For Release: Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Contact: Christina Mulka (Durbin): 202-228-5643
               David Gillies (Costello): 202-225-5661

COSTELLO AND DURBIN ASK FEMA FOR MEETING TO DISCUSS PLAN TO UPDATE METRO EAST FLOOD MAPS

Washington - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) today requested a meeting with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), David Paulison, to discuss FEMA’s plan to update the flood maps in Metro East region. While both Illinois and Missouri share the same watershed and would be impacted by the same flood event, plans for releasing FEMA flood maps on the Missouri side are 1-2 years behind Illinois. This will force more Illinois residents and businesses to purchase flood insurance and to pay higher flood insurance premiums 1-2 years before Missouri residents and businesses.

We have concerns with the piecemeal approach being used to implement the program, particularly in Illinois, and its affect on economic development and homeownership,” wrote the Illinois members. “While we continue to pursue a legislative solution to provide greater equity to the process, we would like to discuss with you how FEMA can assist our counties in the interim.”

As directed by Congress, FEMA is currently remapping flood plains across the nation by county, starting with high risk, highly populated areas first. The new maps will drastically increase the size of the flood plain and the cost of mandatory flood insurance, potentially affecting as many as 150,000 Illinois residents.

Preliminary maps for Madison, Monroe and St. Clair Counties were released earlier this year with final maps becoming effective in July 2009, at which point all homes and businesses in the newly mapped flood plain will be required to purchase flood insurance. This expansion will put business investments in the Metro East in jeopardy as companies wishing to develop in the St. Louis area would face significantly higher flood insurance premiums on the Illinois side of the river.

Both Durbin and Costello continue to advocate for legislation that would delay the requirement to purchase flood insurance until remapping has been completed for the entire Metro East watershed. Under the legislation, residents would still be able to buy flood insurance and are strongly encouraged to do so, but would not be required to until the entire watershed has been remapped.

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[text of letter below]

September 17, 2008

R. David Paulison
Administrator
FEMA

Dear Administrator Paulison:

We are writing to request a meeting with you to discuss the FEMA map modernization program and its implications on the state of Illinois.

We believe the map modernization program is an important program because it allows all stakeholders to take advantage of revised data and improved technologies for identifying flood hazards and helps community officials and citizens be better prepared for flood-related disasters. That said, we have concerns with the piecemeal approach being used to implement the program, particularly in Illinois, and its affect on economic development and homeownership. While we continue to pursue a legislative solution to provide greater equity to the process, we would like to discuss with you how FEMA can assist our counties in the interim.

Please have your scheduler call [xxxx] to arrange a date and time.

Thank you and we look forward to meeting with you soon.

Sincerely,