RRI Joins 131 Organizations in Calling for Emergency Disaster Relief Funding

Various crews present at the I-26 bridges that were damaged during Hurricane Helene in Uricoi County, Tennessee. U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Robert Kaufmann

Resource Renewal Institute has joined forces with leading national organizations, including the American Rivers, National Wildlife Federation, Union of Concerned Scientists, and GreenLatinos, along with 128 other groups, to urge Congress to expedite the passage of an emergency supplemental appropriations bill. The coalition letter, delivered to congressional leadership on November 19, 2024, calls for critical funding to support recovery efforts and strengthen resilience in communities affected by recent hurricanes across the Southeast.

The hurricanes, which made landfall in Florida in September and October 2024, caused an estimated $300 billion in damages and claimed 261 lives. The devastating storms impacted nearly 100,000 farms and caused widespread infrastructure damage across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee.

"In the face of increasingly severe weather events, we must prioritize both immediate recovery and long-term resilience of our County's ailing infrastructure," said Chance Cutrano, Director of Programs at Resource Renewal Institute. "The proposed funding package represents a crucial step toward helping affected communities rebuild while implementing nature-positive infrastructure solutions that will better protect them from future disasters."

The coalition's recommendations include $40 billion for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, $1.1 billion for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, and $3 billion for State and Tribal Assistance Grants. The letter also advocates for policy changes to strengthen federal resilience capabilities, including debt forgiveness for the National Flood Insurance Program and better integrating affordable housing programs with floodplain management.

The diverse coalition includes public health professionals, community associations, think tanks, land trusts, floodplain managers, conservation districts, waterkeepers, rural voices, and farm workers, demonstrating broad support for comprehensive disaster relief and resilience planning.