Dive Brief:

  • The first “community disaster resilience zones” were announced Wednesday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and are available to view on an interactive online map.
  • The agency determined these 483 census tracts spanning D.C. and all 50 states face the highest risk from climate change impacts and have the most need for assistance — and thus will get prioritized access to federal funding for climate resilience and mitigation projects.
  • More zones, including tribal lands and territories, will be announced this fall, according to FEMA. Even more will be designated in 12 to 18 months, following updates to the National Risk Index, lessons learned from current zones and stakeholder input.