The specter of spiking flood insurance rates and incorrect FEMA maps has caused many coastline residents in Mattapoisett to suffer sleepless nights. Residents have watched anxiously for any bit of news that would indicate the postponement of the Biggert-Waters Act, an act that would increase flood insurance rates. In spite of heavy lobbying at the state and federal levels by cities and towns impacted by this new law, it now appears that the Senate and the White House will not support any delays.
A January 31, 2014 report authored by Jeb Killion, Congressional Liaison, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency/Region I reads in part: “The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be moving forward with the Plymouth County Flood Insurance Rate Map process, but the process will be delayed somewhat because FEMA needs time to review the comments and appeals that have been submitted.” However, the delays noted will not include Marion, Mattapoisett, and Wareham.
An e-mail dated February 3, 2014 from Colleen Bailey, Flood Hazard Mapping Coordinator, Massachusetts, DCR Flood Hazard Management Program to Scott Shipley, Building Commissioner for Marion (and shared with Andy Bobola, Mattapoisett Director of Inspectional Services) states: “The map delays you are reading about do not affect Marion, Mattapoisett or Wareham. The map updates for the three Buzzards Bay communities were a result of a correction to the flood zone due to an error with the LiDAR. They are still going effective in a couple of days (2/5) and there’s no plan to delay them. The delays … being discussed are to the RiskMAP updates that they received for Scituate, Marshfield, Duxbury, Kingston and Plymouth (and actually a small part of Norwell). There was a new coastal study performed, and Marshfield spearheaded an appeal (along with Scituate and Duxbury) that FEMA did not feel was valid, so the appeal went to the new Scientific Resolution Panel (SRP) which is going to make a decision on it. Because of town meeting schedule in Massachusetts, all appeals have to be resolved and incorporated by about early December. If that can’t happen for one reason or another, then they have to delay the maps by a whole year. If FEMA can’t meet certain dates, then they have to delay the maps by a year because they MUST have the typical annual spring town meeting months contained within that 6 month compliance period (that occurs after the Letter of Final Determination is mailed out). In the case of Marion, Mattapoisett and Wareham, since it was only three communities and it had been confirmed that all three communities were having fall special town meetings, they were able to get the maps adopted that way. But that’s pretty rare for Massachusetts, and the more communities that are involved, the more likely it is that they have to encompass spring town meeting into the compliance period since not all communities have a fall town meeting. So for now… you should still be using the July 2012 maps. As of Wednesday, you should be using a combination of July 2012 and February 2014 maps. As far as insurance rates go, there is NO 4 year delay to the Biggert Waters Act as of today. The Senate voted for a 4-year delay last week but it has not been voted on in the House yet. Rumor on the street (ok, in the newspapers!) is that the House does not support a 4 year delay. From what I’ve read, they do not support any delay (or at the most, a 6 month delay). And the White House appears to side with the House on this one.”
Bobola said that the FEMA maps the town received were generally correct and did not sweep into flood plain status parcels of land and homes that historically had not already been included. Flood level elevations were changed for some properties however. FEMA had inadvertently omitted several sites. Those sites were undeveloped non-residential intersections. He said the intersections were Brandt Beach Road, Highland Avenue, and Mattapoisett Neck Road and needed to be added to the flood plain maps. This required the Planning Board to accept the map edits and then, via town meeting vote that took place last fall, accepting all FEMA mapping for the town. Voters needed to accept the FEMA maps or risk not being part of federal emergency funding in the future. Voters did accept the FEMA maps.
Mattapoisett Town Administrator Mike Gagne will meet with town department heads on February 6 to identify public assets located in flood plain areas to assess procedures for protecting and securing them in the event of a weather emergency. Gagne said that the town had received a grant from FEMA for planning purposes, to identify and prioritize culverts, bridges and roadways that are at sea level and therefore, in the bull’s eye for flooding. This meeting will not be for the purpose of trying to resolve homeowners’ concerns about soaring flood insurance rates.
Charged with the responsibility to review insurance rates and flood plain map issues is the Mattapoisett Flood Plain Committee. The members of this new committee are Carmelo Nicholosi, Al Memino, and William Cantor. Gagne said that the committee members were appointed by the selectmen to look into these issues, have met several times with him, and are staying apprised of other actions taking place in surrounding cities and towns. He said they are moving forward concurrently on insurance and map issues. Recently the group learned that a Massachusetts Congressional delegation is behind a bill that has passed the U.S. Senate. The bill’s title is Grimm-Waters-Richmond Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act and also known as the Menendez-Isakson bill for two leading senate sponsors. Gagne has a full copy of the bill and the cover letter. It is important to note that the letter was sent to Honorable W. Craig Fugate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, located in Washington, DC and was signed by Senators Warren and Markey along with Representatives Keating, Neal, McGovern, Tierney, Capuano, Lynch, Tsongas, and Kennedy. That letter beseeches the agency to review the FEMA map problems and suspend enactment of the Biggert- Waters Act until further study could be completed.
Gagne said it is important for all voters to speak up regarding the multi-faceted issues surrounding flood plain changes and soaring insurance rates. He said that the ultimate impact of rising insurance rates is that everyone will feel the pain, not just those living along the coasts. Mike Gagne can be reached at mgagne@mattapoisett.net, Jeb Killion may be reached at Jeb.killion@fema.dhs.gov, and Colleen Bailey may be reached at A.Colleen.Bailey@state.ma.us or 617-626-1446.
By Marilou Newell
