HR 122 — A Resolution recognizing the week of March 17 through 21, 2025, as "Flood Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   979

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 122
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY ZIMMERMAN, WARREN, GIRAL, FREEMAN, KHAN, VENKAT,
        REICHARD, PICKETT, SANCHEZ, COOK, MALAGARI, HOHENSTEIN AND
        LEADBETER, MARCH 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 17, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Recognizing the week of March 17 through 21, 2025, as "Flood
 2      Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, Act 22 of 2023 established the Flood Insurance
 4   Premium Assistance Task Force to review existing statutes,
 5   practices and rules relating to flood insurance in this
 6   Commonwealth; and
 7      WHEREAS, One of the duties of the task force was to complete
 8   a report that includes information on how to educate residents
 9   of this Commonwealth about the risk of flooding, as well as ways
10   to mitigate the occurrence of floods; and
11      WHEREAS, The National Weather Service provides information to
12   educate people on the dangers of flooding and prepare them for
13   the future; and
14      WHEREAS, Of all natural disasters, flooding is the most
15   common in this Commonwealth; and
16      WHEREAS, Flooding can cause damage to homes and buildings,
17   cause power outages, disrupt transportation routes and
 1   commercial supply chains and damage crops; and
 2         WHEREAS, Flooding can also impact human health as floodwaters
 3   can carry contaminants and pollute drinking water; and
 4         WHEREAS, People with low incomes, people who are elderly or
 5   experiencing homelessness and communities of color may be
 6   disproportionately impacted by flooding as they are less likely
 7   to have flood insurance or the ability to relocate during a
 8   flood; and
 9         WHEREAS, Flooding can cause environmental problems such as
10   landslides and mudslides; and
11         WHEREAS, Flooding typically develops in this Commonwealth as
12   a result of excessive rainfall or a combination of melting snow
13   and rainfall, often occurring in the spring due to snow melting
14   quickly in the warmer temperatures; and
15         WHEREAS, Several historically significant floods have
16   occurred throughout this Commonwealth's history, including the
17   following:
18             (1)   The Great Flood of 1889 in Johnstown.
19             (2)   The St. Patrick's Day floods in 1936.
20             (3)   The floods caused by Hurricanes Connie and Diane in
21         1955.
22             (4)   The floods caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
23             (5)   The snowmelt floods in January 1996;
24   and
25         WHEREAS, Investments are needed to improve this
26   Commonwealth's infrastructure to face flooding events, such as
27   increasing storm drainage capacity in towns and building
28   retaining walls to protect from landslides and rising sea
29   levels; and
30         WHEREAS, How people manage waterways, such as dams, levees

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 1   and reservoirs, and alterations made to land, such as installing
 2   impermeable roads and parking lots, can change natural drainage
 3   systems and play a role in flooding; and
 4      WHEREAS, Extreme precipitation events, such as hurricane
 5   frequency and severity and rising sea levels, are also key
 6   factors that lead to flooding; and
 7      WHEREAS, In 2016, the United States Environmental Protection
 8   Agency concluded that this Commonwealth had already seen a 5% to
 9   10% increase in rainfall per year; and
10      WHEREAS, According to the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance
11   Task Force Final Report, flood events are predicted to continue
12   to increase in severity and frequency in this Commonwealth and
13   throughout the Northeast; and
14      WHEREAS, The National Weather Service issues two types of
15   flood alerts: a flood watch and flood warning; and
16      WHEREAS, A flood watch means that flooding may occur and that
17   residents should stay alert for possible flooding; and
18      WHEREAS, A flood warning means that there is actual flooding
19   occurring to which residents may need to respond; and
20      WHEREAS, In preparation for a flood, residents of this
21   Commonwealth are encouraged to use sandbags or other materials
22   to protect their homes from flood waters, have a professional
23   install check-valves in plumbing and ensure coverage for
24   flooding with insurance providers since standard homeowners
25   insurance does not cover flooding; and
26      WHEREAS, Before a flood, residents of this Commonwealth are
27   also encouraged to create a communications plan to contact
28   friends and family in case of disaster, assemble an emergency
29   kit with enough food, water and medicine to last at least three
30   days, know which spots on their property are likely to flood and

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 1   charge essential electronics; and
 2      WHEREAS, During a flood, residents of this Commonwealth
 3   should remain aware of changing weather conditions, move to
 4   higher ground, obey evacuation orders, practice electrical
 5   safety by avoiding water that may have electricity in it and
 6   avoid flood waters; and
 7      WHEREAS, As people often underestimate the strength of flood
 8   water, the National Weather Service notes that the safest thing
 9   to do when approaching a flooded area, whether walking or
10   driving, is to turn around; therefore be it
11      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
12   week of March 17 through 21, 2025, as "Flood Awareness Week" in
13   Pennsylvania; and be it further
14      RESOLVED, That Pennsylvanians observe "Flood Awareness Week"
15   by practicing flood safety procedures in their homes and places
16   of work.




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