Boyle Statement on New CBO Report Warning of Increasing Flood Risk Across the Nation

WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a new report investigating how projected flood risk fueled by the climate crisis varies across communities with different economic and demographic characteristics. The report was requested by House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan Boyle in the midst of extreme flooding in the Philadelphia area and across the United States.

“This CBO report is a reminder that severe weather events are getting worse due to the climate crisis, and disproportionately harming the most vulnerable households in the process,” said Ranking Member Boyle. “The neighborhoods I represent in Philadelphia are no stranger to the increasing frequency of flash flooding and extreme precipitation, events which cost millions of dollars in damage and which are becoming increasingly deadly.”

“The risk families face from climate-fueled disasters is exactly why Democrats delivered historic investments to tackle the climate crisis and make our communities more resilient with the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. We must take these risks seriously and ensure resources are available to make flood-prone communities more resilient and help them recover when disaster strikes.”

According to the report, flooding is expected to increase in the future due to the effects of climate change, and certain communities are particularly vulnerable. The CBO finds that community risk varies by factors including: median household income, race, composition of household, geographic location, ethnicity, and type of residence. Notably, the report shows that lower-income communities will continue to have higher flood risk and Black communities (except for those in which the median household income is high) face larger increases in flood risk over time.

For the full report, click here.

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