THE INSIDER
The Association of State Floodplain Managers
2809 Fish Hatchery Rd., Madison, WI 53713 www.floods.org
608-274-0123 Fax: 608-274-0696
Deputy Executive Director’s Report
George Riedel, CFM
It is a very busy time around the Executive Office right now as staff gets ready for the 2008 National ASFPM Conference in Reno-Sparks, Nevada, at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel. The program has been finalized and the complete program can be viewed on the ASFPM website. Rooms are still available at the Nugget Hotel. You can find the hotel’s telephone number and other important information at www.floods.org/reno-sparks.
ASFPM recently hosted a Community Assistance Program – State Support Services Element (CAP-SSSE) Workgroup Meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, on April 22-24, 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how FEMA and the states can work together to continue to improve this program. Everyone acknowledged that assisting 20,000 plus communities understand and comply with the NFIP will require FEMA to actively enlist the states in this effort and help build state capability. Additionally, discussions were held to define an effective State Floodplain Management Program and how CAP can be a vehicle to build that state capability. The Workgroup consisted of 10 State Floodplain Coordinators representing each of FEMA’s Regions along with FEMA representatives from the FEMA Regions and FEMA National.
Larry Larson and I were in Washington, D.C. the week of April 13th. We had meetings that Merrie Inderfurth organized for us (usually just enough time to get from one meeting to the next). I would like to provide you with a brief summary of the topics covered during these meetings:
FEMA – Met with FEMA Headquarters’ staff and discussed a range of issues on mitigation, mitigation grants, mapping, and policy issues. In addition, we discussed potential projects for FY-09 that ASFPM would conduct to assist in implementation of the NFIP.
US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – Met with leadership of the Corps of Engineers on levee issues, implementation of National Levee Safety Program, and flood risk issues. The Corps of Engineers are awaiting funding in order to proceed with the National Levee Safety Program.
NFIP Reform Bill – Most of the action is now in the Senate since the House passed their version last year. We met with numerous Senate offices, focusing on two major potential negative amendments to the bill that would result in bad public policy and jeopardize the NFIP. The first is adding wind coverage to the NFIP and the second would dictate the NFIP could not change insurance rates or mandate insurance purchases based on any new maps until all flood maps in the nation are completed.
Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Earmarks – ASFPM’s opposition to these earmarks were discussed with each congressional visit. The Senate does not favor earmarks as much as the House does. The Senate appears to be aware that earmarks undermine a nationally competitive program. We also met with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to discuss the PDM earmarks. OMB is also opposed to PDM earmarks.
I hope to see old friends and make new ones at the upcoming Annual Conference in Reno.
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May 18-23, 2008 is Our 32nd Annual National Conference!
ASFPM’s 32nd annual conference at Reno-Sparks, Nevada, is just around the corner – do you have your hotel reservation made and conference registration faxed in? This year’s theme, A Living River Approach to Floodplain Management, will focus on sustainable approaches to flood mitigation. Be sure to review the agenda when making your travel plans so you don’t miss out on our incredible array of training options. It is extremely important to check the conference web page occasionally for inevitable program changes; for instance, some of the tours and workshops are already closed. The conference pocket guide with the full program is now available for download on the conference web page. You can download a copy to explore before you head out from the conference website at: www.floods.org/reno-sparks
Schedule Highlights
· Saturday May 17: ASFPM Board of Directors meeting 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
· Sunday May 18: 9 training workshops, 3 technical field tours, golf tournament, and Welcome Fest 7:30-10:00 p.m.
· Monday May 19: ASFPM Committee and Membership meetings, 11 training workshops, 2 technical field tours, the CFM exam, Silent Auction for the Foundation, and Exhibits Grand Opening 5:00-7:00 p.m.
· Tuesday-Thursday May 20-22: Technical conference program commences with plenary and concurrent sessions, and features the ASFPM Foundation LIVE AUCTION Tuesday noon and National Awards Luncheon Thursday noon.
· Tuesday May 20: 1 Technical Field Tour, Baker Networking Event 7:00-10:00 p.m.
· Wednesday May 21: Early Bird Discussion Sessions 7:00-8:15 a.m., 1 training workshop, 1 technical field tour, special Map Mod sessions 4:00-5:30 p.m., and Appreciation Reception for Foundation Donors and Corporate Partners 5:30-6:30 p.m. (by invitation only).
· Thursday May 22: ASFPM Region Meetings 7:00-8:15 a.m., 4 training workshops, 1 technical field tour, and the final networking event Celebrating the Sierra Nevada in the Nugget Pavillion from 6:00-9:00 p.m.
· Friday May 23: 5 training workshops, 2 technical field tours and the CFM exam.
This year the entire Conference is located at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel in Sparks, 1100 Nugget Avenue, just a few minutes from the airport. The 2008 Team consists of FMA Chapter members led by Local Host Team Coordinator Peggy Bowker and her able Team Captains, Program Coordinator Steve McMaster (Nebraska), Exhibits Coordinator Dan Accurti (Pennsylvania), and of course the entire ASFPM staff – Diane Brown, Chad Ross, Anita Larson, Becky Head, Debbie Pond, George Riedel, Jason Schneeberger, Kait Laufenberg, Jeff Stone, Alan Lulloff, and Larry Larson.
REGISTRATION: Sorry, the Early Bird Discount Deadline is past, but the good news is you can still register, so please get both Registration Forms A and B in now!! Several of the technical field tours and training workshops are closed, check the website to see which ones before you send in your forms. You’ll find them here: www.floods.org/reno-sparks. We must receive your registration no later than Tuesday, May 13th.
HOTEL and TRANSPORTATION INFO: The reservation cut-off date for our negotiated conference rate is also past, but the Nugget is still accepting reservations, call 1-800-648-1177. They provide a FREE shuttle to and from the airport. You can get the details on that, as well as driving directions, here: www.janugget.com/downloads/directions.pdf. “Business casual” is the style for attire, but we suggest you pack layers as temperatures drop in the evening.
SILENT AUCTION: We are still accepting donations for the Silent Auction to be held Monday-Wednesday at the conference. All proceeds go to ASFPM Foundation’s efforts in research and education. Questions? Contact Debbie Pond at . See the current list of items: www.floods.org/Conferences,%20Calendar/silentauction2008.asp.
GOLF TOURNEY: They still have spots available; please click here to get contact information to sign up. www.floods.org/Conferences,%20Calendar/golf08.asp
We all hope to see you in Nevada in two weeks!
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National Floodproofing Conference IV is Nov. 16 - 20, 2008
November 16-20, 2008 is the date, the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans is the place! The ASFPM Floodproofing and Retrofitting Committee, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, their National Nonstructural FloodProofing Committee, and FEMA-Mitigation Division are conducting our 4th triennial conference to provide focused training and address policy and issues particular to flood protection and loss reduction. The Call for Abstracts will be available in Reno and on the ASFPM Conferences web page under “Add’l ASFPM Events”. The Abstract Submittal Deadline is June 13.
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SAME-ASCE Midwest Levee Conference
If you attended the ASFPM-NAFSMA Levee Safety Summit in February you learned about levee certification, FEMA requirements, and liability. Now, get the latest tools necessary to tackle those issues!
Return to St. Louis in June for the SAME-ASCE Conference to find out about design, methodology, and operational practices that you can put to work – how to get ready for recertification and methods to improve your flood protection system for greater security behind your levees.
You can find more information on the conference at: www.midwestleveeconference.com
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Flood Issues in Prime Time!
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Highlights Reducing Flood Damage
Tune in to the May 18, season finale of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show features a church and home in Westwego, LA, that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. HostTy Pennington and a small army of volunteers have come to the rescue. The rebuilding contractor, Deltec Homes of Asheville, NC, has built many hurricane-resistant homes and understands the NFIP and code requirements for building in floodplains.
SmartVENT, Inc., an ASFPM corporate member, recommended raising the lowest floors to be 1-foot above the Base Flood Elevation and showed how much the family and the church will save on flood insurance every year. To highlight the savings, SmartVENT will pay NFIP flood insurance premiums for both buildings for the next 10 years.
The buildings are on crawlspace foundations. To comply with requirements, SmartVENT prepared the foundation design and donated ICC-ES certified engineered flood vents for both buildings. SmartVENT volunteers pitched in to work on the house - watch closely and you might see a familiar face! www.smartvent.com
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ASFPM New Employee – Kait Laufenberg
I just wanted to take some time to introduce myself. My name is Kait Laufenberg and I am the new Training and Chapter Coordinator. In this newly created position I will be working closely with Chapters, Members, Committees, and Board Leaders on training initiatives and chapter relations. My background has been in the Human Resources and Social Services sector designing, delivering, and managing training programs. I’m originally from the Wisconsin area, but have lived 12 of the last 14 years in Minneapolis, MN where I received my BA degree in Sociology: Criminology at the U of MN. When I’m not at work, I’m a Quilting and Archery instructor in my community 4H program and am looking forward to moving to Madison this summer. I’m very excited to be a part of the ASFPM team.
Over the next year I will be contacting each chapter to personally introduce myself and determine each chapter’s needs, concerns, and ways I can support them. I’ll be meeting with chapter boards, participating in conference calls with chapter and committee leaders, and sending out a needs / feedback questionnaire as a way to stay connected and to get to know each chapter better. Our membership is very important to us and the training component is just a part of what we’d like to develop to support our members. I look forward to meeting you at the conference in Reno, NV.
Some of my goals are to develop a chapter relations and communication system, options for developing our training “menu” of choices, investigating web-based training initiatives, and providing input on ASFPM’s website development team. I am interested in ideas you may have for these services. As I get to know you in the coming weeks and months, I’ll be looking for your suggestions on how ASFPM and I can best support your needs.
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WKU Floodplain Management Program
In 2006 Western Kentucky University launched the nation’s first official floodplain management program. The University, in conjunction with KAMM and Associate Professor Warren Campbell, established the program as a floodplain management minor that teaches students not only the engineering of flooding, but also teaches about the many policy issues related to flooding. They are hopeful that the minor will be a stepping stone to someday offer a major in floodplain management
The University released a press release regarding the program earlier this year. You can view a copy of the press release on the web at: http://www.wku.edu/news/releases08/january/floodplain.html
For more information about WKU’s floodplain management minor, visit their website at: http://www.wku.edu/engineering/ce/floodplainminor/floodplain.php
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Community Flood Maps: A Tale of Two NJ Cities
By: Stephen Kempf, Regional Administrator, FEMA, Region II
For professional flood plain managers, Congress’s Map Modernization program – the five-year, $1 billion national initiative designed to produce new flood maps for 92% of the country – was long overdue.
Map Mod’s goal is to provide accurate, state-of-the-art, site-specific data on flood risks. The new maps’ digital format also serves other vital emergency management functions, such as the identification of viable evacuation routes, and safe sites for emergency shelters, as well as providing town planners with the crucial data they need for responsible zoning and development decisions.
These are truly community maps, developed with state and local officials to serve as both community resources and as community emergency management tools. They provide an essential public service and serve the ‘greater good.’ But sometimes that ‘greater good’ is obscured by individual -- and heartbreaking -- hardship. Experiences from two New Jersey towns illustrate Mad Mod’s contrasting attributes.
When the new preliminary flood maps were sent to Monmouth County municipal offices in January, flood plain managers were impressed by the LIDAR technology that mapped elevations to within six inches. Likewise, FEMA’s determination that the earthen dunes -- which were characterized as “levees” on the 1982 maps -- provided inadequate protection from a flood with a 1% change of happening in any given year was widely applauded by flood plain professionals, who are ever mindful of New Orleans’ tragic experience of surviving a Category 3 hurricane only to be inundated when its’ levees breached. But while the professionals congratulated us on our realistic and accurate assessment of the risks of flooding in Monmouth County, many residents (more than 3,680 structures have been added to the floodplain countywide) bemoaned that accuracy, as they knew they would now be required to pay flood insurance premiums commensurate with their risk.