American Rivers Welcomes Review of FEMA, a “Vitally Important” Agency for Dam Safety, Disaster Response 

January 27, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org

WASHINGTON D.C. — American Rivers is today welcoming President Trump’s executive order establishing a council to review the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s efficacy, priorities and competence, but strongly urge him to reconsider his stance on potentially eliminating it. 

“FEMA is a vitally important agency that saves lives. Preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters like floods and dam failures is an essential role of the federal government and eliminating this agency would jeopardize human safety,” said Tom Kiernan, president and CEO of American Rivers. “We welcome the review because rebuilding after a tragedy provides the opportunity to rebuild in a smarter way that makes us resilient before the next disaster.”

The council is to be composed of government officials like the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense and also reserves spots for appointed officials outside of the government.

“We have an impressive staff of flooding, infrastructure, dam safety and river health experts here at American Rivers, and we are ready and willing to partner with the Trump administration to achieve its goals of improving the nation’s disaster response,” said Kiernan.

There is certainly opportunity to reposition FEMA as an independent agency and remove inefficiencies that come from being housed under the Department of Homeland Security. Americans have always helped each other when they are most in need, and FEMA is a powerful channel for that,” he said.

There are thousands of outdated, unsafe dams on rivers across the country. When a dam fails, the disaster can claim lives and destroy homes and businesses. FEMA provides important state oversight and helps manage dam safety across the nation. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, dozens of high-hazards dams failed or were damaged, and FEMA has been instrumental in stabilizing and repairing impacted dams and will be in removing failed dams, when needed. 

“As floods become more frequent and severe, FEMA is an essential partner for the states and local communities who often do not have the staff or resources to adequately prepare for and respond to disasters on their own,” said Eileen Shader, Senior Director of Floodplains and a FEMA expert for American Rivers.

FEMA also manages the National Flood Insurance Program, that if left to the states or private companies, would likely lead to many people losing coverage.