Equity Considerations for Stormwater Management: Existing State, Local and Federal Efforts to Address Needs of Historically Underserved Communities

Introduction
As impacts of climate change intensify, changes in land development, weather patterns, and sea levels may result in communities having a greater risk of flooding. State, local, tribal, and territorial governments continue to face pressures as they determine how to address the needs of communities to respond to flood hazards. Furthermore, resources for flood risk and stormwater management are often inequitably distributed even though socially underserved populations experience the worst repercussions. The debilitating impacts of disasters on underserved communities have shifted discussions around how to prioritize equity and social justice considerations for stormwater management. Federal agencies such as FEMA and EPA are reassessing current policies, programs, and practices in the field of stormwater management to examine approaches that alleviate inequities. Recent initiatives from state and local governments to address the needs of underserved communities have also informed the development of federal equity initiatives highlighting the importance of planning for stormwater management. Other relevant national shifts such as the White House Justice40 Initiative which requires 40 percent of the overall benefits from federal investments in climate and clean energy to flow to underserved communities and includes programs such as FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Risk Mapping Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) programs. Furthermore, Executive Orders 14008 and 13950 address the need to build resilience against the impacts of climate change with a focus on advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government. Based on existing federal funding and requirements prioritizing the needs of underserved communities, this paper explores opportunities for stormwater practitioners to advance equity by strengthening green stormwater infrastructure and planning.

Methods
This policy paper utilized two forms of data collection for this analysis--document review and interviews (n=5) with individuals working on stormwater management at the state, local and federal levels. The document review consisted of peer reviewed and grey literature (n=40) and a survey of existing equity tools (n=15) that can inform stormwater management practices. We also collated best practices from state, local and federal case studies (n=8), and recommendations on strengthening equity considerations for stormwater management. Further analysis included examination of community and stakeholder engagement by state, local and federal governments to address environmental justice and equity.

Discussion and Recommendations
This presentation will use examples from the aftermath of Hurricane Ian (Florida, September 2022) and Hurricane Fiona (Puerto Rico, September 2022) to demonstrate the importance of applying an equity lens before, during, and after disasters to address the needs of underserved communities. It will also provide an overview of current state, national and federal initiatives, such as the White House's National Initiative to Advance Building Codes, FEMA's Building Codes Strategy, Building Codes Adoption Tracking Portal and the Climate and Economic Screening Justice Tool to examine opportunities to enhance stormwater management that incorporate considerations for equity and environmental justice. There is limited analysis comparing cases studies across the state, local and federal government that are moving the needle on equity and environmental justice for stormwater management. By examining frameworks that are prioritizing historically underserved communities in all processes of stormwater management, stormwater practitioners can use these tools to strengthen community engagement and equity in planning.