U.S. Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO) and David Rouzer (R-NC) introduced the Championing Local Efforts to Advance Resilience (CLEAR) Act this week. The bipartisan bill authorizes $200 million annually for five years in grants to help states and tribes take steps to improve their resilience to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change; encourages grant recipients to work closely with disadvantaged communities, industry experts, labor stakeholders, and Tribal nations; establishes requirements of assessments of risks and vulnerabilities in a number of sectors, including environmental and natural hazards, social infrastructure, and housing; and encourages grant recipients to prioritize projects in disadvantaged communities.

In response to the bill’s introduction, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“Climate change is already here and impacting communities across the nation. It is absolutely critical that we take steps to better prepare ourselves for the worsening effects still to come. We are happy to endorse the proactive policies in the CLEAR Act and thank Rep. Crow for his leadership on this important issue.”