House Bill Aims to Postpone FEMA Flood Map Revisions
Ventura County Star (CA) (05/19/10) Bakalis, Anna

The House Financial Services Committee passed House Resolution 5114, the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act of 2010, in April to postpone the finalization of flood maps currently being redrawn by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and to reopen the process to improve communication with homeowners and local officials about the redrawing of flood zones. The resolution could postpone the process for up to five years and could eliminate the requirement for some homeowners' to purchase flood insurance. Meanwhile, House Resolution 3415, introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), would extend remapping efforts to include not only Army Corps of Engineers levees, but also private levees. The FEMA remapping process is expected to digitize more than 20,000 flood maps across the nation and more accurately reflect areas vulnerable to a 100-year flood. In areas where levees are being repaired or updated, FEMA's ability to update flood maps could be hindered for up to seven years under the proposed pieces of legislation. Once repairs are made and levees are certified by FEMA, insurance rates for properties in those locations could drop significantly, according to experts. Communities across the United States, including Ventura County, Calif., have submitted map amendments to carve out certain properties from the FEMA map revisions. HR 5114 is expected to move to the full House for debate.
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