The past decade has brought on some of the worst cases of flooding due to natural disasters and the resulting leaching of some of the most hazardous environmental contaminants back into nearby, often low-income, communities. There is also a serious inequity when it comes to access to recovery based on average income levels of neighborhoods. As cities assess modifications to zoning, land use, and real estate development, it is critical to acknowledge climate science, however inconvenient, and take measures to address disaster preparedness, aimed particularly at helping the most vulnerable communities. Instead of waiting for changes to federal environmental laws, this chapter argues that state legislators and planners should be planning and executing rules that acknowledge climate data, actively engaging community leaders and businesses to assist low-income communities, and enhancing, not suspending, the oversight process of industries capable of leaching environmental contaminants during and after a hurricane.