New FEMA rules include climate change impacts

FEMA’s new rules governing rebuilding after disasters will take into account the impacts of climate change on future flood risk.

For decades, the agency has followed a 100-year floodplain standard—an area that has a 1% chance of flooding in a given year. The new standard will factor in the impact of climate change such as rising sea level and heavier rainfalls when it funds rebuilding projects.

In coastal areas, the agency will account for increased erosion projected to worsen this century. To reduce flood risk, the agency will build farther from the water wherever possible and will raise structures on stilts and pilings.

Along rivers, FEMA will rebuild at least as high as the 500-year floodplain, and sometimes higher for essential infrastructure such as bridges and hospitals. Similar standards in Houston are credited with savings thousands of homes from flooding earlier this month during Hurricane Beryl.