New Report: Green Infrastructure Projects Can Mitigate Flooding, Increase Resiliency in Underserved Communities

Posted by Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity on November 2, 2021

A new report issued by a collective of Black-led community organizations in New Orleans shows how community-driven green infrastructure initiatives can help mitigate the effect of flooding on underserved neighborhoods. The report explains how aging city infrastructure is ineffective in pumping out all the water brought in by storms, leaving low-lying areas of the city where people of color and low income typically reside most vulnerable to flooding and structural damage. These localized flooding events cost both the city and impacted residents, and the report stresses that “every dollar invested in green infrastructure projects in New Orleans produces six times higher returns in economic, social and environmental benefits, with the potential for tens of millions of dollars in additional local benefits annually.” The analysis outlines strategies such as rain barrel systems, rain gardens, pervious pavement, and trees and retention features that have proven to be effective in combatting the flooding risk. The leaders of the organizations that published the analysis call for increased investment in solutions that improve the environmental resilience of Black neighborhoods.

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