Improving Hurricane Resiliency Through Research Field Hearing

WEATHERING THE STORM: IMPROVING HURRICANE RESILIENCY THROUGH RESEARCH FIELD HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION JULY 22, 2019 Serial No. 116–26 Printed for the use of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://science.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 36–506PDF WASHINGTON : 2020 COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas, Chairwoman ZOE LOFGREN, California FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma, DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois Ranking Member SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon MO BROOKS, Alabama AMI BERA, California, BILL POSEY, Florida Vice Chair RANDY WEBER, Texas CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania BRIAN BABIN, Texas LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas ANDY BIGGS, Arizona HALEY STEVENS, Michigan ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas KENDRA HORN, Oklahoma RALPH NORMAN, South Carolina MIKIE SHERRILL, New Jersey MICHAEL CLOUD, Texas BRAD SHERMAN, California TROY BALDERSON, Ohio STEVE COHEN, Tennessee PETE OLSON, Texas JERRY MCNERNEY, California ANTHONY GONZALEZ, Ohio ED PERLMUTTER, Colorado MICHAEL WALTZ, Florida PAUL TONKO, New York JIM BAIRD, Indiana BILL FOSTER, Illinois JAIME HERRERA BEUTLER, Washington DON BEYER, Virginia JENNIFFER GONZA´ LEZ-COLO´ N, Puerto CHARLIE CRIST, Florida Rico SEAN CASTEN, Illinois VACANCY KATIE HILL, California BEN MCADAMS, Utah JENNIFER WEXTON, Virginia SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT HON. LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas, Chairwoman SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas, Ranking CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania Member PAUL TONKO, New York BRIAN BABIN, Texas CHARLIE CRIST, Florida ANTHONY GONZALEZ, Ohio SEAN CASTEN, Illinois JIM BAIRD, Indiana BEN MCADAMS, Utah JENNIFFER GONZA´ LEZ-COLO´ N, Puerto DON BEYER, Virginia Rico (II) CONTENTS July 22, 2019 Page Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 2 Opening Statements Statement by Representative Lizzie Fletcher, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Environment, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ................................................................................................ 8 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 9 Statement by Representative Brian Babin, Subcommittee on Environment, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representa- tives ....................................................................................................................... 10 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 11 Written statement by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representa- tives ....................................................................................................................... 12 Witnesses: Dr. Louis W. Uccellini, Assistant Administrator for Weather Services, Na- tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and Director, National Weather Service Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 14 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 17 Dr. Hanadi Rifai, John and Rebecca Moores Professor, Environmental Engi- neering Graduate Program; and Director, Hurricane Resilience Research Institute, University of Houston Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 29 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 33 Ms. Emily Grover-Kopec, Director of Insurance Practice, One Concern, Inc. Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 52 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 54 Mr. Jim Blackburn, Co-Director, Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster Center; and Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 62 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 64 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 85 Appendix I: Additional Material for the Record Letter submitted by Representative Lizzie Fletcher, Chairwoman, Sub- committee on Environment, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ............................................................................ 108 (III) WEATHERING THE STORM: IMPROVING HURRICANE RESILIENCY THROUGH RESEARCH MONDAY, JULY 22, 2019 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, D.C. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:14 p.m., at Hous- ton Community College, West Loop Campus Auditorium, 5601 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77081, Hon. Lizzie Fletcher [Chairwoman of the Subcommittee] presiding. (1) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Chairwoman FLETCHER. This hearing will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare recess at any time. The Chair would like to request unanimous consent for Ms. Gar- cia and Ms. Jackson Lee to participate in today’s hearing. Without objection. Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s hearing entitled, ‘‘Weath- ering the Storm: Improving Hurricane Resiliency through Re- search.’’ This hearing will follow the format that is standard for the Committee’s Science, Space, and Technology hearings on Capitol Hill. First, I will give a 5-minute statement on the topic of the hearing. Then Dr. Babin, the senior-most minority Member on the Environment Subcommittee in attendance here today, will have 5 minutes to give an opening statement. After that, we will hear 5 minutes of oral testimony from each of our expert witnesses. Then, starting with myself, each Member will have 5 minutes to question the panel. We will alternate back and forth between Democratic and Republican Committee Members. If there is time, we will hold a second round of questions. Thank you for joining us at today’s Subcommittee on Environ- ment field hearing. I would like to welcome our panel of witnesses that includes two fellow Houstonians, Dr. Rifai and Mr. Blackburn. I’m glad we’re able to hold this hearing in Houston today, and I’m so pleased to welcome our witnesses and my colleagues here in Houston. I thank Chairwoman Johnson, who will be joining us shortly, for making this field hearing possible. Here in Houston, we know the devastating effects that hurricanes can bring, and we know the importance of preparing. As a young girl, I was just a few blocks from where we’re sitting today in the house I grew up in when Hurricane Alicia came through Houston and the eye of the storm passing right over our heads. In the years since, we have seen many storms here and across the Gulf Coast. We know them by name: Rita, Ike, Harvey. In fact, Texas is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. The Texas General Land Office has found that in the last 14 years every coastal coun- ty in Texas has received at least one hurricane disaster declara- tion. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey rewrote the continental U.S. record for rainfall from a tropical cyclone. It was the second-costliest hurricane in United States history behind only Hurricane Katrina. At least 68 people died, as we know all too well in this community, from the direct effects of the storm, and it left an estimated $125 billion worth of damage in its wake. We are still recovering. We have watched in recent days as Hurricane Barry made its way to the coast, predicted to dump 1 to 2 feet of rainwater across Louisiana with storm surges along the Mississippi River. Fortu- nately, the effects were not as severe as expected, but we know that will not always be the case. The science is clear: Hurricanes are becoming more frequent and more intense. That means more storms like Harvey. And with that knowledge it’s time to expand the conversation beyond just improving weather forecasts so that communities can prepare for and re- cover from severe storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, defines coastal resilience as, quote, ‘‘building the ability of 9 a community to bounce back after hazardous events such as hurricanes, coastal storms, and flooding rather than simply reacting to impacts.’’ I know that my constituents and Americans across the country want the Federal Government to do more than simply react to storms. Investing in research can facilitate the development of evidence- based policies that address how our environment is changing and how this change will affect society. We need not only a better understanding of the conditions that generate hurricanes but also an understanding of how to adapt our natural and manmade struc- tures to better withstand more frequent and intense tropical storms. Today’s advancements in hurricane forecasting would not be possible without Federal investments at agencies like NOAA. The Na- tional Hurricane Center, part of NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), works closely with research partners and with

Load more