Reps. Doug LaMalfa and Jenniffer González-Colón write in The Washington Examiner about steps that Congress can take to build resilient rual communities.
- There are several steps that Congress can take to build resilient rural communities, one of the most important being permitting reform.
- Burdensome permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) delays forest management projects like mechanical thinning and prescribed burns by an average of 3.6 and 4.7 years, respectively.
- Antiquated laws like the Jones Act hurt coastal and island communities like Puerto Rico by severely delaying disaster relief supplies from arriving after hurricanes.
- Lawmakers can make America more resilient to natural disasters by modernizing laws and repealing outdated regulations.
“Restoring America’s safety means building resilient communities that are able to protect residents, so we both remain committed to prioritizing policies that will cut red tape, increase active federal forest management and hazardous fuels reduction, ensure efficient development of critical infrastructure to reduce damages from flooding, and maintain a strong energy and communication grid during times of disaster.”
Read the full article here.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
