The Pacific International Training Desk is hosting their first webinar of the spring 2021 season on Tuesday, March 2nd, at 3pm Hawaii Standard Time. This webinar will be on the subject of forecasting inundation events for low-lying Pacific Islands. Our speaker, a Physical Oceanographer at the Geoscience, Energy and Maritime Division of the Pacific Community (SPC), is currently developing... Continue Reading →
KAUA‘I PROPERTY OWNERS MAY BE FACED WITH MANDATORY FLOOD INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ON FEBRUARY 26
Hanapēpē & Waimea Rivers & Moloa‘a Stream & Bay Areas Impacted DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES COUNTY OF KAUA‘I DAVID Y. IGEGOVERNOR SUZANNE D. CASECHAIRPERSON DEREK KAWAKAMIMAYOR JOINT NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 12, 2021 KAUA‘I PROPERTY OWNERS MAY BE FACED WITH MANDATORY FLOOD INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ON FEBRUARY 26 Hanapēpē & Waimea Rivers... Continue Reading →
Last Chance to Register for FREE Floodplain Management Training
We've had an excellent response to our upcoming Floodplain Management virtual training series. If you haven't had a chance to register for one or more of the FREE sessions that will begin in two weeks, you have until 5 pm (HST) Friday (2/12/21) to register for the few spaces left. NFIP Basics - SOLD OUT... Continue Reading →
What Kauai property owners and renters need to know about the February 26, 2021 FIRM map changes
Do you own, rent, or in the process of purchasing a property near Hanapepe River, Waimea River, or Moloa'a Stream? This is a reminder of Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) pending Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) updates for Kauai County scheduled to be effective on February 26, 2021. Why should I be concerned? The flood... Continue Reading →
Hawaii CFM Matt Gosner is the new Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency’s Executive Director
Matthew Gonser is appointed as the City's Executive Director for the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency.
2021 Hawaii Floodplain Management Virtual Training
This training opportunity is FREE and made possible through FEMA RIX’s support. Although it may appear that some of these sessions are targeting community officials, they will also be useful to design professionals. Architects, engineers, and surveyors will learn how their SFHA development projects are reviewed for compliance and understand some of the common errors... Continue Reading →
STATE CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION COMMISSION ENDORSES TOOLS FOR SEA LEVEL RISE PLANNING
At its October meeting, the Hawai’i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (Climate Commission) endorsed two recently completed documents that operationalize the recommendations of the state’s Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report (2017). These guidance documents, produced in support of the Commission’s Climate Ready Hawaiʻi Initiative, help state and county planners and government officials... Continue Reading →
Counties Offer Emergency Notification System to Islanders
In order to broadcast vital information in a timely manner, all four counties offer residents and visitors the ability to receive emergency notifications should they arise. These alerts will provide information on impending weather changes or emergencies.
New Topographic Data for Hawaii
Data on ground elevations are the most important input for flood maps and this hazard mapping is the foundation for floodplain management and flood insurance rating. Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) is a remote sensing method used to examine the surface of the Earth. The United States Geological Survey's (USGS) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) announced... Continue Reading →
FEMA Will Host a Series of Civil Rights Stakeholder Summits
Author(s): Jo Linda Johnson, Esq. FEMA’s Office of Equal Rights Director Jo Linda Johnson, shares more about the importance of FEMA's upcoming Civil Rights Stakeholder Summits. While disasters can affect us all, they can also create unique challenges to the individuals they impact. FEMA has seen firsthand how disasters affect communities differently. When working to... Continue Reading →