The White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience is discussing potential ways to build climate change resilience into federal disaster recovery programs, according to Susan Ruffo, Deputy Associate Director for Climate Change Adaptation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Ms. Ruffo made her remarks in March at a National League of Cities meeting.
The Task Force is comprised of state, local and tribal leaders from across the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Guam and was established by the President under Executive Order 13653, Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change. To date, members of the task force have discussed the need for fewer paperwork requirements for federal assistance after disasters and for more flexibility in federal funding for climate change resilience. According to the CEQ blog, the Task Force has also discussed how to improve coordination to protect critical infrastructure and shared ideas about tools and information needed to address climate change impacts.
By November 2014, the Task Force will provide final recommendations to President Obama on “removing barriers to resilient investments, modernizing Federal grant and loan programs to better support local efforts, and developing the information and tools they need to prepare,” among other items. The Task Force is accepting public input for consideration in its final recommendations.