2019 -- H 6138

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LC002650

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH 7TH, 2019, AS "RESILIENCY WEEK" IN

THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Carson, Ruggiero, Donovan, Caldwell, and Handy

     Date Introduced: May 22, 2019

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

     WHEREAS, Hazard mitigation is the effort to reduce the loss of life and property by

lessening the impact of disasters and is most effective when implemented under a comprehensive,

long-term mitigation plan; and

     WHEREAS, The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, administered by the Federal

Emergency Management Agency, is designed to assist states and local communities in

implementing a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program; and

     WHEREAS, The Federal government recently enacted the Disaster Recovery Reform

Act, which makes available new dollars for states and communities to undertake pre-disaster

mitigation measures and creates new incentives for states to build resiliently; and

     WHEREAS, Since 1908, natural disasters have cost the country more than $1 trillion

dollars; and

     WHEREAS, Disasters affect the local and state economies in lost payrolls, lost sales and

income tax, and increased disaster recovery times; and

     WHEREAS, According to a FEMA commissioned study conducted by the National

Institute of Building Sciences, every $1 spent on hazard mitigation provides the nation with $6 in

future benefits; and

     WHEREAS, Twenty-five percent of small businesses that are impacted by a natural

disaster never reopen their doors; and

     WHEREAS, Mitigation planning is a key process used to break the cycle of disaster

damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage; and

     WHEREAS, Effective pre-disaster mitigation reduces the demand for relief services on

volunteer organizations such as disaster rescue and recovery teams, along with food banks and

homeless shelters who serve our communities by changing their operations to provide additional

services to those affected by disasters; and

     WHEREAS, September is National Preparedness Month and Rhode Island Preparedness

Month in recognition of the need for all Americans to prepare and plan for recovery after a

disaster; and

     WHEREAS, There are also vitally important environmental disasters that, while more

gradual in their approach, are none the less an eminent threat to our ecosystem and the health of

our environment; and

     WHEREAS, Climate resilience has been defined as "the capacity of individuals,

institutions, businesses, and natural systems within Rhode Island to survive, adapt, and grow no

matter what chronic stresses and weather events they experience"; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island is already experiencing climate change and the impacts are

placing communities, coastlines, forests, and aging, vulnerable infrastructure at risk; and

     WHEREAS, Climate change is considered one the most serious threats to the future

health, well-being, and economic security of the people of Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, It is essential to the safety and well-being of all Rhode Islanders that

agencies of this State are prepared to keep the citizens, our coastline, and our state's natural

resources safe from both sudden natural disasters and the devastating progression and effects of

climate change; now therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby honors the brave men and women who, as first responders,

selflessly provide aid in a disaster to safeguard Rhode Island's citizens; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby recognizes September 1st through September 7th,

2019, as "Resiliency Week", and urges all the citizens of the state to learn about and actively

support efforts to enhance our state and the world's environmental and disaster preparedness

through the establishment of a pre-disaster mitigation strategy; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby urges that steps necessary to implement Rhode

Island's Action Plan to Stand Up to Climate Change are promptly instituted; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Gina Raimondo, Governor of the

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State of Rhode Island, Janet Coit, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental

Management, and Cate Paolino, Regional Vice President -- Northeast, National Association of

Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC).

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