The magnitude and frequency of major disasters are increasing as is the extent of damage caused. The cost of recovery and redevelopment is also on the rise, in part due to neglected infrastructure and unsustainable development in vulnerable coastal areas. For island communities, these challenges are compounded and often environmentally unjust in nature. Rebuilding a community after a major or catastrophic disaster is a monumental undertaking, often complicated by legal and political processes and an increasingly compressed timeline. Making that community sustainable and disaster-resilient is a further shared responsibility between community individuals, private businesses and industries, state and local governments, and the federal government. But resilience is not built overnight, nor is it limited by temporal boundaries. The most effective way to accomplish a holistic post-disaster recovery is to be prepared before a disaster strikes. Addressing the challenges of recovery prior to a disaster occurring makes maneuvering complicated legal and political processes an easier endeavor. In a phase of recovery, the legal issues are many: from shifting boundary lines; “takings” issues such as the emergency relocation of a road onto a homeowner’s property; rezoning needs; and diminished access to public infrastructure like roads, sewer, water, and power; to environmental legal implications from hazardous waste spills/ releases; and regulatory and permitting issues relating to damaged, destroyed or contaminated property. Citizens and businesses must also navigate the complexity and spectrum of
insurance claims that surface, as well as accessing FEMA services, funds, and appeal pathways. Panelists will explore pathways, legal and otherwise, for post-disaster recovery that can lend to pre-next disaster resilience.

The content of this program does not meet requirements for continuing legal education (CLE) accreditation. You will not receive CLE credit for participating.