Legislation proposed by Senators Hiron, Brian Schatz, Alex Padilla, and Bill Cassidy aims to guide government agencies in developing and sharing best practices for transportation infrastructure planning. The Emergency Vehicle and Community (EVAC) Planning Act is designed to facilitate access to emergency evacuation when necessary, due to the strategic design of these evacuation routes.
Senator Bill Cassidy commented on the importance of this legislation, stating, "Avoiding harm is part of weathering a storm. Well maintained evacuation routes keep our communities safe ahead of hurricanes. Our bill creates guidelines for infrastructure planning to help save lives," in his own news release announcing the bill.
The proposed legislation mandates the development of guidelines for government entities to enhance preparedness for evacuation during emergencies or natural disasters. It envisages collaboration between the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Emergency Management Agency in developing these guidance documents for infrastructure planning.
Senator Hirono emphasized the increasing need for such measures in light of recent events. She said, "As natural disasters and extreme weather events—such as wildfires—become increasingly common in the U.S., it is crucial that our communities have effective, reliable emergency evacuation routes. The Emergency Vehicle and Community Planning Act will help Hawaii, and states across the country, strengthen emergency preparedness efforts and develop infrastructure that prioritizes the safety of our communities," in a Jan. 17 news release from her office.
The bill stipulates that within a year of its enactment, key administrators including the Secretary of Transportation, Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration and Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency should develop publicly distributed guidelines for governments to use in transportation infrastructure planning.
The EVAC Planning Act has received endorsements from both the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and National Association of Counties (NACo), according to a Jan. 17 news release from Senator Cassidy's office.
Matthew Chase, executive director of NACo expressed support for this initiative: "When disasters strike, county officials and emergency responders play a critical role in immediate and long-term efforts to help our communities respond and recover. The bipartisan Emergency Vehicle and Community Planning Act would provide us with additional insights into developing and implementing evacuation routes to keep our residents safe before, during and after a disaster. We thank Senators Padilla, Cassidy, Schatz and Hirono for introducing this legislation and urge its swift passage."