(a) There is established an Office of Resilience and Recovery ("ORR") within the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. ORR shall develop short- and long-term action plans and strategies to promote the adaptation and resilience of the District's economy, communities, infrastructure, and natural resources in response to shocks and chronic stresses, including natural or human-made challenges that threaten the District, monitor the District's resilience readiness, and provide guidance and assistance to District agencies and community organizations to develop and implement resilience measures.
(b) ORR shall be headed by a Chief Resilience Officer ("CRO"), appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant § 1-523.01(a). The CRO shall be a full-time position, for which annual compensation shall be fixed in accordance with subchapter X-A of Chapter 6 of this title. The CRO shall have such staff as is appropriated in an approved budget and financial plan or provided through federal or private grants.
(c) The CRO shall:
(1) Lead the District's efforts to build and implement the District's resilience action plans and strategies;
(2) Review and update the District's resilience action plans and strategies, including the Resilient DC initiative, annually;
(3) Provide guidance and assistance to District agencies and community organizations to develop and implement resilience measures;
(4) Publish an annual progress report by October 1 to be submitted to the Mayor and Council that provides an update on the District's progress in the areas of sustainability and resiliency;
(5) Develop and track metrics to measure the District's resilience readiness;
(6) Develop strategies to build partnerships between the District and the private sector that promote and further the District's resilience readiness, including climate adaption to prevent and recover from natural disasters;
(7) Respond to recommendations and policy statements from the Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency, established by § 8-181.02;
(8) Collaborate with other Chief Resilience Officers to achieve common goals, leverage experiences, and share strategies;
(9) Develop a communications strategy for the District's resilience efforts, including creating an online campaign to build public awareness of climate adaption and resilience planning; and
(10) Perform other relevant duties as the Mayor may assign.
(May 6, 2020, D.C. Law 23-84, § 2, 67 DCR 3531; Nov. 13, 2021, D.C. Law 24-45, § 3012, 68 DCR 010163.)
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3012 of Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-159, Aug. 23, 2021, 68 DCR 008602).