¶ … Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, reinforces the importance of pre-disaster infrastructure mitigation planning to reduce disaster losses nationwide, and is aimed primarily at the control and streamlining of the administration of federal disaster relief and programs to promote mitigation activities, some of the provisions that the Act implements are as follows. Funding for pre-disaster mitigation activities, developing experimental multi-hazard maps to better understand risk, establishing state and local government infrastructure mitigation planning requirements, defining how states can assume more responsibility in managing the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), adjusting ways in which management costs for projects are funded.(North Carolina Division of Emergency Management [NCDEM], 2000)

This act encourages counties to ensure that a proper plan is in place. If a proper plan is not in place, there are consequences. Among the consequences for failure to adhere and comply with developing an infrastructure mitigation plan is a possible reduction in damage assistance from 75% to 25% by the federal government; if the facility has been damaged on more than a single occasion in the preceding ten-year period by the same type of event. (NCDEM, 2000)

Due to the Act North Carolina implemented a program known, as Advance Infrastructure Mitigation (AIM).It is a program designed to assist North Carolina's counties develop an infrastructure mitigation plan. This plan is now a requirement for counties following adoption of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 by Congress and Senate Bill 300 an Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Emergency Management, by the North Carolina General Assembly. (NCDEM, 2000)

This act helped insure that everyone is making viable efforts towards having emergency plans in place, by implement consequences for failure to comply with these regulations gives further support, and stresses the importance of having a current plan in place.

Reference

North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (2000). Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. Retrieved June 16, 2007, at http://www.dem.dcc.state.nc.us/PA/dma_2000_detail.htm