HCR 7 Text

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 7
(By Delegates Bean, Kuhn, Ennis, Martin and Walters)
[Introduced January 23, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]

Requesting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to expedite the process of updating West Virginia's flood insurance rate maps.

Whereas, As flood insurance rate maps age they may not accurately reflect flood hazard conditions, potentially creating a false sense of security for the citizens of West Virginia; and

Whereas, Outdated flood insurance rate maps may result in the construction of buildings, infrastructure and individual homes within the active floodplain; and

Whereas, Flood hazards are dynamic and may change rapidly due to community development as well as natural processes in the watershed, exacerbating the need for up-to-date, comprehensive flood maps; and

Whereas, The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the governmental entity responsible for revising and updating flood insurance rate maps; and

Whereas, Eighty-eight percent of flood insurance rate maps in the State of West Virginia are ten years old or older and seventeen percent of West Virginia flood insurance rate maps are twenty years old or older; and

Whereas, The Legislature of the State of West Virginia does desire that the Federal Emergency Management Agency expedite its review and revision of the flood insurance rate maps; and

Whereas, Utilization of updated flood insurance rate maps will allow governmental officials to better protect the State's citizens from the ravages of flooding; and

Whereas, The severity of West Virginia's flood events in the last decade, particularly in the southern part of the State, indicates the urgency of the need for revision of flood insurance rate maps in West Virginia relative to the needs of other states; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Federal Emergency Management Agency, should immediately undertake to expedite the process of revising and updating the flood insurance rate maps of West Virginia and, further, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should give priority to the mapping needs of the communities of West Virginia relative to those of other states.

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