History of the NLHRR
Where did the idea for this working group originate?
The National Landslide Preparedness Act (PL 116-323) of 2021 names the U.S. Geological Survey (Department of the Interior) as the federal lead in landslide hazard risk reduction. In 2022, the Landslide Hazard Program published the National Strategy for Landslide Loss Reduction outlining the goals and strategic activities to facilitate implementation of the National Landslide Preparedness Act.
One of the four main goal areas of the Strategy is to Coordinate preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery efforts so that they are efficient and effective across federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local entities and through engagement with various sectors: government, academia, industry, and community organizations.
The National Landslide Hazard Risk Reduction (NLHRR)Working Group is articulated in Strategic Action 2.4 of the Coordination Goal.
The diagram above visualizes the organizational structure of the coordination plan. The Landslide Hazards Program manages the coordination effort and facilitates communication among the four initiatives outlined in the Strategic Actions of the Coordination Goal.
The blue bubbles represent groups working at the federal level including the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Landslide Hazards and a Federal Advisory Committee on Landslides, while the green bubbles represent initiatives managed by the Landslide Hazards Program Office in collaboration with professionals in states, Tribes, Territories, Local governments, Academia, Industry, and other organizations through an External Grants Program and the National Landslide Hazard Risk Reduction Working Group. You can learn more about the other initiatives in the Strategy document linked above.
Potential Timeline and Structure
The first virtual meeting of the group was held November 14, 2024. Over 60 professionals from different regions and sectors attended the meeting. Regular monthly virtual meetings are beginning in January 2025.
Virtual meetings of this working group enable broader accessibility as there is no travel or professional society membership required. Members may take on leadership roles to form Interest Groups to focus on specific needs and tasks. In the future, in-person regional meetings may occur through existing structures such as alignment with section meetings of synergistic groups.
