Press Releases
DelBene Announces National Landslide Strategy Resulting from Her LawLaw will help communities better prepare for landslides and protect lives and property
KIRKLAND, WA ,
October 4, 2022
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) announced that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a new national landslide strategy that includes steps necessary to equitably reduce our risk from landslide hazards. The strategy is a core element of the National Landslide Preparedness Act, legislation that she introduced and was signed into law in January 2021. “Washington state knows too well the devastating impact landslides and natural disasters can have in the blink of an eye. This law is helping us better prepare for and mitigate future disasters by equipping communities with the tools, resources, and information they need to protect lives and property. This strategy is a major step in implementing this law and I will keep working with federal agencies to ensure timely implementation of the other provisions,” said DelBene. “The next natural disaster should not become our next national tragedy.” “We may not be able to stop landslides from happening, but we can help reduce their impact,” said Jonathan Godt, program coordinator for the USGS Landslide Hazards Program. “By bringing everyone together from state, local and Tribal governments; colleges and universities; and private, community-based, and non-profit organizations, we can lower the risk landslides pose to people and property.” There are four key goals to this comprehensive strategy:
Additional aspects of the strategy include the development of a publicly accessible national landslide database, support for existing early warning systems, and streamlined capabilities for rapid emergency response. Landslides kill 25 to 50 people and cause between $1.6 billion and $3.2 billion in damage in the U.S. annually. These statistics are expected to worsen because of climate change. The National Landslide Preparedness Act:
More details about the strategy can be found here. |