Do you feel as though we are experiencing increasing storm severity year after year? No, it’s not just you, scientists continue to monitor changes to our climate which are resulting in more powerful storms, and thus greater amounts of destruction to our communities. During the 2024 hurricane season, it was observed that of the Atlantic hurricanes formed, the wind speeds to seem to be on a trajectory of increasing strength from years past, likely influenced by warmer than average ocean temperatures.
On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm initially impacting the Big Bend region of Florida. Inundating Tampa Bay, Helene shattered storm surge records. With sustained winds of 140 miles per hour, Helene was the deadliest hurricane to hit the United States mainland since Katrina in 2005[1]. This intense storm generated catastrophic rainfall which triggered immense flooding in western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. As recovery efforts from Helene continued, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida as a Category 3 storm.
These devastating storms took the lives of over 250 people and destroyed or damaged residences, businesses, roadways, utilities. The six states impacted by these hurricanes are home to 5,440 listings on the National Register of Historic Places (including 746 National Register Historic Districts and 81 National Historic Landmarks), as well as 962 historic tax credit projects. Preserving these historic sites is essential to safeguarding our cultural heritage and maintaining the unique character of these communities for future generations. As the effort to rebuild continues, we call upon Congress to aid in the rehabilitation of significant historic properties in the path of these storms.
The varying regional impacts of these storms requires a variety of tools in a disaster assistance package to stabilize and remediate damage in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. We were pleased to see recognition of the catastrophic Maui fires and support the proposed $20 million for historic preservation and cultural resources restoration through supplemental appropriations under the Historic Preservation Fund. Likewise, we seek funds to rebuild after the most recent disasters across the Southeast.
Ensure your Congressmember knows about this effort, and ask them to support funding for the recovery of historic resources in the impacted states!
Downloads:
[1] Shapiro, Emily et al. ABC News. October 7, 2024. Hurricane Helene updates: Death toll surpasses 230 as rescue efforts continue.
