Feds to investigate the way FEMA drew flood maps
 By Heather Yakin
Times Herald-Record
Posted: June 30, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — The federal Government Accountability Office will investigate the way the Federal Emergency Management Administration drew up its revised flood maps, Sen. Charles Schumer announced Monday.
The revised maps have drawn fire from some communities around the country, including Middletown and Port Jervis.

Schumer said discrepancies in the proposed maps led to questions about the accuracy of the new mapping process. Being in a flood plain essentially requires home- and business-owners to buy flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, which can be pricey. For example, according to Floodsmart.gov, the NFIP Web site, within the Middletown flood zone, insuring a building and contents could cost between $509 and $2,766 per year. Outside the flood zone, the estimate is from $119 to $1,385.

Middletown initially appealed the map revision that added parts of Fulton Street, Monhagen Avenue, West Main Street and others to the existing flood plain. Public Works Commissioner Jacob Tawil said the city's main complaint was how FEMA consultants calculated culvert flow. Ultimately, based on a city consultant's work, the city accepted the new flood map.

Schumer said engineers hired by communities and homeowners have found "serious errors" in the maps, so he and Sens. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, asked the GAO to check the methodology.

In other flood news, at 11 a.m. Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Col. Thomas J. Tickner and state Department of Conservation Regional Director William Janeway will be at Renaissance Park in Livingston Manor to announce $796,000 funding for flood mitigation studies on the Upper Delaware River, the Little Beaverkill and Callicoon Creek in Livingston Manor.

hyakin@th-record.com
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6/29/2009 PA Environment Digest.