On the Horizon: Changes in National Flood Policies

April 28, 2021

California Central Valley Flood Control Association (CCVFCA) Annual Flood Forum


Downey Brand Managing Partner Scott Shapiro will moderate a panel of national experts at this year’s CCVFCA Annual Flood Forum titled On the Horizon: Changes in National Flood Policies on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, from 9:00 – 11:00 AM.

Program Overview

With the adoption of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan in 2012, flood control managers in the region, local governments, and state agencies immediately embarked on implementation and have continued progressing towards achieving long-term flood risk goals. But on the horizon are federal policies being developed in Washington D.C. and communities around the country that may not perfectly overlay with our region’s vision or our risk conditions. Known federal policies in the works include updates to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), including changes to building standards in floodplains, programs to address residual risk, new ways of evaluating Federal interest in local projects, and the expected introduction of infrastructure legislation by the Biden Administration that could include funding for flood protection projects. These public safety issues will no doubt converge with the proposal of new environmental and climate change statutes. Many different viewpoints will emerge as these federal debates evolve, which may eventually affect our local operations.

The panel during this two-hour Flood Forum will share the changes they are hearing about, changes they are advocating for, and changes local communities can expect in the near future.

The Panel

  • Susan Gilson, Executive Director, National Association of Flood and Stormwater Agencies
  • Carey Johnson, Commissioner’s Office, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Chair of Association of State Flood Plain Managers
  • Ric Reinhardt, Principal, MBK Engineers, Inc.
  • Forbes Tompkins, Manager of Federal Policy for Flood-Prepared Communities, The Pew Charitable Trusts
  • Julie Ufner, President, National Waterways Conference

Registration

To register, please visit the CCVFCA’s Flood Forum event page.