EPA has developed a new tool—the Flood Resilience Checklist—to help communities better prepare for, deal with and recover from floods. The agency reports the checklist will help flood-prone communities think about these issues and develop the best solutions that work for them. It provides strategies that communities can apply, such as land conservation in flood-prone areas, directing new development to safer areas and applying green infrastructure approaches (e.g., rain gardens) to manage rain water.The checklist is part of a new report, "Planning for Flood Recovery and Long-Term Resilience in Vermont: Smart Growth Approaches for Disaster-Resilient Communities." EPA says although the project focused on Vermont, the checklist and policy options can certainly help any community that is seeking to become more flood resilient.