FEMA and EDA Release New Resource to Align Community Plans and Build Resilience

FEMA and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) recently published a new guide, The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and Hazard Mitigation Plan Alignment, which can help communities align hazard mitigation plans with Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) to help them be more resilient from natural hazards.

This resource will benefit both economic development and hazard mitigation planners and help them achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. According to FEMA, “A CEDS must include economic resilience in its strategy; a hazard mitigation plan identifies and plans for natural hazard risks to key sectors, including the economy. Aligning these means community partners can coordinate better, share priorities and actions that reduce risk, and better use funding.” Indeed, aligning CEDS and mitigation plans can help ensure that critical infrastructure remains operational during and after disasters and that businesses are built in safer areas with a lower risk of hazard impacts, among other benefits.

Communities, emergency planners, and state, local, and federal officials can use the guide when preparing or reviewing FEMA Hazard Mitigation Plans and EDA CEDS. Included in the guide are recommendations to help align strategies with approved local plans. Additionally, the guide includes economic development concepts to add to hazard mitigation plans. It also encourages integration of information from risk assessments and hazard mitigation ideas to use in a CEDS. Lastly, the guide includes resources offering more detailed information to help communities support their plan alignment. Access the full guide below.