American Flood Coalition Action Convenes South Carolina Leaders to Advance Flood Resilience
American Flood Coalition Action builds on the work by the South Carolina Legislature to address flooding and sea level rise with an advocacy day at the State Capitol.
COLUMBIA, SC — February 28, 2024 — American Flood Coalition Action this Wednesday brought together local and state leaders to advocate for flood resilience at the South Carolina State House.
Throughout the day, AFCA connected local leaders with state legislators at the State House and agency officials from the South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR) and their office.
AFCA and local leaders pushed for state lawmakers to approve the recent budget request by SCOR, which includes new investments aimed at further strengthening the resilience of South Carolina.
“American Flood Coalition Action celebrates the South Carolina Legislature’s continued commitment to building resilience against flooding and sea level rise,” said AFCA Carolinas Director Tony McEwen. “With proper and reliable funding, its State Resilience Plan will enable the state to continue to advance smart investments that protect both inland and coastal communities from stronger storms and more frequent flooding.”
The investments would allow SCOR to help communities better prepare for and recover from flooding and other disasters by establishing recurring funding for SCOR and providing assistance directly to local governments for infrastructure planning and investments.
The investments would also improve data collection and coordination to allow local governments to make informed project decisions based on accurate information.
“Charleston is one of South Carolina’s economic engines, and it is critical that we protect the city and the residents who live and work here,” said Charleston Mayor William Cogswell. “We have an opportunity to collaborate and set a national standard for how to protect Charleston and the rest of our state from rising waters,”
“The ‘thousand year flood’ that hit Columbia in 2015 demonstrates the extreme impact flooding can have on any region of the Palmetto State, not just the coast,” said Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. “As we rebuild and fortify our community’s water supply, homes, and businesses, Columbia is invested in preparation to protect against and respond to future flood events. We must collaborate at the state level to protect our local communities.”
The event featured community leaders and advocacy partners from across the state, representing a diversity of voices and regions.
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About the American Flood Coalition Action
American Flood Coalition Action is a 501(c)(4) dedicated to advancing national solutions to the reality of higher seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding. We raise awareness around these pressing issues and drive reforms that will aid flood-affected communities in disaster mitigation and smart planning for the future to protect our nation’s residents, economy, and military installations.
