Chaired by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, the task force stressed the need for a more resilient national infrastructure and for preparing for the possibility that climate change could worsen the effects of hurricanes. (Read "Rising Seas" in the current issue ofNational Geographic magazine.)

Key recommendations from the report:

·          Take climate change into account when planning for future storms, especially how rising sea levels will worsen the effects of storm-induced flooding. This could mean everything from elevating buildings near the ocean to protecting fuel supplies that will be needed for the recovery effort.

·          Make new construction in hurricane-prone areas stronger and more resistant to hurricanes.

·          "Harden" infrastructure such as power grids,