Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today applauded FEMA’s proposal to pull controversial flood maps, pause the appeals process for towns in York and Cumberland Counties, and implement a new process that would give these towns more power, input, and access to federal funds to develop flood maps and other risk mitigation plans.

In July, Pingree successfully amended flood reform legislation to require FEMA to re-examine the way it looks at flood maps, asking the agency to consider the unique nature of working waterfronts like those founds along the Maine coast. Over the last year, she has also sent letters to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate asking the agency to improve the process of updating flood maps to include more collaboration from towns and address other issues.

“I’m excited that FEMA has gone back to the drawing board and proposed a new creative solution, which these towns and the Congressional delegation have long asked for. The current process has created a lot of anguish for municipalities in southern and midcoast Maine, who need more input in the process,” said Pingree. “I am looking forward to working with the towns and FEMA officials as this process moves forward. This kind of collaboration is what we should have done from the start.”

FEMA has agreed to temporarily pause the 90-day appeals process for local communities if they make a good-faith effort to consider participating in the initiative.

FEMA’s plan, unveiled to towns late this morning, would be to start the flood mapping process over with more input and buy-in from local communities and federal resources to develop and expand other risk-mitigation plans. Maine would be one of the first places in the country to participate in the program, called “risk mapping.”

Pingree has been helping local towns through the FEMA mapping process since the agency released maps on flawed data that would have made waterfront development nearly impossible in many areas. Pingree worked with FEMA to draw new flood maps for the City of Portland and brought towns together for a meeting with FEMA officials this summer.