Concrete of Bayous? Shaping Texas Flood Mitigation Policy Post-Hurricane Harvey with Amanda Fuller

Amanda FullerDuring the Fall 2020 semester, the TAMU Law Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resource Systems Law Program hosted a speaker series featuring practitioners in the field. The second speaker in the series was Amanda Fuller, Director of the Texas Coast and Water Program at the National Wildlife Federation. After graduating from law school, Fuller moved to Washington, D.C., and began a career with the World Wildlife Fund focusing on water policy on an international scale. Her work concentrated on binational policy between the United States and Mexico governing the Rio Grande River. Once she moved back to Texas, she tried working at a small law firm, reminding students that it is always wise to challenge assumptions and step outside of one’s comfort zone. That experience helped her solidify her convictions that policy was indeed her calling and brought her to her current position at the National Wildlife Federation.

Fuller shared with the students how her work has helped shape local flooding recovery, an issue that Texans have become intimately aware of following Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Fuller first gave an overview of the hurricane’s destruction, which included $125 billion in property damages. The federal response to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in that year resulted in three federal disaster supplemental appropriations that totaled over $135 billion. Of this amount, Texas received $31.5 billion, and half of that was specifically for the Greater Houston Region. Fuller noted that the government had placed a novel emphasis on spending this money on mitigation rather than just disaster recovery.

Fuller explained that the 2019 Texas Legislative session was primarily dedicated to the Hurricane Harvey response effort, to which she assisted in advising on and lobbying for bills addressing these issues. Senate Bill 7 created the Flood Infrastructure Fund; Senate Bill 8 created the process for developing the first flood plan for the state. Fuller welcomed these measures as Houston climate projections indicate longer, hotter, drier summers and increased fall precipitation due to increased hurricane activity.

Fuller explained how mitigating the impacts of floods by using conventional “gray” infrastructure - human-engineered solutions that often involve concrete and steel - is increasingly unreliable, not to mention costly. She proposed that cost-effective natural systems would be superior at preventing flooding as they are adaptive to natural disturbances and provide other benefits. Natural flood defenses consist of floodplain and watershed restoration and protect floodplains from development through open space acquisition and voluntary buyouts. These actions help ensure that the natural floodplains that can carry excess water during flooding retain their original function, thereby eliminating the need for levees and dams. Further, she noted that green stormwater management, such as rain gardens and permeable surfaces, can also help absorb water compared to traditional concrete development that facilitates flooding by preventing water from infiltrating into the ground. Natural defenses for coastal hazards consist of similar restoration and prevention plans and establish living shorelines equally poised to absorb excess water. These natural defenses, Fuller asserts, are as effective, if not more, than conventional “gray” infrastructure and usually less expensive. For example, an acre of wetlands can typically store 1-1.5 million gallons of floodwater, a far better solution than merely holding the water back with levees and flood breaks that are subject to failure. 

Fuller also explained that not only are these natural infrastructure solutions more effective at preventing flood damage, but they also have a host of other benefits for the community. She detailed that increased vegetation and decreased concrete can improve air quality and reduce extreme heat, as well as improve water quality. Additionally, growing natural areas improves the quality of life for those living in the region by providing natural outdoor settings and fostering environmental stewardship, as well as increasing property values. Tying environmental policy to social equality, Fuller reminded students that investing in the community leads to social equity as underserved communities historically have had more trouble bouncing back from natural disasters than white communities, which further increases the divide.

In addition, Fuller described the step-by-step approach for policymaking. She explained that it is crucial first to understand the needs of the stakeholders and to lobby Congress and local legislators to pass funding bills that address those needs. Then, continued Fuller, once agencies have been assigned to implement these changes, guidance and influence must be provided. Finally, Fuller, who has monitored the implementation of various flood-related, environmental, and other policies, stressed the importance of capturing lessons learned for future reference. 

After describing the post-Harvey legislation, Fuller explained to students how she pursued a career in environmental policy. She touted policy as an enriching career, highlighting the flexibility and creativity allowed in the process. Fuller entered environmental policy through an internship and gained experience at different scales of government. She recommended that students interested in environmental policy identify their field of interest and become an expert in that field. Fuller also advised them to search for opportunities to become an advocate or organizer, and not just an analyst. Finally, she noted the importance of staying aware of environmental issues and the value of predicting what might come next.