The
SDR is a subcommittee of the Committee
on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) under the National
Science and Technology Council. Membership in the SDR is
by NSTC invitation. Nominations for SDR leadership positions are submitted
by the Secretaries or Administrators of selected Federal agencies
whom the NSTC invites to participate in the nomination process. The
Chair and the Vice-Chair are selected by the Office
of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and serve a three-year
term. Lead agency representatives to the SDR are renewed annually
at the Secretary or Administrator level.
Member agency activities with regard to disaster
reduction follow. Please click the agency seal to access the agency's
homepage.
| Organization |
SDR Member
|
| Bureau of Land Management |
Mr.
Edwin Roberson |
| The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), an agency within the U.S. Department of the
Interior, administers 261 million surface acres of America's
public lands, located primarily in 12 Western States. The BLM
sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of the public
lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. |
|
| http://www.blm.gov |
|
 |
| Department of Defense-Networks
and Information Integration (NII) |
Mr. Al Johnson
|
| The mission of
the NII is to lead the Information Age transformation of the
Department of Defense by building the foundation for network-centric
operations through policies, program oversight, resource allocation,
and the provision of value-added support. The NII is committed
to making information available on a network that people depend
on and trust; populating the network with new, dynamic sources
of information to defeat the enemies of the United States;
denying those enemies informational advantages; and exploiting
weaknesses to support Network Centric Warfare and the transformation
of Department of Defense business processes. |
|
| http://www.dod.mil/nii |
|
|
| Department of Energy |
Patricia A. Hoffman
|
| The Department
of Energy's overarching mission is enhancing national security.
Responsibility for accomplishing this mission is shared among
four principal program lines.
The National Defense Programs of the Department have four
overriding priorities, including: ensuring the integrity
and safety of the country's nuclear weapons; promoting
international nuclear safety; advancing nuclear non-proliferation;
and continuing to provide safe, efficient, and effective
nuclear power plants for the United States Navy.
The priorities of the Department's energy program are:
to increase domestic energy production; to revolutionize
our approach to energy conservation and efficiency; and
to promote the development of renewable and alternative
energy sources.
The priorities of the Department's environmental program
are: ensuring that safety legacies of the Cold War are
addressed and resolved and done so in a manner that does
not impede future national security missions; and permanent
and safely disposing of the nation's radioactive wastes.
The top priority of the Department's science program is
the sponsorship of cutting-edge science and technology
research and development that revolutionizes how we find,
produce, and deliver energy.
|
|
| http://www.doe.gov |
|
|
| Department of Health and
Human Services-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Dr. Mark Keim
|
| CDC protects people's health
and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries;
enhances health decisions by providing credible information
on critical health issues; and promotes healthy living through
strong partnerships with local, national, and international
organizations. |
|
| http://www.cdc.gov |
|
|
| Department of Homeland Security |
Dr. Bruce Davis
|
| The creation of the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) is the most significant transformation
of the U.S. government since 1947, when Harry S. Truman merged
the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces into the Department
of Defense to better coordinate the nation's defense against
military threats. The DHS represents a similar consolidation,
both in style and substance. In the aftermath of the terrorist
attacks against America on September 11th, 2001, President
George W. Bush decided 22 previously disparate domestic agencies
needed to be coordinated into one department to protect the
nation against threats to the homeland.
The first priority of the Department of Homeland Security
is to protect the nation against further terrorist attacks.
Component agencies will analyze threats and intelligence,
guard our borders and airports, protect our critical infrastructure,
and coordinate the response of our nation for future emergencies.
Besides providing a better-coordinated defense of the
homeland, DHS is also dedicated to protecting the rights
of American citizens and enhancing public services, such
as natural disaster assistance and citizenship services,
by dedicating offices to these important missions.
|
|
| http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm |
|
|
| Department of Homeland Security
- Federal Emergency Management Agency |
Mr. David Maurstad
|
| FEMA became part of DHS on March
1, 2003. Its mission is to lead America to prepare for, respond
to, and recover from disasters. FEMA's programs span the four
phases of emergency management: preparedness, mitigation, response,
and recovery. FEMA helps states and localities prepare for
a wide range of hazards through its preparedness, exercise,
and training programs for state, tribal, and local emergency
managers, and other officials.
The agency has a long history of partnering with states,
tribal and local governments, the private sector, non-profit
groups, and the general public to reduce or eliminate the
risk to people and property from all hazards, thereby contributing
to a nation of safer, stronger communities. FEMA provides
disaster assistance to states, and tribal and local governments,
and coordinates the provision of assistance by other Federal
agencies. The agency has both broad-based and in-depth
experience coordinating intergovernmental efforts.
|
|
| http://www.fema.gov |
|
|
| Department of Housing and
Urban Development |
Ms. Dana Bres
|
| HUD's mission is
to provide a decent, safe, and sanitary home and suitable living
environment for every American. Many of HUD's programs already
include disaster mitigation components such as minimum construction
standards and rules on project site selection. This includes
not only the minimum property standards that apply to all HUD-assisted
construction, but also special wind and snow load requirements
for manufactured housing to ensure a degree of protection from
hurricanes and snowstorms. There are also restrictions on constructing
projects near any operation that stores, handles, or processes
hazardous substances such as petroleum products or flammable
chemicals. HUD has also placed some process and design requirements
on assistance for construction in areas having special flood
hazards. |
|
| http://www.hud.gov |
|
|
| Department of
State |
Dr. Fernando Echavarria
|
| The DOS leads the interagency
effort on International Strategy on Disaster Reduction (ISDR)
and coordinates how the U.S. votes on UN General Assembly and
ECOSOC resolutions on international disaster matters. DOS works
with a number of international organizations to foster better
disaster reduction.
With respect to this mission, the Bureau of Oceans and
Environmental Sciences is the main research arm of DOS.
The Bureau of International Organizational Affairs (IO)
also funds research aimed at gaining a better understanding
of the systemic risks posed to society by disasters, and,
along with NOAA and NASA, has stimulated research into
the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for use in disaster
telecommunications and remote sensing. IO also works closely
with Canada through the G-7 Information Society to develop
more effective knowledge management tools.
|
|
| http://www.state.gov |
|
|
| Department of the Interior |
Dr.
David Applegate, Chair |
| The Department of
the Interior (DOI) is the nation’s principal conservation
agency. Its mission includes providing stewardship of energy
and mineral resources, fostering sound use of land and water
resources, and conserving and protecting fish and wildlife.
DOI’s many disaster related functions include monitoring,
analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating information on earthquakes,
volcanoes, and the geology and topography of the United States
and monitoring and assessing water quality, streamflows and
ground water across the nation.v |
|
| http://www.doi.gov |
|
|
| Department of Transportation |
Cheryl McQueary |
| The Department of
Transportation’s stated mission is to “serve the
United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible
and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national
interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people,
today and into the future.” DOT’s resources for
maintaining the transportation infrastructure before, during
and after a hazard event include the National Response Center
for oil and chemical spills and the Office of Hazardous Materials
Safety. |
|
| http://www.dot.gov |
|
|
| Environmental Protection
Agency |
Dr. Peter Jutro
|
| EPA's overall mission is to
protect human health and to safeguard the nation's natural
environment - air, water, and land. EPA is responsibile for
dealing with environmental emergencies that involve sudden
threats to the public health or the well?being of the environment
arising from the release or potential release of oil, radioactive
materials, or hazardous chemicals into the air, land, or water.
These emergencies may occur from transportation accidents,
events at facilities that use or manufacture chemicals, or
as a result of natural or man?made disaster events. In September
2002, EPA created the National Homeland Security Research Center.
The Center, a part of the Office of Research and Development
(ORD), manages, coordinates, and supports a wide variety of
disaster-related research and technical assistance efforts.
Research at the Center will focus on developing methods to
clean up contaminated buildings, protecting the nation's drinking
water supply, and improving risk assessment techniques. |
|
| http://www.epa.gov |
|
|
| Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission |
Mr. Berne Mosley
|
| The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission is an independent regulatory agency within the Department
of Energy that regulates the transmission and sale of natural
gas for resale in interstate commerce; regulates the transmission
of oil by pipeline in interstate commerce; Regulates the transmission
and wholesale sales of electricity in interstate commerce;
Licenses and inspects private, municipal and state hydroelectric
projects; oversees environmental matters related to natural
gas, oil, electricity and hydroelectric projects; Administers
accounting and financial reporting regulations and conduct
of jurisdictional companies, and approves site choices as well
as abandonment of interstate pipeline facilities. The Commission
recovers all of its costs from regulated industries through
fees and annual charges. |
|
| http://www.ferc.gov |
|
|
| National Aeronautics and
Space Administration |
Mr. Steve Ambrose
|
| NASA's Earth Science Enterprise
endeavors to understand and protect our home planet by advancing
earth system science to enable improved prediction of climate,
weather and natural hazards from the vantage point of space.
Through its ability to view the earth as a dynamic system,
NASA makes key contributions to the science of hazard assessment
and mitigation and provides essential support to the efforts
of other Federal agencies charged with these responsibilities.
NASA and USGS are partners in the Landsat program, which
has provided 30 years of data on land cover change. NASA
and NIMA partnered in the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission
which is yielding the first globally consistent topographic
data set at 90m resolution. The combination of land cover
and topography data makes a powerful tool for hazard assessment
and response. NASA, NSF, USGS, and the Keck Foundation
created the Southern California Integrated GPS Network
to monitor strain and movement in the Los Angeles basin.
NASA, NOAA, and DOD are long-time partners in the development
and operation of the nation's weather satellite system;
NASA's research systems of this decade will strengthen
the operational system of the next decade. NASA and NOAA's
partnership in satellite data assimilation is making substantial
progress in predicting storm formation and hurricane tracks.
NASA satellites are enhancing the wildfire monitoring assets
of the U.S. Forest Service. Today's new generation of gravity
field and ocean topography measuring systems will substantial
improve sea level predictions.
NASA research and observations are providing essential
tools to help the U.S. meet its disaster reduction goals
for the next decade. NASA employs a systems engineering
architecture approach to the decision support tools it
develops for its partner agencies and stakeholders.
|
|
| http://www.nasa.gov |
|
|
| National Geospatial-Intelligence
Agency |
Stephen T. Homeyer
|
| The National Imagery and Mapping
Agency (NIMA) officially became the National Geospatial-Intelligence
Agency (NGA) on November 24, 2003. NGA supports FEMA and Federal
Response Plan disaster operations by acquiring and interpreting
remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data,
which help define the scope and scale of a disaster area. NGA
has developed and acquired a robust hardware- and software-deployable
capability that ensures that NGA analysts can support lead
Federal agency requirements for crisis and consequence management
and longer-term recovery. The deployable suites can support
near-real-time commercial and national technical means (NTM)
imagery, GIS, and a host of analytical tools. In addition,
NGA is working with FEMA to develop a capability to support
FEMA's Information and Planning with on-site geospatial intelligence
analysis at designated off-site Emergency Operations Centers
as required. |
|
| http://www.nga.mil |
|
|
| National Guard Bureau |
Col.
Daniel J. Bochicchio |
| A component of the
United States Army, the National Guard has a unique dual mission
that consists of both Federal and State roles. For state missions,
the governor, through the state Adjutant General, commands Guard
forces. The governor can call the National Guard into action
during local or statewide emergencies, such as storms, fires,
earthquakes or civil disturbances. In addition, the President
of the United States can activate the National Guard for participation
in federal missions including major disasters at home and abroad. |
|
| http://www.ngb.army.mil |
|
|
| National Institutes of Health |
Dr.
Allen Dearry |
| The National Institutes
of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting
and supporting medical research. Helping to lead the way toward
important medical discoveries that improve people’s health
and save lives, NIH scientists investigate ways to prevent disease
as well as the causes, treatments, and even cures for common
and rare diseases. |
|
| http://www.nih.gov |
|
|
| National Institute of Standards
and Technology |
Dr. William Grosshandler
|
| NIST's Building and Fire Research
Laboratory (BFRL) studies building materials; computer -integrated
construction practices; fire science and fire safety engineering;
and structural, mechanical, and environmental engineering.
BFRL products include: measurements and test methods, performance
criteria, and technical data that support innovations by industry
and are incorporated into building and fire standards and codes.
BFRL operates under five goal areas: Advanced Construction
Technology; Enhanced Building Performance; Fire Loss Reduction;
Advanced Building Materials; and Homeland Security. |
|
| http://www.nist.gov |
|
|
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration |
Dr. Margaret Davidson, Vice Chair
|
| NOAA conducts research and gathers
data about the global oceans, atmosphere, space, and sun, and
applies this knowledge to science and service that touch the
lives of all Americans. NOAA is the nation's resource for weather-related
research, observing systems, and environmental data and information
services. With respect to natural hazards, it focuses on two
critical areas to lower the impacts and costs: (1) providing
the best possible warnings and information to prevent damage
and permit escape during atmospheric and coastal hazard events,
and (2) providing information and techniques to lower the vulnerability
and increase the resiliency of people and property before and
after atmospheric and coastal hazard events. Within NOAA, the
National Weather Service, the National Environmental Satellite,
Data & Information Service, the National Ocean Service,
the National Marine and Fisheries Service, and NOAA Research
play critical roles and have distinct functions that together
promote, protect, and enhance the nation's economy, security,
environment, and quality of life. |
|
| http://www.noaa.gov |
|
|
| National Reconnaissance Office |
To Be Named
|
| The NRO designs, builds, launches,
and operates U.S. space-based reconnaissance assets, which
include near-real time photoreconnaissance systems that may
be used to collect scientific and environmental data as well
as data on natural and manmade disasters. Photoreconnaissance
assets can be used to image the U.S., its territories, and
possessions. |
|
| http://www.nro.gov |
|
|
| National Science Foundation |
Dr. Dennis Wenger, Vice Chair
|
| The NSF is an independent agency
established to promote the progress of science; to advance
the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure
the national defense. NSF supports fundamental research and
education across all fields of science and engineering, including
the effects of extreme conditions on natural and constructed
environments. Disaster-related projects aim to enhance fundamental
understanding of the natural and social environments contributing
to disasters and to promote advances in engineering analysis,
design, and construction and in social sciences to improve
the response and reduce the impact of natural and technological
hazards. Laboratory and field experiments and monitoring projects
(which include the use of advanced sensors) improve hazard
event prediction and assessment of infrastructure integrity
during and following major disasters. These research efforts
take advantage of high-speed computers to develop models and
improve simulation of natural disaster events and community
response and recovery. |
|
| http://www.nsf.gov |
|
|
| United States Agency for International
Development |
Dr.
Sezin Tokar |
| The U.S. Agency
for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency
that provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance
around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the
United States. USAID is the principal U.S. agency to extend
assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to
escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms. |
|
| http://www.usaid.gov |
|
|
| United States Army Corps
of Engineers |
Dr. Barbara J. Sotirin
|
| USACE serves as DOD's lead agency
with respect to hazard management and response, and coordinates
with FEMA. USACE is engaged in a full range of research and
development efforts through its Engineering Research and Development
Center that contribute to a better understanding of the impacts
of natural disasters and the development of management and
mitigation models and techniques that focus on damage reduction,
infrastructure protection, and civil emergency management.
In addition, DOD has military development programs that
have direct applications to disaster reduction and management.
The results of these efforts will be directly applicable
to the needs of the civil community during disasters. DOD
also is involved in the types of data collection, purchasing,
and database development where more complete, accurate,
and dynamic disaster reduction technologies are produced.
DOD technologies may be leveraged and utilized in a timely
fashion to enhance current capabilities and optimize Federal
response to all types of emergencies affecting life, property,
and economic stability.
|
|
| http://www.usace.army.mil |
|
|
| United States Coast Guard |
Mr. Steven Cohen
|
| The United States Coast Guard
is a miltary, multimission, maritime service and one of the
nation's five Armed Services. Its mission is to protect the
public, the environment, and U.S. economic interests-In the
nation's ports and waterways, along the coast, on international
waters, or in any maritime region as required to support national
security. |
|
| http://www.uscg.mil |
|
|
| United States Department of Agriculture |
Ms.
Melissa Simpson |
| The US Department
of Agriculture (USDA) provides assistance to farmers for losses
that result from drought, flood, fire, freeze, tornadoes, pest
infestation, and other calamities through a number of disaster
aid programs. The Department also operates a number of programs
designed to minimize the impact of disasters on our resource
base through preparedness and mitigation. |
|
| http://www.usda.gov |
|
|
| United States Forest Service |
Mr. Carlos Rodriguez-Franco
|
| The Forest Service is responsible
for managing and reducing risks of multiple hazards on national
forests and grasslands and for cooperating with states and
other landowners to reduce disaster risks and impacts on public
and private lands. The largest Forest Service hazard reduction
programs are currently under the interagency National Fire
Plan, which addresses disaster preparedness and prevention,
hazards management, and science and technology development
related to wildland fire. The Forest Service also manages wildlands
to reduce the risks of flooding, erosion, sedimentation, and
contamination of water supplies arising from the impacts of
natural and human disturbances. Major research areas include:
post-fire rehabilitation and restoration; effects of road design
and disturbance from logging and other activities regarding
susceptibility to extreme flooding and erosion; management
of riparian zones; and impacts of natural disasters, human
impacts, and extreme weather events on water quality, air quality,
and wildlife habitat. |
|
| http://www.fs.fed.us |
|
|
| United States Geological
Survey |
Ms. Paula Gori
|
The USGS natural hazards programs produce
information and understanding that help to reduce the impact
of natural hazards and disasters on human life and the economy.
These programs contribute to the reduction of human and economic
losses and disruptions associated with these natural hazards
by:
- Defining, assessing, and monitoring potential earthquake,
flood, volcano, landslide, and other hazards as the basis
for loss-reduction strategies and actions by government
and the private sector
- Providing analyses and real-time information and warnings
for improved disaster response, for reducing losses from
future disasters, and for enhanced public awareness of these
natural hazards
- Expanding the fundamental knowledge of earthquake, flood,
volcano, landslide, and other hazard processes for more
effective risk mitigation and disaster response strategies
|
|
| http://www.usgs.gov |
|
|
| United States Public Health Services Commissioned
Corps |
CAPT
Sven Rodenbeck |
| The mission of the Public Health
Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps is to provide highly-trained
and mobile health professionals who carry out programs to promote
the health of the Nation, understand and prevent disease and
injury, assure safe and effective drugs and medical devices,
deliver health services to Federal beneficiaries, and furnish
health expertise in time of war or other national or international
emergencies. As one of the seven Uniformed
Services of the United States, the PHS Commissioned Corps is
a specialized career system designed to attract, develop, and
retain health professionals who may be assigned to Federal,
State or local agencies or international organizations to accomplish
its mission. The PHS Commissioned Corps is led by the Surgeon
General and consists of approximately 6,000 officers. |
|
| http://www.usphs.gov |
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