ABFES are Best Resources for Mississippians Rebuilding Now
Release Date: June 1, 2007
Release Number: 1604-556
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BILOXI, Miss. -- Local officials and news media representatives in Mississippi’s three coastal counties attended meetings this week to learn about the engineering and technical methods behind the Mississippi Coastal Flood Study. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is conducting the study in partnership with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The study will result in the production of Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Counties scheduled to be released later this year.
“We will be providing the people of Mississippi with state-of-the-art maps, with detail that has never before been available,” said Rob Lowe, project leader for the Mississippi Coastal Mapping Project.
“The new maps will be more precise because we are using advanced engineering studies and mapping technology which provide superior data quality.”
New digital mapping techniques will provide more detailed and reliable data about locales most likely to be affected by flooding and tidal surge. The new flood hazard maps will show areas at risk for flooding, allowing businesses and property owners to make better financial decisions about protecting their property.
When the preliminary DFIRMs are released to the public later this year, people will have the opportunity to review them at public meetings. A 90-day public comment period follows those meetings. If a property owner wishes to contest the zone in which their property is located, they may file a technical appeal or protest through their local community officials.
“Until the new maps are adopted by the local communities, the Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFEs) shown in the Katrina Recovery Maps (www.fema.gov/recoverydata) are still the best reference for rebuilding safely,” said Dennis Kizziah, acting director of FEMA’s Mississippi Transitional Recovery Office. “They more accurately reflect the flood risk than the effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) which are 25 years old. Until the release of the preliminary DFIRMs, the ABFEs should be used for floodplain management purposes because it is the best information available now.”
Beginning June 4, more information about this adoption process as well as general information about the maps will be available at www.mscoastalmapping.com. A call center will also begin operation on June 4 to answer questions. The Mississippi Coastal Mapping Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1-866-816-2804.
FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 01-Jun-2007 12:13:44