston, North Carolina. “We come away from this Summit with knowledge to better position us to work with local, state, and federal partners on flooding.”
At the federal level, AFC shared funding opportunities available through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and highlighted its Flood Funding Finder, an interactive tool that simplifies the complex federal grants system by filtering federal funding programs for flood resilience.
AFC also hosted senior officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Economic Development Administration, who answered questions on accessing federal funding programs.
On the final day of the Summit, AFC accompanied local leaders to Capitol Hill to meet with members of their Congressional delegations. There they discussed urgent priorities and concerns, including the need for robust federal flood data, streamlined access to federal programs, and continued investments in flood-resilient infrastructure.
AFC coordinated a total of 34 Hill meetings with bipartisan members of Congress and their staff, including personal visits with Senators Marco Rubio (FL), Joni Ernst (IA), Chuck Grassley (IA), Ted Budd (NC), Tim Scott (SC), John Cornyn (TX), and Ted Cruz (TX).
“Great to sit down with the mayors of Port Arthur, Ingleside on the Bay, Portland, Alice, & Sullivan City as well as a city commissioner from Kingsville on behalf of the @floodcoalition to discuss ways my office can help support smaller towns & cities in accessing federal grants,” wrote Sen. John Coryn (TX) on X.
Since the meetings, two senators, Budd and Ernst, have agreed to become AFC Federal Champions, those members of Congress dedicated to advancing solutions to stronger storms, more frequent flooding, and higher seas.
Leaders also connected with over dozen members of the U.S. Representatives and their staff, including conversations with Reps. Michael Waltz (FL), Ashley Hinson (IA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA), Don Davis (NC), David Rouzer (NC), Russell Fry (SC), Vicente Gonzalez (TX), and Randy Weber (TX), among others.
“I enjoyed meeting with folks from @floodcoalition and local officials from South Carolina,” Rep. Russell Fry (SC), who is an AFC Federal Champion, wrote on X. “#SC07 is no stranger to extreme weather and floods, so it’s imperative to work to find solutions that support flood-affected communities and prevent damage from future floods.”
As the largest team working on adaptation across local, state, and federal levels in the U.S., AFC is in a unique position to host an event like this, connecting local leaders with resources, guidance, and contacts at the federal level. The American Flood Coalition looks forward to strengthening the partnerships and relationships made at the Summit and supporting communities as they build long-lasting flood resilience.
“It’s really important to understand what the American Flood Coalition is doing for local leaders,” said Mayor Paul Shewmaker of Simpsonville, South Carolina. “We have a voice, but when those voices come together and act together we have a much greater impact.”
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More photos from the summit
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This post was authored by Brandon Pytel, Communications Associate at AFC.
