The town of Duryea, Pennsylvania, sits beside the Lackawanna River. On calm days, the water looks peaceful. But heavy rains can quickly turn that calm into chaos, causing severe flooding.
Since the 1970s, a sturdy levee has protected Duryea. Yet, the river is rising higher than it used to. Changes in land use and climate change are making heavy rains more frequent. “We are seeing stronger storms and increased water volumes,” says Laura Holbrook, director of the Luzerne County flood protection authority. To keep the town safe, the levee needs to be raised by about 3 feet.
The urgency of these repairs is real. Major floods hit the area in 2011 and 2014, causing millions in damages. Alarmingly, in the Northeast, the heaviest rainstorms deliver 60% more precipitation than they did in the mid-20th century, according to the National Climate Assessment.
Holbrook admits, “It definitely keeps me up at night.” But fixing the levee has faced hurdles. Local governments have poured thousands into planning but gaining access to federal funds has been challenging. The Trump administration previously withheld billions earmarked for disaster preparedness, leaving towns like Duryea in a bind.
Recently, in response to a lawsuit from 20 states, FEMA agreed to restart its biggest grant program for disaster preparedness. However, the demand for these funds will be fierce, as two years’ worth of applications compete for limited resources. Even though the application numbers spiked after the Biden administration increased funding, the landscape remains unpredictable.
Andrew Rumbach, a disaster policy expert at the Urban Institute, reminds us, “We’re a country full of sitting ducks.” Many areas are vulnerable to flooding and wildfires, while climate change is making these disasters more frequent and expensive.
For small towns like Duryea, federal support is critical. Keith Moss, the town’s emergency director, echoes concerns about securing funds. Upgrading the levee would cost nearly three times the town’s yearly budget. “They don’t have the resources,” says Congressman Rob Bresnahan, who represents Luzerne County.
Despite past efforts to enhance disaster preparedness, the Biden administration’s focus shifted under recent policy changes. Previous initiatives intended to help rural communities compete for grants have faded, making it even harder for smaller towns to secure federal funding. As Moss points out, many volunteer-driven communities lack the resources for significant administrative tasks, making them vulnerable to oversight.
The mixed messages from the federal government add to this uncertainty. The Trump administration initially increased funding for projects like flood walls but reversed course, halting many projects when concerns about climate initiatives came into play.
As the situation stands, towns like Duryea are still left waiting. With storms growing stronger and the risks climbing, the need for federal support has never been more pressing. The clock is ticking, and communities are anxious for answers and action.
