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Last year, FEMA responded to 100 disasters, provided approximately $12 billion to communities and states for disaster recovery, and $1.3 billion to disaster survivors. With three months to go until 2024, 150 disasters have already been declared in the US and more are expected.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene last month, FEMA received $20.3 billion for its Disaster Relief Fund. The full damage caused by Helene will not be known for months, but current projections estimate that the cost of the damage will likely reach $35 billion. The amount of devastation caused by monster storm Hurricane Milton, which made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, is also unknown.
It is clear that climate change has wreaked havoc in many parts of the country.
As government leaders prepare for even more disasters, hundreds of preparedness and resilience projects across America are already underway or nearly ready to launch. In 2025 there will be even more preparation projects along with all the cleanup efforts that will be done. Disaster relief services will be in high demand.
Here are some of the most urgent resilience projects currently underway:
Texas: Harris County, Texas commissioners have announced a disaster preparedness and recovery initiative designed to mitigate flood risks in the Vince Bayou watershed. Improved flood management in this area will support recovery from past floods and improve resilience to future natural disasters such as hurricanes.
Mary Scott Nabers
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The area is particularly vulnerable to flooding due to its flat topography and frequent exposure to extreme weather events. The project, funded through a $15 million bond, will be designed to improve stormwater detention and channel conveyance systems. Four construction alternatives are being considered, with cost projections ranging from $11 million to $24 million. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.
Maryland: Officials in the coastal city of Crisfield, Maryland, are planning a major flood mitigation project to protect the area from waves and storm surges. Backed by $36 million in federal funding, the project’s goal will be to safeguard the area by building a flood protection barrier and improving the existing internal drainage system.
Crisfield faces increased flood risks due to rising sea levels and frequent extreme weather events, so components of the effort will include elevating key roads and levees, installing · creation of tidal gates and the restoration of wetlands so that they serve as natural rainwater storage systems. When delivered, the project will provide protection for a 3.5-foot storm surge initially, along with the ability to protect against 5-foot surges in the future as part of a future-proofing strategy. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.
New Hampshire: A $20.26 million reconstruction project will get underway to rebuild levees and revetments to protect a coastal highway between North Hampton and Rye, New Hampshire. The area is currently suffering from rising sea levels and increased frequency of coastal storms.
The effort will be designed to ensure the critical artery remains open during extreme weather events. Approximately 3.2 miles of vulnerable roadway will be worked to strengthen the region’s overall climate resilience and reduce the need for post-storm cleanup efforts. The project is currently in the design and permitting phase, with construction contracts likely to be awarded in 2025.
Mississippi: A $20.19 million floodplain restoration project in Mississippi will use natural infrastructure to restore 1,516 acres of wetlands and riparian forests. The goal will be to protect I-40, I-55, two freight rail lines and a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that converge on the Mississippi River floodplain. The project will also address long-term climate resilience.
With the frequent flooding of the Mississippi River, elevated routes face increasing risks from floodwaters of more than 10 feet. Embankments and bridge footings are vulnerable to shear stress, wave action and scour. The result will reduce flooding, improve ecosystem health and prevent erosion. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed by 2028.
Delaware: A $23 million bridge resiliency project is planned to address sea level rise and frequent flooding in Townsend, Delaware. It will replace the 60-year-old Taylors Bridge over Blackbird Creek and raise the surrounding roadway to accommodate a 3-foot rise in sea level.
The bridge is affected by frequent storms, with increased flooding and storm surges causing erosion and damage to access roads. When the work is finished, the bridge will be taller, which will reduce the effects of sea level rise and climate change.
The project will include reducing the number of bridge piers from nine to three to improve water flow, widening road shoulders, widening sidewalks and installing retaining walls to protect surrounding wetlands. The new 440-foot bridge will have a four-span precast concrete superstructure supported by reinforced concrete piers and abutments, ensuring resistance to future storm impacts and sea level rise. The project will also ensure travel access and protect a scenic segment of the Delaware Bayshore Byway.
California: A bridge in Val Verde, Calif., will be upgraded to prevent structural damage in the event of an earthquake. The existing bridge does not meet seismic safety standards and could collapse in the event of a major earthquake. The community has experienced recent earthquakes, making the project an urgent need.
The $7.5 million project will strengthen the bridge by installing receiving blocks, concrete infill walls and small-diameter piles under an existing footing to strengthen the foundation. The project is currently in the planning phase and construction is scheduled for 2025.
FEMA’s disaster relief fund provides most of its funding to cities and states, but it also compensates individual survivors. Cleanup efforts, along with future disaster preparedness projects, have already created a large amount of work that needs to be done quickly. Companies with these types of service offerings will continue to be in very high demand in the United States.
