A coalition of county mayors, homeowners and emergency managers is asking Tennessee legislators to make new investments to address the state’s flooding issues.
Flood Ready Tennessee wants lawmakers to put money into flood-proof infrastructure for storm disasters. The state has had 2,825 floods in the past two decades. They happen most often in February.
For years, creating a statewide storm policy has been on the minds of county mayors whose towns have been destroyed by these floods. But the recent flood in Waverly that took the lives of 20 people has made it urgent to take immediate action.
“It kind of started, it seems like, around 2010 when we had the big flood,” says Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter. “Since then, they seem to be coming more frequently.”
Putnam County residents are starting to experience flooding in areas they previously haven’t, he adds.
“If we save one life, or save someone’s property through this coalition, that’s the goal — to try to help the citizens and protect them in the future,” says Porter.
The coalition hasn’t officially received buy-in from the Tennessee General Assembly, but Porter says the group will be seeking a meeting with Gov. Bill Lee in the coming months.
Caroline Eggers WPLN NewsFlooding damaged electric infrastructure and knocked down power lines in Waverly, Tennessee on August 21, 2021.
“Gov. Lee and his administration have been effective and proactive in addressing the flood damage in Waverly and surrounding areas,” says Lt. Governor Randy McNally in a statement to WPLN News. “Once the legislature is back in session, I am sure we will look at ways to maximize the effectiveness of our response to these types of catastrophic events.”
One policy the group wants lawmakers to adopt is a revolving loan fund for “green infrastructure and flood resiliency projects.”
This would be similar to the state’s loan program for drinking water. The coalition is also pushing for a statewide flood resilience plan, like the one being developed locally in Dyersburg.
That city, which has been hard-hit by floods, has been making efforts to reduce the impact of flooding through environmental projects — planting trees and wetlands.
Each year, Tennessee’s flood tab cost upwards of $243 million. That bill is expected to increase by at least $100 million without proper remediation efforts.
“It puts a toll on emergency responders because we have to keep an eye on the weather. And then if it looks like we’re going to have flooding, we try to notify those residents door-to-door,” says Edwin Hogan, Cheatham County’s fire chief and emergency management director.
“And of course they’re faced with getting their belongings and leaving.”
Since the state’s latest flood in Humphreys County, more than 1,598 people have sought assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as of Sept. 8.
TN: Don’t count yourself out when registering for disaster assistance. Policies were recently updated to ensure disaster assistance is equitably provided to all eligible survivors. Read more about the recent changes ➡️https://t.co/Y4YRrkRjSq pic.twitter.com/I6Kf1qQS5t
— FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) September 8, 2021
FEMA has provided more than $4 million in housing assistance and other needs, in addition to the Small Business Administration approving more than $2 million in loans for homeowners and renters. Residents have also began receiving checks from the United Way of Humphreys County.
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, separately, has also awarded $200,000 worth of grants to nonprofits and organizations assisting residents affected by flooding in Dickson, Hickman, Houston and Humphreys counties.
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