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Legislative Activity

Legislative Activity. Levee Safety and Flood Mapping Texas Water Conservation Association Mid-Year Conference Galveston Island, Texas June 17, 2011 Dan Delich. Levee Issues Alliance. Critical Infrastructure. Corps projects prevented damages of $29.5 Billion in 2009

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Legislative Activity

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  1. Legislative Activity Levee Safety and Flood Mapping Texas Water Conservation Association Mid-Year Conference Galveston Island, Texas June 17, 2011 Dan Delich • Levee Issues Alliance

  2. Critical Infrastructure • Corps projects prevented damages of $29.5 Billion in 2009 • Between 1928-2009… the flood damage reduction benefit to cost ratio was 7:1

  3. “The Perfect Storm” • FY 2003-present: Nearly $2B in FEMA appropriations to update maps • August 2005 Hurricane Katrina: “The wake-up call we cannot ignore,” National Committee on Levee Safety (NCLS, June 2009) • -- February 2007: USACE releases 30-state list of 146 federal program levees rated as “Unacceptable” • -- November 2007: WRDA ‘07 authorizes NCLS and orders nationwide levee inspection and inventory • -- February 2009: USACE releases 16-state list of 114 federal program levees rated as “Unacceptable” • “Unacceptable” implications include… • P.L.84-99 ineligibility • FEMA Levee Deaccreditation • Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) designation • Mandatory flood insurance • Development restrictions • Losses in property value… economic competitiveness… jobs and local tax base • Levee Issues Alliance

  4. Impacted Areas of Texas • Brazoria County • Jefferson County • Matagorda County • El Paso County • City of Irving • City of Dallas • City of Fort Worth

  5. “Unacceptable “for O/M “Federal taxpayers already have paid to rebuild many levees that failed in floods because of poor maintenance. For years, the Corps has been threatening to kick them out of the (rehabilitation) program, but never really did. Now, the Corps is doing the right thing.” Larry Larson Director, Association of State Floodplain Managers USA Today, February 23, 2009

  6. Alamosa, Colorado • ● Listed on 2/1/09 Corps “Unacceptable” O/M list • - VFZ non-compliant: tree growth • ● $7.1M project – 75% Federal – 25% non-Federal • ● Fully authorized by Congress • ● Designed and constructed by the Corps… • ● New vegetation maintenance standards • ● O/M rules now 70 pages (vs. 5 previously)

  7. Metro East, Illinois • Built in 1940s – 1950s to protect against 500-year flood • No Failures • Army Corps concerned about underseepage • Madison, St. Claire, Monroe Counties, Illinois • 155,000 residents; 7000 businesses; 55,000 jobs • $160 million – 5-year, locally funded project proposed • Timing of Army Corps approval? FEMA map revisions?

  8. Levee Issues Alliance A collection of P.L.84-99 levee sponsors and affected communities from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Illinois working to fulfill one mission… EARN MORE TIME… to bring levees and floodwalls up to new federal standards. Levee Issues Alliance

  9. 112th Congress • Levee Issues Alliance

  10. Biggert (R-IL), H.R. 1309 • “Flood Insurance Reform Act” • Up to three-year delay of the effective date for mandatory flood insurance for existing (non-improved) structures in new SFHAs • No relief on new SFHA land use restrictions or in cases where loan modifications occur • Restrictions on new development • No waiver of Mandatory FI requirement if “making, extending, increasing, renewing” loan with any lender • Losses in property value, economic competitiveness, jobs and local tax base • Approved by Financial Services Committee (5/12/11) • Levee Issues Alliance

  11. Costello (D-IL), H.R. 898 • Prohibits updated flood maps/mandatory flood insurance/development restrictions on an annual basis for up to seven years in places where: • Local repair plan, accompanied by an adequate financing mechanism, is in place to protect against 1% annual chance flood • Local surveillance and operations plan has been implemented…Evacuation plan is in place • Outreach and communications plan to advise of risks and opportunity to purchase flood insurance has been implemented • Financial Services Committee • Levee Issues Alliance

  12. 112th Congress • …Congressional and/or Administration prerogatives to: • accurately map US flood zones • address the $18B FEMA deficit and • better verify location/sufficiency of levees… need not conflict with our objectives to: • (1) Reduce physical risk • (2) Incentivize repairs and • (3) Ameliorate local economic and property value losses Levee Issues Alliance

  13. “Flood protection comes in multiple forms, one form is insurance and one form is flood control structures… FEMA and the Corps cannot wholly dismiss existing infrastructure and just force people to spend hundreds of dollars a year on flood insurance.” U.S. Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) March 18, 2010

  14. Thank You National Levee Issues Alliance Dan Delich 214.707.8772 dan.delich@sbcglobal.net • Levee Issues Alliance

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