Natural Disasters and Hazards: CRS Experts

September 2, 2015 – September 12, 2018 R43519

The following table provides the names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to natural disasters and hazards in the United States. Policy areas identified include disaster assistance and recovery matters extending to impacts such as displaced residents and business, losses in agricultural production, disruptions in transportation (river, rail, and highway), problems with water treatment and supply; responses and recovery operations such as disaster declarations and federal assistance, public health provisions, federal flood insurance, agricultural disaster relief and assistance, tax relief, environmental cleanup; and mitigation efforts including emergency planning, floodplain mapping, and flood control and storm protection including efforts of the Army Corps of Engineers. Supporting agencies include FEMA and its operations under the Federal Stafford Act, and the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its disaster loan program.

Natural Disasters and Hazards: CRS Experts

Updated September 12, 2018 (R43519)

The following table provides the names and contact information for CRS experts on policy and legal issues relating to natural disasters and hazards in the United States. Policy areas identified include federal authorities related to natural disasters, specific consequences, federal disaster assistance, funding and financing, preparedness, and science.

Legislative Issues	Name/Title	Phone	Email
Federal Authorities Related to Natural Disasters
Stafford Act Declarations	Bruce R. Lindsay Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)	David M. Bearden Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA)	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)	David M. Bearden Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Federal Crop Insurance Act	Isabel Rosa Analyst in Agricultural Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)	Linda Luther Analyst in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
National Flood Insurance Act	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Oil Pollution Act of 1990	Jonathan L. Ramseur Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Posse Comitatus Act	Jennifer K. Elsea Legislative Attorney	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Public Health Service Act, other public health authorities	Sarah A. Lister Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Specific Consequences of Natural Hazards and Disasters
Debris Removal and Disposal	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Linda Luther Analyst in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Debris removal—marine	Eva Lipiec Analyst in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Federal Disaster Response	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Bruce R. Lindsay Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Public Facility Restoration	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Public Health	Sarah Lister Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Temporary Housing and Rental Assistance	Shawn Reese Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Communications
First Responder	Jill C. Gallagher Analyst in Telecommunications Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Social Media	Bruce R. Lindsay Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Warning Systems	Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Environmental Consequences
Agriculture	Megan Stubbs Specialist in Agricultural Conservation and Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Drinking Water Quality	Mary Tiemann Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Ecosystems	Pervaze A. Sheikh Specialist in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Eva Lipiec Analyst in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Environmental Review/NEPA	Linda Luther Analyst in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Fisheries	Harold F. Upton Analyst in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Wildlife	R. Eliot Crafton Analyst in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Infrastructure
Electric Power	Richard Campbell Specialist in Energy Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Corrie A. Clark Analyst in Energy Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Fuel Supply Interruptions	Paul Parfomak Specialist in Energy and Infrastructure Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Robert Pirog Specialist in Energy Economics	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Ports and Railroads	John Frittelli Specialist in Transportation Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Earthquakes and Transportation Infrastructure	William Mallett Specialist in Transportation Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Highways and Transit	Robert S. Kirk Specialist in Transportation Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Flood Control Systems
Flood Control, Dams and Levees—Legal Issues	Cynthia Brown Legislative Attorney	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Floodplain Mapping	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Levee Certification	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Levees, Dams, and Shore Protection	Nicole T. Carter Specialist in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Federal Disaster Assistance
Stafford Act Assistance
Community Disaster Loan Program (CDL)	Jared Brown Analyst in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Crisis Counseling	Sarah Lister Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)	Julie M. Whittaker Specialist in Income Security	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emergency Response	David M. Bearden Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Individual and Household Program (IHP)—Housing/Other Needs Assistance	Shawn Reese Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Public Assistance (PA)	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Non-Stafford Act Assistance
U.S. Department of Agriculture Land Rehabilitation	Megan Stubbs Specialist in Agricultural Conservation and Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Bureau of Reclamation Assistance	Charles V. Stern Specialist in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-DR)	Eugene Boyd Analyst in Federalism and Economic Development Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Department of Defense and National Guard Support	Lawrence Kapp Specialist in Military Manpower Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Federal Highway and Transit	Robert S. Kirk Specialist in Transportation Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
International Response to Domestic U.S. Disasters	Rhoda Margesson Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Liability for Damages	Cynthia Brown Legislative Attorney	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
National Marine Fisheries Service	Harold F. Upton Analyst in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development	Tadlock Cowan Analyst in Natural Resources and Rural Development	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Small Business Administration (SBA)	Bruce R. Lindsay Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers	Nicole T. Carter Specialist in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Programs	Megan Stubbs Specialist in Agricultural Conservation and Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Disaster Assistance	Megan Stubbs Specialist in Agricultural Conservation and Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Funding and Financing
Disaster Relief Fund (DRF)	William L. Painter Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Crop Insurance	Isabel Rosa Analyst in Agricultural Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Tax Relief	Molly F. Sherlock Specialist in Public Finance	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Edward C. Liu Legislative Attorney	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Catastrophic Risk Financing	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Preparedness
National Strategies and Policies	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Bruce R. Lindsay Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Preparedness Grant Programs	Shawn Reese Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)	Jared T. Brown Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Diane P. Horn Analyst in Flood Insurance and Emergency Management	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Science of Natural Hazards
Climate Variability	Jane Leggett Specialist in Energy and Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Drought	Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Earthquakes	Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Flooding and Erosion	Nicole T. Carter Specialist in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Eva Lipiec Analyst in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Hurricane	Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Satellite Technology and Observations	Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Tornadoes	Peter Folger Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Wildfires	Katie Hoover Specialist in Natural Resources Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]

Author Contact Information

Kevin A. Borden, Section Research Manager ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])