Page 171 - Inflation-Reduction-Act-Guidebook

Increasing the Resilience of Our

Communities in a Changing Climate

From wildfires engulfing entire towns, to more frequent and extreme heatwaves and drought
conditions, to supercharged hurricanes and other storms battering our coasts, Americans of every
stripe are affected by climate change. As we take urgent action to rapidly cut emissions fueling
the crisis, the United States also needs to prepare for and adapt to the unavoidable impacts. The
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made a historic down payment on strengthening the country’s
climate resilience, and the Inflation Reduction Act will go even further with new funding to
mitigate extreme drought, support Tribal and other communities that are most vulnerable to
climate impacts, and improve the nation’s ability to forecast extreme weather.

Strengthening Communities’ Resilience to Drought,

Flooding, and Other Climate Impacts

Communities across the country are already feeling the impacts of climate change in the form of
more frequent and intense precipitation events, flooding, heat waves, drought, storms, and
wildfires. According to the National Climate Assessment, lower-income and other marginalized
communities may be the most vulnerable to these impacts, as they often live in higher-risk areas
and have lower capacity to prepare for and cope with extreme weather and climate-related
events. Although the world can avert the worst impacts of climate change with bold and urgent
action to cut emissions, the U.S. government is working to strengthen communities’ resilience to
growing climate hazards and help them adapt in order to avoid additional damage to human
health, neighborhoods, and livelihoods.

In addition to investing in nature-based climate resilience measures, as described earlier in this
guidebook, the Inflation Reduction Act funds several programs to address the effects of extreme
drought in the Western United States and provides financial and technical assistance to
communities most at risk from climate impacts. This funding complements the investments in
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included historic funding—nearly $38 billion—to
protect the nation’s infrastructure and communities from a range of natural and manmade
hazards, from cyber threats to climate change.

Funding Overview

The Inflation Reduction Act provides much-needed resources for communities in the American
West suffering from extreme drought and funding for parts of the United States—including
Tribal lands and Insular Areas—that are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. Highlights
include:

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