As the Senator representing most of the coastal communities throughout Southeast Alaska, I am very concerned about federal efforts to create new and larger flood zone area maps in several of our communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is planning to designate entire coastlines in our communities as a “special flood hazard area”. FEMA is expanding its flood maps even though nearly all of these homes and properties have never been impacted or suffered from a flood.
Homes and businesses in a new FEMA flood zone could see significant negative impacts to property values from requirements to buy expensive flood insurance. If you have a loan from a federally insured or backed bank, you must purchase flood insurance. The new and larger flood zones can also restrict how you can build on your own property and impact existing homes and businesses.
Flood damage is very uncommon in our Southeast communities. FEMA’s costly flood insurance requirements take money from the pockets of Alaskan families to pay for billions in hurricane losses incurred thousands of miles away in states like Texas, Florida, and Louisiana. Alaskans should not have to pay a higher premium for those losses.
As the Senator representing District R, I will continue to fight this federal overreach impacting my district. I am also working with Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to be the lender so affected communities are not forced to go to federal backed mortgages and the onerous requirements of FEMA’s flood insurance. A copy of my most recent letter to the members of the Alaska Congressional delegation can be found at this link: Delegation Flood Zone 1.18.18.
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