Within the midst of eye-popping summer time precipitation in New England, the Deputy Commissioner on the New Hampshire Insurance coverage Division, D.J. Bettencourt, inspired New Hampshire residents to exit and purchase flood insurance coverage.
A complete summer time’s price of rain fell in just some hours, turning roads into rivers in New York, as tens of millions from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire have been left within the path of harmful flooding.
Officers say a younger lady was killed by the flooding north of NYC. pic.twitter.com/54FSdfL4tl
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 10, 2023
Highway buckles up in face of gushing floodwaters and crumbles in Hillsboro, New Hampshire
VC: Isaac Bailey on FB#Floods #Storm #NewHampshire #Hillsboro #NHwx #Hillsborough #Flooding #Viral #Climate #Local weather #FlashFloods pic.twitter.com/ufTeOiODu4
— Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) July 17, 2023
As soon as Governor Chris Sununu’s coverage director, Bettencourt was not too long ago nominated to function the Division’s subsequent Insurance coverage Commissioner. Earlier in his political profession, Bettencourt served as Republican Home Majority Chief, and because the public face of the conservative agenda within the state’s Home of Representatives.
He’s now serving as a subject knowledgeable—so regardless of Mr. Bettencourt’s public advocacy for restricted authorities, he should know he’s selling a federal authorities program. He understands, presumably, that almost all non-public insurance coverage corporations don’t supply non-public flood insurance coverage immediately, however as a substitute write flood insurance coverage with the Nationwide Flood Insurance coverage Program (NFIP) via the federal government’s Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA). He acknowledges, due to this fact, {that a} authorities program exists to handle the flood dangers right this moment, and will very properly handle future flood dangers confronted by New Hampshire residents and companies.
Power decisions are key to local weather resilience—however there’s resistance inside state authorities
Science tells us the extent and diploma of future flooding is determined by how briskly we are able to scale back warmth trapping emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The 2021 New Hampshire Local weather Evaluation states unequivocally: “With out vital discount in atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG), excessive precipitation occasions are projected to extend a minimal of 20%, resulting in a rise in freshwater flooding regionally.”
In its closing report, the 50-member New Hampshire Coastal Dangers and Hazards Fee acknowledged, “Though the Fee’s mission and report are targeted on adaptation, we acknowledge that efforts to scale back greenhouse gasoline emissions and adaptation are intrinsically linked, and due to this fact help continued motion to scale back the drivers of local weather change in New Hampshire….” With out decreasing emissions, we can not know the situations to which New Hampshire coastal communities are speculated to adapt.
Protecting in thoughts the science-confirmed connection between impacts and emissions, it’s notable to distinction Commissioner Bettencourt’s name to reap the benefits of a authorities program with the opinion of a special Sununu appointee who believes authorities ought to play no position in mitigating local weather dangers.
In his affirmation listening to, Jared Chicoine, Sununu’s selection to go the Division of Power, opined that the non-public sector is the suitable place to handle local weather change. Commissioner Chicoine adopted via on his laissez-faire stance with a “laissez-casser” (let it break) Ten-Yr Power Technique for New Hampshire. This doc is a roadmap for the established order and for local weather indifference; a roadmap that traps future generations into future Hazard Seasons on steroids.
Watch out what you would like for
To Mr. Chicoine’s level, with respect to the non-public sector, simply how is the non-public sector doing in addressing local weather change?
Sticking with the property insurance coverage sector, the markets are talking. Insurers use information—not ideology—when making choices. Allstate and State Farm—among the many largest insurance coverage corporations within the nation—introduced that they’d now not insure new houses in California; prices linked to elevated wildfires is one purpose for these choices to desert the market. An even bleaker image exists in Florida, the place a dozen insurance coverage corporations have deserted householders. The prices of elevated dangers from pure hazards—wildfires, floods and sea stage rise—are driving insurers away. (Rules inhibiting premium will increase are blamed as properly, although wouldn’t unleashing the free market on this case pressure hundreds of individuals to desert and go away their houses?) We’re witnessing a number of market failures, starting with the market’s failure to cost local weather dangers or advantages, and resulting in the insurance coverage market’s failure to do the identical.
New Hampshire’s 2024 local weather motion plan: redux, revival or redo?
Yet one more company division head, Division of Environmental Companies Commissioner Robert Scott, has utilized for a $3 million grant from the federal authorities to develop a state local weather motion plan. The state will quickly obtain this funding (no cost-sharing required), which the division says it should use this fall, winter, and spring for a broad outreach technique meant to collect suggestions from a spread of stakeholders, in addition to add new staff to take action.
New Hampshire’s 2009 Local weather Motion Plan is the product of a really numerous and considerate steering committee. By no means enforced, the plan did reach catalyzing curiosity and extra research; these and others can serve to tell a brand new local weather motion plan:
To be a pacesetter is to hear and be taught
Insurance coverage Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt, Power Commissioner Jared Chicoine, and Environmental Companies Commissioner Robert Scott ought to at a minimal assessment the aforementioned plans and suggestions.
The phrases of appointment for all three Commissioners prolong into the primary time period of the subsequent Governor; so it will be sensible, obligatory even, for Granite Staters anticipating local weather motion to make sure these company heads acknowledge the newest local weather science, heed the suggestions present in these stories, and verify their private opinions on the door.
Furthermore, it’d make sense for these three Commissioners to contain their friends: the Commissioners of (1) Well being and Human Companies; (2) Administrative Companies; (2) Agriculture Markets and Meals; and (4) Security. I hedge as a result of the Administrative Companies Commissioner in his prior position on the Josiah Bartlett Heart issued a white paper calling members of the Coastal Dangers and Hazards Fee “local weather alarmists,” and our Agriculture Commissioner says his division has “no position” in addressing local weather.
These three Commissioners ought to contain lawmakers too, in order that leaders within the government and legislative branches can collectively be taught and perceive the science, the intense implications for the state and its folks, numerous emissions discount alternatives out there and potential for constructive financial outcomes. However make no mistake: any new local weather motion plan have to be a peoples’ local weather plan. It can’t be a plan that displays the opinions and pursuits of the highly effective.
Onerous decisions will have to be made this decade—beginning proper now
Peoples’ welfare should trump the particular pursuits. The monied utilities, rich fossil gasoline corporations, and right-wing suppose tanks have lengthy influenced the positions and insurance policies introduced into the each day work of company heads and lawmakers.
Forging a significant local weather plan could also be a problem, given the state legislature narrowly defeated a local weather plan invoice within the final session. We must always all anticipate—slightly, demand—alternatives to offer significant enter right into a state local weather motion plan. Whereas private-sector improvements will play essential supporting roles, our state’s legislative and government branches should develop and go legal guidelines and rules to put the groundwork for development in employment within the clear power sector, and for a secure and adaptable future for folks and pure sources.
The state should guarantee working-class folks, these relying on hourly wages, communities of colour—individuals who have been pressured to the margins—are capable of entry and leverage alternatives for enter. In a brand new local weather plan—a roadmap drawn with implementation and accountability—we should see commitments for decisive motion, and impressive targets and timetables.
Governor Sununu, decide up the telephone
The widespread chorus we hear right this moment in Harmony is that “New Hampshire can’t make a distinction performing on local weather.” That is baloney. Nearly 40 years in the past, acid rain polluting our lakes and forests was a New Hampshire drawback demanding a nationwide answer. Congress arrived at a nationwide answer in 1990—partially as a result of New Hampshire led with landmark acid rain laws 5 years prior!
We will make a distinction. And it begins with state and native governance that’s aligned with making folks safer, affording us clear power decisions, and spurring financial growth in keeping with a resilient future.
Constructing an all-of-government strategy to rework New Hampshire from local weather laggard to local weather chief would possibly begin with a easy telephone name. In any case, the Commissioners all work for a similar individual: Governor Chris Sununu.
By Roger Stephenson, Northeast Regional Advocacy Director, courtesy of Union of Involved Scientists, The Equation.
Featured picture: Unknown location/street washed out by a flood. Supply: U.S. Nationwide Park Service Gallery, Public Area
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