FEMA Flood Plain Map Issues

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in the process of revising floodplain maps across the United States.  Since 1973, federal regulations have required flood insurance on all structures located in the 1% annual chance floodplain (100-year floodplain).

Some property owners who were previously not identified as living in a floodplain will now be required to carry flood insurance.  Since home owners insurance does not include damage due to flooding, it must be purchased through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

If your property has recently been identified as within a floodplain, and you believe this was done so in error, you must apply with FEMA for a letter of map amendment (LOMA).  More information is available by calling FEMA's toll-free help line at 1-877-336-2627 or by visiting the FEMA website.

I am very concerned about reported inaccuracies in these new maps, and that some property owners may be required to buy insurance -even though they do not face a real threat of flooding.  To that end, I have introduced H.R. 700, the Floodplain Maps Moratorium Act which immediately suspends the requirement to buy flood insurance until FEMA addresses their mapping methods.  In addition, in July 2011, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act, to reauthorize the NFIP.  During the consideration of this bill, I successfully offered an amendment that will place a moratorium on new flood maps until a Technical Mapping Advisory Council conducts a thorough review of the current mapping procedures.

Signed into law in July 2012 as part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) transportation bill, P.L. 112-141, the NFIP was reauthorized for five years and subject to program reforms which include the establishment of technical mapping advisory council to deal with map modernization issues.  While this law does not bring relief to individuals who have already been subjected to inaccurate maps, please know this is an issue that I will continue to closely monitor and advocate for reforming many of the burdensome regulations and requirements passed onto property owners.

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