The federal government has released an initial set of areas designated to receive financial support and technical assistance for projects aimed at helping communities grow resilience to climate change and other natural hazards.
Six census tracts in Logan, McDowell and Raleigh counties were included in 483 nationwide that will get the targeted federal support under the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in December 2022.
The resilience zones are disadvantaged communities that have high natural hazard risks based on combined risks of annualized estimated losses to buildings, people and agriculture from natural hazards; social vulnerability and community resilience, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FEMA said a second announcement of zone designations will take place this fall for tribal lands, to be followed by a third in 12 to 18 months based on updates to the National Risk Index and stakeholder input.
The National Risk Index is a tool that shows communities most at risk for natural hazards.
FEMA said in a news release Tuesday afternoon designated zones will give a geographic focus for financial and technical assistance from public, private and philanthropic agencies and organizations for planning and implementing resilience projects.
Designated areas in West Virginia are a chunk of Logan County west of Logan that includes Sulphur Springs, Dehue, Hutchinson and Kistler; a stretch in McDowell County between Compton and Shawnee mountains that includes Sandy Huff, Wilmore, Roderfield and Kimball; and a slice of Raleigh County east of Cook Mountain that includes Leevale, Dry Creek and Masseyville.
Logan, McDowell and Raleigh counties combined to suffer 77 flood and flash flood events causing roughly $3.4 million in property damage from 2013 through May 2023, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.
Floods are longer-term events that may last days or weeks, while flash floods are caused by heavy rainfall in a short period of time, usually under six hours.
Flooding and other extreme weather events are growing more common due to climate change.
A 2021 study by First Street Foundation, a Brooklyn, New York-based nonprofit that quantifies climate risks, found more than half of West Virginia’s critical infrastructure — including fire, police and power stations — was at risk of becoming inoperable due to flooding. West Virginia’s share of critical infrastructure at risk of being inoperable due to flooding was higher than any other state’s.
