Skip Navigation
Home Information Sharing & Analysis Prevention & Protection Preparedness & Response Research Commerce & Trade Travel Security & Procedures Immigration
About the Department Open for Business Press Room
Current National Threat Level is elevated

The threat level in the airline sector is High or Orange. Read more.

Homeland Security 5 Year Anniversary 2003 - 2008, One Team, One Mission Securing the Homeland

Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding Hosts Forum for Leaders of Insurance Industry

Release Date: September 19, 2007

For Immediate Release
Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding
Contact: Brendan Lacivita, 202-572-8878

(Washington, DC) -- Donald E. Powell, the president’s top official for Gulf Coast rebuilding, today briefed executives of the nation’s leading property insurers on progress that has been made in the Gulf Coast region.  Representatives from nine major national property insurance companies participated in the meeting held in Washington, D.C.    

“Today’s meeting continues the dialog we began last year with the insurance industry to provide solid examples of rebuilding progress in the Gulf Coast region,” stated Powell.  “We understand the market realities the insurance industry faces in this region, but their involvement is critical to rebuilding.  These discussions better inform private insurers of the vast and continuing safety improvements of the Gulf Coast since the storms of 2005 that are critical to an industry based on risk.”

The purpose of today’s meeting was to share information on improvements to hurricane protection systems and update the industry on the status of rebuilding in the Gulf Coast.  A detailed briefing by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force’s (IPET) Risk and Reliability Report was provided, with a description of IPET’s risk assessment model which characterizes current and future annual flood risk in the area.  The web site, http://nolarisk.usace.army.mil, enables business and homeowners in the New Orleans area to make risk-informed decisions based on their business or home addresses.

“The IPET web site is a great tool property owners can use as they consider whether or not to rebuild,” Powell said.  “But at the same time we want to drive home the fact that it’s good business to rebuild and reinvest in the Gulf Coast region.”

For the last twenty-two months, the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding has been engaged in facilitating and streamlining various components of the recovery effort, providing key federal support and resources to local leaders, and reinforcing the federal government’s commitment to the people of the Gulf Coast.

www.dhs.gov/gulfcoastrebuild

###

* Added location.

This page was last modified on September 19, 2007