|
|
|
|
Resilient Virginia News: January 2022
|
|
|
What’s NewNews from Resilient Virginia
State and Local News National News Resources and Funding Partnering for Resiliency - Let's move Resiliency Planning into the mainstream conversation in 2022! |
|
|
Virginia Communities Deserve a Better Future |
|
|
Over the past 5 years, NOAA reported that Virginia experienced 28 billion-dollar disasters.
And according to America’s Preparedness Report Card, with analysis done by Climate Central and ICF, around 260,000 Virginians live in areas at risk of inland flooding (defined as FEMA’s 100-year floodplain).
The increase in natural disasters; a global health crisis; the changing economy with massive job losses - these are only a few of the reasons that we believe Virginia Can't Wait to move forward with resiliency planning and initiatives. It is costly to recover from a disaster but resiliency planning can help communities build capacity to withstand these events and bounce back faster.
At Resilient Virginia, we are committed to bringing resiliency planning into the mainstream conversation in 2022. Some of our plans for this year include:
-
Continuing in our role as facilitator by bringing together stakeholders into an atmosphere that is open and welcome so everyone will feel comfortable contributing to the conversation;
-
Continuing in our role as educator by bringing together expert speakers from different segments of the resiliency field for our Resiliency Academies and Star Speaker Series;
-
Partnering with higher education institutions to provide internship opportunities for college students wanting real-world experience in the resiliency field;
-
Gathering the most recent and relevant resiliency information and tools, as well as researching and publishing our own white papers, for our Resiliency Resource Hub;
-
Supporting local and regional resiliency initiatives;
-
Advocating for a state-level resiliency plan; and
-
Forming a Regional Resilience Collaborative for Central and Southwest Virginia.
We know this is a lot, but it is necessary. This is why partnerships and collaborations are important. Working together, we can have a much bigger impact on a community than going it alone.
There are many ways to get involved with this initiative but the simplest way is to let others know about Resilient Virginia and Virginia Can’t Wait. Include our initiative in your newsletter or other communications with your network. Tag your social media images with #VirginiaCantWait. Follow us and share our social media posts. These simple actions can have a big impact. |
|
|
|
|
But if you would like to have a bigger impact, please consider partnering with us this year. We want all stakeholders to be involved in the planning and implementation of resiliency strategies. It is only with everyone at the table that we can make sure these strategies are equitable, and it is only through equitable strategies that we will succeed. We need your help in making sure we don’t leave anyone out! Please partner with us so all voices are heard and all communities are represented.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Resilient Virginia would like to welcome Jonah Fogel as the newest member of our Board of Directors. Jonah is the Program Manager of UVA's Environmental Resilience Institute. He holds a PhD in Natural Resources with a Policy Minor, a Masters of Landscape Architecture, and a BS in Hydrogeology. Jonah has taught at a graduate level and has over a decade of experience in community-based education and development on topics of public administration and land use planning. We look forward to working with Jonah and appreciate the knowledge and experience he is bringing to Resilient Virginia. |
|
|
Spring Resiliency Academy - Save the Dates |
|
|
The Resiliency Academy Spring 2022 series will feature four webinars highlighting the components of a Resilient Community that are championed by Resilient Virginia. Support this program with your sponsorship!
Registration for these events will open in February.
Economic Activities: Innovative Financing
March 10 • 1:00–2:30 PM
Community Action: Tools for Resiliency Planning
April 7 • 1:00–2:30 PM
Ecosystem Services: Green Infrastructure Utilized
May 12 • 1:00–2:30 PM
Infrastructure and Buildings: Progress Report
June 9 • 1:00–2:30 PM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The State of Climate and Resiliency Policy in Virginia |
|
|
Virginia has made great strides over the last few years toward becoming a more resilient place to live, work and raise a family. In 2020 and 2021, significant state-level progress was made in the areas of coastal resiliency, flood preparedness, and building and infrastructure design.
In the upcoming General Assembly that began on January 12th, some of these initiatives are under threat. In the coming weeks, lawmakers will begin considering and voting on a variety of bills that could either move forward or set back progress toward resiliency. This articles outlines what happened over the last couple of years and what to keep an eye on this year. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shawn Talmadge Appointed New VDEM State Coordinator |
|
|
"The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) announced today [January 15, 2022] that Governor Glenn Youngkin has selected Shawn Talmadge to serve as VDEM’s new state coordinator. Talmadge comes to VDEM from the previous administration where he served as Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor. In those roles, he also supervised the Secretariat’s Homeland Security Division and the Departments of Emergency Management, Fire Programs, and State Police."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act
|
"A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Thursday [January 20, 2022] released proposed legislation aiming to help the country better prepare for climate change impacts including sea level rise and worsening extreme weather events.
The legislation would require the federal government to develop a “National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy” that would assess the country’s vulnerabilities and make sure the government has a plan to respond to them.
It would also create a “Chief Resilience Officer” position in the White House to direct preparation efforts and lead the strategy’s development, as well as interagency groups dedicated to the issue and a council of non-federal partnerships from frontline communities." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Regional Resilience Toolkit |
|
|
Published in 2019 by FEMA, EPA, and the Association of Bay Area Governments, the goal of this Toolkit is to help cities, regions, and other partners integrate various planning processes – including for hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, sustainability, and equity – into a single process to create a common action plan. There is a need to consolidate varied planning processes, align goals and actions, and make it easier for communities to obtain funding for projects that cut across different planning areas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flood Resilience Checklist |
|
|
|
|
Is your community prepared for a possible flood? This checklist was developed as part of EPA's Smart Growth Implementation Implementation Assistance project in Vermont and includes overall strategies to improve flood resilience as well as specific strategies to conserve land and discourage development in river corridors; to protect people, businesses, and facilities in vulnerable settlements; to direct development to safer areas; and to implement and coordinate stormwater management practices throughout the whole watershed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We believe our communities deserve a resilient future — one where we are adequately equipped to address extreme weather or high impact events and one where we can adapt and thrive despite changing climate, environmental, social, and economic conditions.
There is a lot to be done but we are committed to bring resiliency planning into the mainstream conversation in 2022. We are dedicated to pushing resiliency initiatives forward in all Virginia communities, rural and urban. Will you join us in this important work?
With your membership you have access to reliable, timely, and relevant information; discounts to all of our educational webinars and conferences where you will learn from expert speakers in the resiliency field; access to videos and slides from our previous academies and conference; and an invitation to our listening and planning sessions where you can help us determine the path that will be most impactful.
We need all hands on deck! Please become a member today. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Resilient Events Calendar |
|
|
This Winter, check out the many webinars, conferences, and community meetings that are happening in Virginia and around the nation.
A few of special interest:
On January 31st and February 1st, the U.S. Global Climate Change Research Program and that authors of the 5th National Climate Assessment are hosting virtual public engagement workshops for the Southeast Chapter. On February 9th, USGBC Virginia is hosting a discussion on The Shifting Landscape of VA Green Building Policies in 2022.
FEMA Region 3 hosts Coffee Break webinars every other month to provide mitigation best practices and highlight the work happening at federal, regional, state, and community levels to reduce risk across the region. Their next webinar is March 30th and will discuss how to fund hazard mitigation efforts. The White House Office of Public Engagement hosts Rural Stakeholders Briefings every Thursday afternoon at 3pm. These meetings are open to the public. |
|
|
|
|
Continue your support throughout the year by using one or both of these online shopping sites that contribute to Resilient Virginia:
- Smile.Amazon.com — If Amazon is your online shopping choice, go to Smile.Amazon.com and designate Resilient Virginia and we will receive a donation with every purchase.
- GoodShop.com — Find lots of discounts and many participating stores for office supplies, general shopping, and special event gifts.
Feel free to send your suggestions for stories, as well as comments on existing stories. Contact: osso@resilientvirginia.org |
|
|
|
