On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, causing catastrophic damage to New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, and large portions of coastal Mississippi and Alabama. Following the slow and ineffectual response, lawmakers passed legislation to overhaul the nation’s disaster response and recovery systems, beginning with the bipartisan Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.
Over the past two decades, every Gulf Coast county has experienced at least three presidentially declared disasters, and the area is expected to see even more. By 2050, Gulf Coast states could lose $32 billion annually from climate-related hazards, more than double the losses experienced today. This is especially concerning because the Trump administration is promising to shrink the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s authority while congressional leaders are introducing major legislation to reform the agency.
Explore 20 years of data that highlight how foundational changes to federal disaster policy and programs would have significant consequences for the Gulf Coast, where extreme weather and disasters are a critical challenge.
