Document Type

Policy Brief

Publication Date

2022

Abstract

West Virginia has a long history of flooding, but the frequency and intensity of flood events is expected to continue to increase in coming years. Despite a recognized need for building community resilience to floods, the State Resilience Office has been under-resourced and has no plan in place for long-term flood response and recovery. Without such preparations, future flooding in West Virginia will have long-term impacts for communities and individuals, ranging from economic loss, to decreased quality of life, to preventable deaths. West Virginia policy makers should ensure the State Resiliency Office (SRO) is fully resourced and clearly mandated to prepare for flooding, including immediate response and long-term recovery for vulnerable communities across the state.

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